West Greene High School’s Agriculture Dept. funding scholarship honoring late classmate

MOSHEIM, Tenn. (WJHL) – The agriculture department at West Greene High School founded and is funding a scholarship in honor of their classmate David A. Gregg, who passed away last month.

Gregg was very active in West Greene’s agriculture department and the Future Farmers of America organization (FFA).

“The AG Department was a very big part of his life,” said Tracy Gregg, David’s mother. “The greenhouse, he loved to plant flowers. He loved welding. He loved farming. So that was just what he loved to do.”

Students and faculty in the agriculture department wanted a way to keep Gregg’s legacy alive. They founded the memorial scholarship to give to students who also have a passion for agriculture and welding. Ten percent of all plant sales from this spring’s greenhouse sale will go toward the scholarship fund. They also sold meals on Saturday, where one hundred percent of the funds went to the scholarship.

“It was just obvious when we were here working on the greenhouse, and he was here with us so much, we just knew that this was what we needed to do to make sure that we honor his service heart because he had a huge servant’s heart,” said Robert Meadows, agriculture education teacher and FFA advisor. “He was more interested in other students than he was in what he accomplished or done and it didn’t matter if we needed help in the greenhouse or on our school farm or with our welding projects. David was always here. And he was one of the best that we had.”

A common thread among the West Greene community is that they remember Gregg for being a helpful person.

“I want them to remember how dedicated he was down here getting his work done
and how he was always trying to help people learn how to do stuff,” said Addison Peters, Gregg’s cousin and FFA member.

“Every time he came out here he was always doing something, always working even though like the people who weren’t as involved in AG if they needed help he was one of the first people to come and help them,” said Mckensie Morrison, friend and FFA member.

“Been multiple nights I’ve been broke down on the side of the road 12 or 1 o’clock in the morning,” said Mason Dean, friend and FFA member. “Here he comes flying down the road as soon as I called him.”

“You could call him any time of the day, night whatever you needed he’d show up in a hurry,” said Jacob Wright, friend and FFA member. “He didn’t care, whatever you needed.”

“The work he done around this community just for free, it really says a lot,” said Weston Brown, friend and FFA member.

“He played a huge role in stuff getting done around here,” said Jacob Arnold, friend and FFA member. “He was one of the best workers in Ag.”

“Greatest welder in West Greene History,” added Arnold.

Gregg’s friends remembered how he would always call himself the best welder after a welding project.

“We have had so many people come forward and just tell us about things that David has done that nobody knew about, whether it was mowing yards of elderly people in the community and not asking for any money or not letting them pay him just because he knew that they may have trouble or struggle,” said Meadows.

Gregg also was a junior member of the Orebank volunteer fire department.

“He’s always been around to help,” said David Peters, Orebank VFD’s fire chief. “Every time a call went out, if he wasn’t at school, he was there no matter what.”

Gregg’s senior year parking space is decorated with items that people can remember him by. Students fought to keep the memorial up by having a petition that had over 1,600 signatures. They’re hoping to permanently keep Gregg’s memorial parking space.

West Greene’s Agriculture Department raised over five thousand dollars for David’s scholarship fund, according to the West Greene FFA Facebook page. They’re continuing their greenhouse sale throughout the spring semester until they sell out. People can also donate to Gregg’s memorial scholarship fund here.

The first scholarship in his honor will be given out before graduation next month. The Agriculture Department wants this scholarship to be given to a deserving student annually.