Braxton Watts

The summer before my freshman year, I went to Camp Rising Sun for the first time. Excited and a little nervous, I borrowed my dad’s older FFA jacket for the week. It fit big on me, and it didn’t have my name stitched on the front.

Before I got off the bus when we arrived, my advisor stopped me and made me promise something: to take every opportunity camp offered. Leadership sessions, public speaking contests, volleyball, softball, meeting new people, everything. At the time, it felt like a lot, but I agreed. And I’m glad I did.

During FFA camp, on Thursday we wear our FFA jackets when we go into town. I remember putting my jacket on, zipping it up, and walking to the buses. I was proud to wear an FFA jacket for the first time. Throughout the night, wearing my borrowed jacket, I kept hearing people who hadn’t learned my name yet call me by my dad’s. It was strange to have someone else’s name attached to me, especially as I was just beginning to figure out who I was in the blue jacket.

Still, wearing that nameless jacket taught me something important. A jacket isn’t powerful because of the name on the front. It’s powerful because of the values and opportunities stitched into the person wearing it. That week at Camp Rising Sun reminded me that FFA isn’t just about recognition; it’s about stepping up, trying new things, and creating your own story in the blue jacket.

Eventually, I earned a jacket with my own name on it. But I’ll always remember that first week, the week I learned that leadership isn’t given with a stitched name. It’s built in the moments when you say yes, take chances, and make the jacket your own.

And if you’re reading this, maybe you’re wearing a jacket that doesn’t quite fit yet, or maybe it doesn’t have your name stitched on the front. That’s okay. The jacket isn’t what makes you a leader. Every choice you make, every opportunity you take, every moment you step up, that’s what fills the sleeves, zips the zipper, and makes the jacket truly yours. So wear it proudly, even if it feels too big right now. Your story is just beginning, and the jacket will grow with you.

In the fire service, we train for what we hope never happens. But sometimes, the best lessons come when you don’t even realize you’re being tested.

One evening during a monthly meeting at our volunteer fire station, we were discussing upcoming events with our chief when all of a sudden, someone noticed smoke rising outside the back window. Without hesitation, I jumped into one of the firetrucks and sat in the passenger seat, adrenaline rushing, waiting for someone to drive.

But no one came.

I sat there, ready to respond, while the rest of the crew stayed back and observed the flames. What I didn’t know was that our fire chief had orchestrated a training scenario. He asked a volunteer to start a controlled burn and told the crew to respond as if it were real. So while I sat in the truck, my team was evaluating the fire. 

Eventually, someone joined me in the truck, and we rolled around the building and began our response. Once we were on the scene, our previous training kicked in and we handled it smoothly. But the moment stuck with me.

I realized then that being ready isn’t just about acting fast. It’s about knowing when and how to act. That lesson has followed me far beyond the fire station.

In FFA, we’re often put in situations where we’re eager to lead, whether it’s jumping into a new role, joining a contest or taking charge during a project. But sometimes, leadership means slowing down, reading the room and trusting the process.

Our leadership roles, SAEs, CDEs and even the unexpected moments, they’re all part of our training. They prepare us not just to react, but to respond with intention.

In life and in leadership, the most meaningful growth doesn’t always come during the fire, it comes in the moments right before it.