2025-2026

Sep 17 2025

Ka-Chow

2025-2026, Seth Engeman

Seth Engeman, 2025-26 1st VP

The cinematic masterpiece produced by Pixar that we all know as “Cars” has been engraved in my mind since I was a young boy. The soundtrack alone can send me down a rabbit hole of reasons why the movie is the greatest of all time. I may be a little biased, but I think we can all learn something from it.

Lightning McQueen is on a journey to become the greatest racer of all time, refusing to lose—even if it means winning by the tip of his tongue. Going through high school, I often felt the same way. Whether it meant getting good grades or placing first in a competition, I always wanted to be on top. But as I’ve gone through high school and life has picked up speed, I’ve learned life isn’t always about finishing first. The people we meet along the way can make the biggest difference.

Just as Radiator Springs taught Lightning McQueen to slow down, FFA has done the same for me. Sometimes, at an event, the best thing you can do is take the time to say hello to familiar faces—or even meet someone new. Your next lifelong friend, just like McQueen’s best friend Tow Mater, could be waiting for you.

Missouri FFA, I encourage you to slow down and remember that being on top isn’t what life is all about. Take some time to enjoy the things that go by too fast, even when you feel ready to speed ahead. Catch up with old friends and make new ones. Remember the tangible things in life will never mean as much as the relationships we build with others. Just like the Hudson Hornet said, trophies are just “a bunch of empty cups.” Slow down and embrace your journey.

Sep 16 2025

Survivin’ and Thrivin’

2025-2026, Maddy Rash

105

Maddy Rash, 2025-26 VP

When I sat down to write this blog, I wasn’t sure how to start. Honestly, beginnings trip me up sometimes, but once I get going, I’m fine. Maybe you’ve felt the same way before.

Back in high school, I remember looking at state officers like they were celebrities. They seemed perfect: calm, confident and put together. I thought their lives were stress-free and ideal. But when it came time for me to step into these shoes, I quickly realized how wrong I was.

Life has come at me fast. Interviews, Convention, graduation, training, camps and now, college. Each brought challenges I never could have predicted. And let me tell you, college hit me harder than I expected. Suddenly, I was navigating situations I never imagined, and it hasn’t been easy.

But here’s what I’ve learned: being a state officer doesn’t make me any different from you. I’m not above the struggles of everyday life. I get stressed, overwhelmed and lost at times, too. The title doesn’t erase the bumps in the road – it just means I get to walk through them alongside you.

At the end of the day, state officers are students, friends and people trying to figure things out just like you are. We’re not perfect. We face the same challenges, take the same unexpected detours and keep moving forward the same way you do.

Together, we’re all survivin’ and thrivin’.

Sep 15 2025

Don’t Let Comparison be the Thief of Your Joy

2025-2026, Abigayle Lett

103

Abigayle Lett, 2025-26 VP

I still remember the excitement I felt when I was in sixth grade and my oldest cousin joined FFA. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. From the jackets to the early morning FFA events and the excitement of barnwarming, I couldn’t wait. But when my time finally came, the excitement fell quickly. Instead of feeling proud, I felt behind.

I didn’t have an impressive Supervised Agricultural Experience. I barely knew anything about agriculture, let alone leadership. I started doubting myself. Every shortcoming felt huge and, slowly, comparison began stealing the joy I once felt in ag class. A place I had loved became a place where I was constantly asking for help just to understand.

As I stepped into the next year, something shifted. I found areas where I thrived and some of my classmates struggled. Slowly, I started to see that everyone struggles somewhere. Maybe you are great in the greenhouse but lost in animal science. Maybe you’ve never touched a welding torch but you light up during a speech. I started to understand that success in FFA doesn’t just follow one path. Just as I was beginning to look at things differently, one of my best friends shared a quote with me. “Don’t let comparison be the thief of your joy.” It hit me hard. I had been so focused on what I wasn’t that I forgot to appreciate who I was and how far I had come.

Whether you’re just starting your FFA journey or finishing your final year, I hope you always remember this:

Stop comparing. Start growing.
Your journey is yours alone.
You are good enough!

