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Middle-School Brothers Have Freedom to Live Life With TTU K-12

By Leslie Cranford, Media Relations Coordinator

August 3, 2018

The Brister family: Michael, Dean, Gennifer and Dillon.

The Brister family: Michael, Dean, Gennifer and Dillon.

The Brister family: Michael, Dean, Gennifer and Dillon.

The Brister family: Michael, Dean, Gennifer and Dillon.

Generations of youth around the country may recognize these words from the FFA creed, “I believe in the future of agriculture, with a faith born not of words but of deeds - achievements won by the present and past generations of agriculturists; in the promise of better days through better ways, even as the better things we now enjoy have come to us from the struggles of former years.”

Dean and Dillon Brister, brothers from Texas, are living out this mission in their own deeds and achievements, even finding a “better way” to achieve their goals in the way they're being educated. These TTU K-12 middle-schoolers not only excel in their FFA and 4H endeavors but are becoming leaders and learners in many other areas as well.

Dillon and Dean Brister.

Dillon and Dean Brister.

Dillon and Dean Brister.

Dillon and Dean Brister.

Both boys have been students in TTU K-12 since kindergarten, giving them time-freedom to show stock show animals and pursue other interests. Their mom Gennifer says after 10 years now, it's the only school they've ever known.

“The program is so in-depth and easy to understand,” Gennifer said. “It has built stepping stones for our sons with each passing year. They're confident and proud when they tell others about their school.”

She explained that they live on a large ranch away from town, and the program allows them to complete each day at their own pace. “If we are going out of town, we are able to plan out our week to complete their work ahead of time.”

Dean Brister with one of his show animals.

Dean Brister with one of his show animals.

Dean Brister with one of his show animals.

Dean Brister with one of his show animals.

Dean is 12 and in sixth grade. He started showing animals when he was eight and has shown lambs, pigs and broilers (chickens). He won Reserve Champion Pullet and Reserve Breed Champion with his Duroc pig in Lampasas County.

A member of Lampasas County 4H and a club officer, Dean also is a member of Lampasas FFA. He has won several proficiency awards in FFA with his livestock production and swine production. He recently won the distinguished “Outstanding Junior FFA Member of the Year” award at their year-end banquet.

“This was his second year to win that award,” she said. “It's voted on by the school's Ag teacher and the high school students that are the FFA officers.”

Described by his mom as a “math whiz,” Dean also loves being outside and would be all day every day, if possible. He plays basketball, football and golf. Gennifer says he loves to fish and be with his dog, Bear.

“Dean is a sports guy,” Gennifer said. “He can recite the stats of any kind of sports player when asked. He knows the batting average of every baseball player, the scoring average of basketball players, you name it. Dean is a big Cubs fan, and in August he will get to go on his ‘trip of a lifetime' to Chicago to watch the Cubs play at Wrigley field!”

Gennifer says Dean loves TTU K-12 because he is able to do stock shows and has the flexibility to travel. Dean plans on attending Texas Tech University as well as becoming a professional golfer when he grows up.

Dillon Brister shows one of his pigs.

Dillon Brister shows one of his pigs.

Dillon Brister shows one of his pigs.

Dillon Brister shows one of his pigs.

Older brother Dillon, who is 14 and in eighth grade, also has been with TTU K-12 since kindergarten.

Dillon was also eight when he started showing stock show animals. He's shown lambs, goats, pigs and broilers, and is the reigning Grand Champion Poultry winner three years in a row in Lampasas County.

He's also a member of Lampasas County 4H and is the club president for his 4H group. He's a member of Lampasas FFA as well, and he's won several proficiency awards this year in diversified livestock production and poultry production.

“Dillon loves being a TTU K-12 student because it allows him to be free to travel and get to ‘be a kid' more often, as he says,” Gennifer chuckled. “His favorite subjects are science and art.” When Dillon graduates from TTU K-12, he also plans on attending Texas Tech and becoming a paleontologist. His goal is to discover a new species of dinosaur.

Besides doing schoolwork, Dillon loves to swim and fish. He plays the piano and is an orange belt in Tae Kwon Do.

Gennifer knows neither Dillon nor Dean would have time for all of their pursuits and lessons – both life lessons taught by showing animals and being in clubs, and school lessons – if they attended a traditional middle school.

TTU K-12 has provided our family the perfect way to teach our children without the driving back and forth to our local public school,” she said. “They're doing the same work as their friends in the same grades, without all of the daily stress that comes with public school. I feel that God brought us to TTU K-12 and we're so proud knowing that they will graduate there one day!”