I am not a spring chicken (no pun intended), and I have accepted the fact that when I walked into a plant for a meeting, I am usually greeted by my former students. It is an awesome feeling. But this week, while walking out of the meeting, I was greeted by friends of my children who are now college summer interns at this facility. These interns were in high school ag and FFA meat judging with my kids. It was a truly humbling experience.

After the shock of realizing they are all grown up and working, I began to reminisce with them about all the good times and fun during the FFA activities. Each of them had taken different paths in life, but all had that FFA connection. Then I took a couple of selfies and sent them to my kids, who responded: “OMG tell her hi and how fun!” and everyone was reconnected again.

After the meeting, I started thinking about them as kids and now as adults. Each of them has become successful in their lives. My daughter has graduated and is going to work on her master’s degree, and the interns are working with a great company this summer, while earning their animal science degree, and are on the meat judging team. What successful, kindhearted and hard-working adults they have become.

Their connection to success was FFA and an amazing agricultural teacher in College Station, Texas, who built the meats judging team from a handful of students who wanted to learn about meat. They worked hard, they traveled long distances and they made it happen. This ag teacher inspired, and empowered, and allowed them to believe in their own success. There was no hand holding to achieve this success; she placed a vision in front of them and said now let’s go get it. Their success is because of the actions of this ag teacher.

But I would be remiss to not include the influence of FFA. FFA teaches kids how to shake hands, look people in the eye and be confident in their own self. They smile and have a positive outlook on life and understand there is no such thing as luck, only a prepared opportunity. How does FFA do this? It is because of the relationship building, the opportunity to build confidence, and the creed. This creed is about self, it is a personal expression of belief in oneself. Every sentence from the creed starts with the famous words “I believe…”.

The most meaningful phrases from this creed are “not of words but of deeds,” “to be engaged,” “leadership from ourselves and respect from others,” “I believe in my own ability,” “to serve our own and the public interest,” and “ influence my home and community”… reading those again, just WOW. I can always tell if a student has been involved in FFA because they are confident, selfless servants of our communities and our agriculture industries. They are successful because they learned early on that change starts with themselves and the ability to influence begins with their own actions.

While this experience was humbling, I am thankful that I ran into these interns, and I wish them continued success. I know they will be our next generation of industry leaders. If y’all (interns) are reading this blog, just know I am so proud of y’all, and I am looking forward to your next successes in our industry.

The FFA creed

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