Since the pandemic, golf has been enjoying an ascension back to popularity last seen thirty years ago. (NGF, 2025) The workforce maintaining golf courses however, has not grown accordingly. Careers in the turfgrass sector are present, but supply is dwindling into a severe shortage (Hartsock, 2019; Woelfel, 2019; Letot et al., 2024). A decade ago, reports were showing declining numbers in undergraduate turfgrass management programs (Richman, 2014; Bigelow, 2016a) and the trend is continuing with enrollment in turf programs at US-based R-1 universities is down 74% since their peak in the early 2000s (Branham, 2023). Primary individuals influencing students to choose enrollment in a post-secondary agriculture program are parents of the prospective students and high school agriscience teachers (Rayfield et al., 2013; Touchstone, 2014). Activities influencing prospective students include membership and events in agricultural clubs like FFA and opportunities to work outdoors with plants (Barkley & Parrish, 2005, Curry, 2015, Patton et al., 2013, Streich, 2019). A multi-year study was initiated to explore the capacity of an FFA Endorsed event, the National Turfgrass Science Invitational (NTSI), to influence change in sentiments towards turfgrass science instruction and recruitment into the turfgrass industry. To achieve this exploration, research goals were developed to (a) evaluate sentiments from participating students (N=75) and teachers (N=19) towards NTSI, (b) compare sentiments from participating students and teachers towards turfgrass science, and (c) investigate sentiments towards career exploration based on Career Decision Self-Efficacy. Quantitative results have presented positive attitudes towards NTSI. Additionally, the comparison of sentiments between teachers and students has yielded data illuminating a gap between student-self efficacy in learning and teacher self-efficacy in teaching turfgrass science. Future work will focus on continuing data collection at each NTSI and additional studies in teacher self efficacy changes as a result of professional development intervention.