Living in Columbia, Missouri, for the past couple of months has been the biggest learning experience of my life so far. Even though home is only an hour away, Columbia has that big city feel. With more than 30,000 students and a population of over 100 times the size of my hometown, some nights seem a little intimidating. I walk around campus and never see the same face twice. The only people that may know me are my fellow officers and people from my hometown. 

With busy weeks of homework and being involved in multiple organizations, I feel myself needing a break. On the weekends when I can get away and make my way back home to Paris, I jump at that chance. What’s my first stop when I go home? The ag building at my high school, of course! There, I always feel welcomed. No matter the time of day, I am always greeted with a smile from members, friends and our two FFA advisors — Mr. Bondy and Mrs. Nobis. The Paris FFA ag building was my home away from home for my four years of high school. I hope FFA members feel the same way about their ag department. There is no place like home.

One of my most vivid memories from high school is walking through the front doors and past the trophy case everyday. I would look in awe at all of the accomplishments of those before me: state championships, countless tournament trophies, and small sections dedicated to individuals who went above and beyond in their sport. 

While I loved looking at all of those awards, there was one area in the case that always stood out to me. Right at the end of the trophy case in a spot by itself hung a sun-faded FFA jacket with the stitching, ‘Mark Wilburn, National Vice President, 1997-98,’ and a picture of my uncle Mark shaking President Bill Clinton’s hand. When I was a scrawny little 7th grader, to me it looked like it was out of place. With all of the metallic gold, silver and bronze, how did this corduroy jacket fit in? 

It wasn’t until later in high school that I truly found out the significance of that corduroy jacket. That jacket didn’t just bring a whole community together; it brought a whole nation together. It doesn’t hold stories just from Van-Far; it holds stories from schools across the country. The impact that FFA has on my family, my school and my community is tremendous. It’s brought us together and allowed us to experience memories and opportunities second to none. That FFA jacket more than belonged in that trophy case. 

We have the ability not only in FFA, but also in our careers to make something meaningful. We can bring communities together and achieve goals we had no clue that could exist. It’s up to you to make that impact. 

Will you be in that trophy case?

I lost my glasses a few months ago. I had just gone to the eye doctor, so I was bound and determined to find them.  I never did, so I bit the bullet and picked out a new pair. When they finally came in, I put them on and realized how much sharper everything was. Without my glasses, I have to stare at things endlessly before they come into focus. 

Focus. With the craziness of this last year — Covid-19, transitioning from high school to college, moving from the smallest town to urban living — I lost focus. My world was shaken up. My vision was blurry. Why was I doing this again? What is my purpose? I was focusing on all the things I couldn’t control and my forever-long to-do lists. I was spiraling about the smallest details. Not taking time to breathe and enjoy the moments.

Last week, I started to see through a different lens. It was National FFA Convention week, so I spent four days straight with my state officer team doing what I love. I was reminded of the joy surrounding me, and how much I want to surround others with that same joy. I need to focus on things I can control, and on all of the amazing things happening around me. 

Sometimes we need a reset, a wake up call. A reminder of why we care. A shift in focus. There will always be something negative, but there will also always be something to be grateful for. So, don’t be stubborn. Get your new glasses, and be willing to see through a new lens. Choose to focus on the good.

“What if I don’t like it?” 

These were my exact thoughts four years ago when I started my freshman year of high school as the “new kid.” The summer before my freshman year, my family moved to the town of Archie, Missouri. I was super excited to move and have the opportunity to join FFA, but I was also nervous to leave my old life, just to hopefully like what Archie had to offer. 

As August rolled around, I started to dread the first day of school. What if I hated it? What if I wanted to move back? 

Finally, the first day of school arrived. I remember going to most of my classes, but I’ll never forget the moment when I walked into my Introduction to Agriculture class. I was greeted by my advisor, who instantly started pestering me with questions about my life and why I had moved to Archie. He asked me why I joined FFA and what I hoped to get out of our organization. He talked about different opportunities within the organization.

I was hesitant at first. I was too scared of not liking Archie, and I was too nervous to absorb everything that he was saying. I let my what-if thoughts get the best of me, and I wasn’t too sure how my time in the FFA would progress. Of course, I later realized that FFA made me feel at home, but it took me a while to realize that, and I hadn’t been getting the most out of my class. 

As you start this crazy school year, remember to always look on the bright side of things and be sure to get the most out of what you are doing. Whether this is your first year at a brand new school or you’ve been at the same school your entire life, I encourage you to give this year everything you have. Try something new, listen to your advisor, don’t be afraid to forget your what-if thoughts. When you do, great things are bound to happen. 

Waitlisted. My voice broke as I uddered this word to my mom and grandma as we stood in the bathroom where I was reading my long awaited acceptance letter. I, Felicity Cantrell was now waitlisted from my dream college. I had fallen just short of something I had worked so hard to achieve. I lost. 

The news not only broke my heart because it was my dream, but it also hit home because I don’t like to lose. 

I have always been extremely competitive and was typically successful when it came to achieving my goals. Whether it was getting varsity cheer captain or being elected to serve in various positions throughout my career in FFA, I usually met my goal. 

There were obviously times when I wasn’t successful, but I always used that as fuel to motivate me to try harder the next time. This was different though; interviews were completed and the decision was final. I was not selected, and I was going to have to move on. The next couple of weeks were so hard; my confidence was shot. I referred to myself as a loser, and I was stuck in an awful rut. Then my ag teacher reminded me of a dream I had led myself to believe was unobtainable, being a Missouri State FFA Officer. 

I had always dreamed of being a state officer; motivating students is my passion. However, I let my loss make me feel like I couldn’t. This one set back that was totally unrelated made me feel as if I wasn’t good enough. 

FFA members, we all have setbacks, and that’s okay. We aren’t always going to be the winner and that is the simple truth we must accept. We will all fall from time to time, but we have to get back up and keep trying. It is in this process we find growth in ourselves. 

Our losses are what make our wins so special. If we don’t ever lose, we won’t know how truly special it is to win. 

Birthdays around the Spargo house are always a celebration. My best friend and I have close birthdays, so we’ve established the tradition of going on float trips with our dads. For the past several years, our quartet has packed up and made the drive to Current River to float downstream.

This year was no different. The morning of July 31 st, I woke up to a sky full of clouds and a radar that called for an afternoon full of rain. Being stubborn, I insisted that the show must go on, despite the grim weather predictions. After the customary lunch of ribs and Texas toast, we gathered our tubes and piled into a van that would take us to our drop off point. We eventually realized the weather report was wrong. Although the UV was high and the current was strong, we were having the time of our lives.

But even on a good day, rivers will always present obstacles. Boats, other floaters, snakes, cows, rocks, fallen trees, debris, you name it and it can be found in the water. This year our quartet was faced with a unique set of challenges. We had a very strong current after a storm, and it was one of the busiest weekends of the summer. As we floated, the dads’ searched the area for any obstacles that could interject themselves into our path. On the busiest bend in the river, there was a fallen tree. With boats flying by, we struggled to move out of the way of the tree. Three of us managed to get out of the way, but my dad was moving on course to hit the tree. In one swift move, he flipped around and pushed off the tree, propelling himself in front of us. What was once an obstacle became a catapult to launch ahead.

Everyday there is a new obstacle in our path. As leaders in agriculture it is important we look at challenges from every angle. Instead of panicking over what we cannot do, let’s focus on what we can do instead. Michael Jordan is quoted saying, “Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” Will you crash into the tree or will you flip around and push off the tree? The choice is yours.