The Notes Between Success and Failure
I have always adored my older sisters. Whether it was the way they did their hair, the outfits they wore or even the activities they were involved in, I often found myself wanting to be just like them. So, when sixth grade rolled around and I had the opportunity to join band, I knew I had to because my older sister, Lainey, was in band, too.
In my school’s band program, I had the opportunity to try out several different instruments. After going through the process, I decided I wanted to play the French Horn. During the first few weeks of instruction, however, I quickly discovered it was going to be a learning curve. Between learning which fingerings produced certain notes and figuring out the correct embouchure for each one, I started to wonder if maybe this was not the instrument for me.
When seventh grade rolled around, I made the decision to switch my main instrument to the clarinet. Little did I know, that decision would lead to many experiences that would teach me about perseverance.
When I first picked up the clarinet and prepared to play, I squeaked more times than I would like to admit and had to make multiple attempts just to produce a clear sound. Throughout my journey as a musician, I found myself facing similar plateaus to the one I experienced that very first day. Whether it was the beginning of eighth grade when I struggled to “break the scale,” or my sophomore year when I had difficulty adjusting to a higher-strength reed, there were plenty of moments when progress did not come easily.
Despite those struggles, I always found myself trying again. I knew my sister had experienced challenges of her own, and if she could overcome them, I believed I could too.
Life is full of similar moments. We will experience failures, plateaus and, hopefully, plenty of successes. However, to reach success, we often have to work through failure first. Perseverance is what helps us push through the “squeaks” life throws our way.
One thing I love to remind myself when things get difficult is to strive for progress, not perfection.
As we move throughout our FFA careers, it is important to remember it is not about whether you get knocked down. It is about how you choose to get back up.
Think about the role models in your life who have experienced some of the same struggles you are facing, and lean on them when you need to. For you, it may be a brother, sister, friend, teacher or FFA advisor. Their experiences and encouragement can help you recognize the progress you are making and push you toward goals you may not have even realized you had.
Strong support systems help us become better versions of ourselves. And someday, when someone around us begins facing their own struggles and setbacks, we have the opportunity to pay support forward.
So, when life gets a little squeaky, keep going. Progress may not always sound perfect at first, but with perseverance, it can become something beautiful.
I was younger, I thought giving people flowers was pointless. Unlike my younger self, I have become a girl who loves receiving flowers from her loved ones. So, for my senior prom, I wanted to carry a bouquet of flowers specifically arranged by a dear friend of mine who has listened to and helped me with more speeches than I can count. After a preparation session for state officer interviews, I was able to talk to this friend about how excited I was for prom and how I would be privileged to have her create a bouquet. Once I arrived home that day, I sent her a picture of my dress, discussed specific colors and waited until the day before prom to pick up the boutonniere and bouquet.
the tryouts for cheer my senior year, I was told my high school would be receiving a foreign exchange student. At the time, I thought this was cool but insignificant to me. However, when she arrived, my opinion soon changed. Her name was Mati, and she was from Italy. We became friends over the summer because we attended several of the same cheer events. Once school started, I was asked to help show her around since we were already acquainted and both seniors. After comparing schedules, I realized we had a food science class together, which was an ag class.
few weeks ago, I was driving home from state officer training in Jefferson City to attend my local scholarship night. This drive, however, was far from smooth. I got caught in one of the worst rainstorms I have ever driven through. The rain was falling so hard I could barely see the lines on the road or make out the taillights of the car in front of me. In just a few minutes, the road went from familiar to unrecognizable. 
30-Minute Rule is a very simple concept. You get 30 minutes to have a reaction about a situation. This is mainly for situations that don’t go well, ones you get sad or mad about. My dad was the first one to ever mention it to me. He said the 30 minutes would allow me to feel what I needed to, but also be ready for the next opportunity. This has applied to me a lot recently. 
my freshman year, I competed in Creed Speaking. This was my first time doing a contest, but I still remember the countless class periods I spent reciting it over and over again. I had said it so many times, I thought there was no way I could ever forget it.