Keep showing up. Keep trying your best and above all, don’t let comparison steal the joy YOU have earned.

Aug 20 2025

From Smoke to Strategy

2025-2026, Braxton Watts

104

Braxton Watts, 2025-26 VP

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.

Aug 18 2025

Shoulders Back, Head High

2025-2026, Cash Honeycutt

103

Cash Honeycutt, 2025-26 VP

“Pull your shoulder’s back Cash, walk with confidence.” My mother was always on me about my awful posture growing up. I often walked and stood with my shoulders slumped down like a child pouting in the corner. I would always roll my eyes and say, “It’s fine, Mom,” as I ignored the advice that she had given me. However, she was always insistent that it mattered and people were always paying attention whether you thought so or not. Confidence is key, no matter what you’re doing, as I soon found out.

Growing up, one thing I loved was bull riding. The PBR and legends like J.B Mauney were the coolest things to me, and I hoped one day I could do that too. My dad had actually rodeoed quite a bit through his childhood and eventually, after a lot of begging, he reluctantly allowed me to begin steer riding, which is for youth too young for the large bulls yet. I had not been long when I found myself in Barnard, Missouri for a weekend. I had already gotten bucked off and stepped on Saturday, so I was hoping to have a good day on Sunday. However, as I made my way to the draw sheet, I realized I had drawn the toughest steer in the pen. Fear quickly consumed me and as the event got closer, it only got worse. Soon enough, I was lowering myself into the chute and wrapping my hand in the bull rope. Still consumed with fear, I nodded my head; in an instant I felt myself land on the dirt head first. A broken rib and concussion later, I was going to be out for a while.

I eventually made a comeback and rode a few more steers before realizing it just wasn’t for me like I had thought it would be. But I learned an important lesson – looking back on that day, had I been confident in my abilities and went into it with a more open mind, I might not have ridden that steer, but I believe it wouldn’t have turned out nearly as bad as it did. As we go through our journeys in FFA and life, we might be thrown into situations we don’t feel ready for. However, if you have an open mind and the confidence to try, nothing will be able to stand in your way.

Aug 17 2025

Stay Competitive

2025-2026, Gage Swindler

103

Gage Swindler, 2025-26 VP

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved playing sports. As I grew older, I became more and more invested in my sports teams, which built me into the competitive person I am today. In high school, my two favorite sports to play were football and baseball. I was lucky enough to be surrounded by a close group of friends that also had very similar competitive mindsets. We were dedicated to our team and we were going to give it everything we had in order to hopefully win. Throughout our four years of high school, this competitive mindset allowed us to achieve a lot of success for our small school.

When I started my FFA journey my freshman year, it didn’t take me long to put this competitive mindset I had developed to use, whether it was fall speeches, spring CDEs and LDEs or even just playing games at my chapter’s barnwarming. I enjoyed being surrounded by other members who had that same competitive mindset we use to chase our goals. I have been able to meet a lot of great people and make a lot of good friends by competing against them at FFA contests or sporting events, many of whom I still talk to today. While we are being competitive, it is important we continue to be mindful of others and don’t allow our competitiveness to get in the way of friendships. When you look back, those friendships are what you are going to remember the most.

I encourage you all to stay competitive and use it to chase your goals.

Aug 15 2025

Success is a Mindset

2025-2026, Taylor Nothdurft

104

Taylor Nothdurft, 2025-26 VP

I used to think success was about being perfect, crossing all the “t’s” and dotting all the “i’s” and achieving all the goals. In high school, I’d find myself overanalyzing what I could’ve done better even when I’d done something I was truly proud of. Being a state officer has shifted this. I’ve come to understand success isn’t about being perfect. It’s about enjoying the ride and learning from every experience.

I know success is mental. It’s about embracing the imperfection and learning to be happy with the progress you do achieve when things do not go as planned. Instead of stressing about what I cannot change, I opt to go with the flow and find the silver lining in every situation. Success is in the attempting, the gaining of knowledge, and in being able to step back, breathe and smile at where you have gotten.

Success is a process and not a destination. It’s persistence, not perfection. So, to all who think they are just not there yet, remember: your mindset defines your success. Take pride in your journey. Celebrate those small wins and never forget to enjoy the moment.

Jul 22 2025

Stop and Smell the Roses

2025-2026, Ryatt Haggerman

103

Ryatt Haggerman, 2025-26 Secretary

If you have ever met me, you know I love to take in each and every moment, no matter how small it might be. I was not always this way, though, and it has taken me a long time to realize we all need to slow down every once and awhile and live in the moment. I started to understand how important this was toward the end of my junior year of high school when I saw my time in high school was coming to a close. I realized the next year was going to be filled with a lot of lasts. My last fall speech, my last spring contest season, and even my last year serving as a chapter officer. But I also realized I never really stopped to enjoy those different moments for the past three years I had been part of them.

Over the past three years, I had been looking at what the next step was. Always asking the question, what was the next big thing I could be a part of? It never occurred to me that I was living in the moments that were worth slowing down for. We all know life can get pretty busy; sometimes it feels like we have a million different things needing our attention. It is when all we start focusing all of our energy on is all of these different problems and responsibilities that we forget to live in the moment.

I am not asking us to always be perfect when it comes to living in the moment. All of us have times of uncertainty where we can’t help but worry about the future. All I am asking is that we try to stop and smell the roses a little more often.

Jul 20 2025

Be Okay with Being Uncomfortable

2025-2026, Ivy Elwell

101

Ivy Elwell, 2025-26 President

“Be okay with being uncomfortable.” I have thought about this advice a lot during my time in FFA. However, it has taken me a while to fully understand what it means. This summer, I had the opportunity to spend two weeks at FFA Camp. Before heading to Camp, I was dreading my two weeks there. I had never been to camp before, so it was a little bit like I was being thrown into the deep end. I did not even get to just be a camper and knew I would be pushed to be a leader. Camp was filled with many new opportunities and interactions with new people that took me out of my comfort zone. As my time at Camp Rising Sun ended, I was wishing I could sign up for more time. Sometimes, it is okay and even important to be uncomfortable in order to grow.

For most of my time in FFA, I stayed stuck in doing the things I enjoy and have not always been the best at trying new things. I did speech contest after speech contest, but pretty much never signed up to be on a CDE team. Speech contests were like a crutch for me, as I had done so many that I knew what to expect, and I have to admit, contest teams were a little bit intimidating. Still, when my advisor asked me to fill in on the poultry team for the Central District Contest, I said, “yes.” It ended up being one of the best experiences of my FFA career. So, take the time to try something new in FFA and push yourself out of your comfort zone. Sometimes a little discomfort brings the most growth and makes for the best memories.

Jul 15 2025

Not Throwing Away Your Shot

2025-2026, Annie Neely

103

Annie Neely, 2025-26 VP

Ever since I was seven years old, I have been a superfan of the Broadway musical, Hamilton. This show combined my love for American history and music, as I have seen the film on Disney+ many times, watched it in person and blasted the soundtrack for years. One particular song has always stayed with me: “My Shot.” This third track, sung by a young Alexander Hamilton, captures the hunger and drive of the future Founding Father. The song’s most popular lyric, “I’m not throwin’ away my shot,” showed that Hamilton refused to let opportunity pass him by and was determined to make the most of it.

FFA helped me understand the importance of taking every opportunity. As a freshman, I set a goal of making it into the National FFA Band. I was nervous about applying, because very few underclassmen got into the band each year. Despite being anxious, I decided to submit my application. A few months later, I got the email congratulating me on making the National FFA Band. While I had doubted myself, the band directors saw something and took a chance on me. Had I not put myself out there, I would have missed out on one of my favorite FFA memories.

Missouri FFA members, I encourage you to take every opportunity. While you have time left, whether you are an incoming freshman or entering your last year of high school, do not throw away your shot in FFA. Apply for that chapter officer position, bring your animal to show at the county fair or write a speech to present in a fall speaking contest. There will come a day when you will have to take off your blue jacket for the final time, but until then, I hope that you–like Alexander Hamilton–will not throw away your shot.