2024-2025

Oct 07 2024

The Joy of Today

2024-2025, Mikaela Rojas

Mikaela Rojas, 1st Vice President

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to travel to northern Missouri with the National FFA president, Amara Jackson, and our Missouri FFA president, Andi Belt. I had a mission on my mind: to complete engaging chapter visits with Amara and Andi and soak up as much information as I possibly could. Halfway through my trip to meet up with them, I was met with a big, orange “ROAD CLOSED” sign. Immediately, I panicked because I knew if I rerouted and followed the roads my GPS wanted me to, I would never meet Amara and Andi on time. In this moment of worry, I looked over my shoulder and noticed an unmarked gravel road. With no other choice and a countdown ticking away in my mind, I turned down the road.

As I drove, I felt a sense of freedom wash over me. The morning sun began to rise, casting a warm glow across the fields ready for harvest. I was captivated by the sight of farmers diligently harvesting their crops in the distance, embodying the spirit of hard work and dedication that defines the agricultural community. This unexpected detour allowed me to witness the beauty of agriculture I take for granted in the busyness of day-to-day life. I arrived just in time to meet Amara and Andi with a brand new perspective in tow. This experience taught me that sometimes the best moments come from embracing the unexpected and turning challenges into opportunities for growth.

FFA members, as you navigate all of the “gravel roads” in your life and your dreams of future success, remember this – “Do not let the pursuit of tomorrow diminish the joy of today.” Celebrate small victories, build friendships and take time to enjoy the process of learning. Let your journey be rich with both purpose and happiness; the path to success is just as meaningful as the destination itself!

Sep 04 2024

Looking Through A Different Lens

2024-2025, Emma Robinson

Emma Robinson

If you know me, you know I have a long bucket list of things to do and places to see. One thing that has been on my list for years has been to see the northern lights. Also known as the Aurora Borealis, the lights showcase bright greens, pinks and purples throughout the sky. While they are most commonly seen in northern countries like Canada and Russia, the light show sometimes reaches into parts of the United States. When I found out I was going to have an opportunity to see them, I knew I had to take it. However, instead of packing up my winter clothes and traveling up north, the lights came to me.

Around mid-May, many of us in Missouri were told the northern lights would be visible in our backyard. So, just like everyone else, I waited for the sun to set and focused my eyes on the sky. But, after about an hour of waiting, I started questioning if the lights were actually visible in our area. The night sky was just as black as usual with no sign of the Aurora. Feeling dissatisfied, I started to head inside. As I got to the door, I turned around to take a picture as proof that it was just a normal night. However, the picture that followed was anything but ordinary. Amid the bright stars, pink and purple painted the sky. While I couldn’t see it with my eyes, my phone was able to capture scenery like no other.

So often I find myself going into places with expectations, only to be disappointed when things don’t go as I had hoped. From contests to interviews, I remember leaving discontent with my performance countless times. In those situations, I was looking at life through a narrow lens. But, looking back, I realize that a low placing at a contest helped me see the places where I needed to work harder to prepare next time. An interview that didn’t go the way I had hoped allowed me to learn from my mistakes to prepare for the future. When I sat outside waiting to see the Aurora, I was upset that I didn’t see the lights as I had hoped. But, all I needed was a different perspective. All we need to do is look through a different lens.

Sep 04 2024

Seasons of Change

2024-2025, Braden Havlik

Braden Havlik

As I was driving home after my first week of classes at Mizzou, I was struck by the remarkable amount of change that occurred in the short time I had been gone. The corn, which was bright green just one week prior, now had a golden shimmer as I drove by, and in certain fields, some farmers had already begun their harvest. Even the cattle I passed seemed larger than before, with calving season soon approaching. All this made me realize our lives are constantly changing, just like the crops and livestock many of us spend a lifetime producing.

With so much change in our lives, oftentimes it can be difficult to adapt. I, for one, have experienced this difficulty first-hand moving into college. Before the move, I wasn’t too worried about making new friends or adjusting to life in the city of Columbia. However, I soon realized that wasn’t the scary part of moving. The part I found to be the most difficult was losing the people I had gone to school with for four years prior and the small town I grew up in. These were things I had too often taken for granted, and I had no idea how much I would miss them until they were gone.

Missouri FFA members, you are going to encounter so much change in your journey through FFA and through life. Whether it be moving schools, switching up your SAE or simply starting the new school year, there is so much change in all of our lives. I encourage us all to live each season of life as though it’s our last. We never know when the time in one chapter of our life is over and a new one will begin, so embrace the seasons of change!

Aug 20 2024

Peewee

2024-2025, Gavin Rhode

Gavin Rhode, Secretary

Think back on some of the most nostalgic memories you have from your childhood. Maybe you are thinking of roller skating parties, visiting the zoo or buying a freezing cold ice cream sandwich from everyone’s favorite Sweet Treat Truck. Now for me … my memory is a little bit different. Let me set the stage for you a little bit.

It is a steaming hot day right in the middle of July. People are walking around, stressed out of their minds, covered in sweat and hoping for the best. I can still remember the sounds, smells and noises of that day. Right at this moment, reality officially sets in. I am about to walk into the show ring for the very first time. This was a moment my family and I had been looking forward to for years! Now, time for the buzzkill. Unfortunately it was just peewee showmanship at the Clinton County Fair and it was just my brother’s Hereford heifer, Tess. However, this is still a moment that will stick out to me for the rest of my life. Getting the chance to officially walk in that ring and be awarded with my trophy made me the happiest boy in the world. That trophy is still on display in my room to this day.

Fast forward 12 long years, I am now showing a string full of cattle and pigs, while taking them all over the country to compete at the highest level. I’m making tons of memories each and every day and meeting new people everywhere I go. The one thing that has stayed constant throughout my entire experience – I still go back and show at the Clinton County Fair each and every year. Getting the opportunity to continue on my own legacy at the county fair is awesome. Instead of participating in peewee showmanship this year, I exhibited the Grand Champion heifer and bull, as well as Reserve Champion market barrow. I get to set the example to the younger generation now, that mentors set for me long ago. Missouri FFA, never forget where you started. Most importantly, never lose the peewee spirit.

Aug 09 2024

Success Looks Different for Everyone

2024-2025, Matthew Lakey

Matthew Lakey

I was recently asked by a member at week one of Missouri FFA Camp what they needed to do to become most successful. When I heard this question, I was automatically taken back to my freshman year when I was first beginning my FFA journey. As a freshman, I was determined that I was going to be the best at everything I did. My first creed speaking contest rolls around, I say the creed and await the results. I heard the results and not only did I not win, I didn’t even place in the top five. To say I was disappointed was a major understatement. I was questioning whether or not I wanted to stay in FFA just because I had not succeeded in my eyes. However, while I thought I failed, the work ethic I developed because of my failure was the true success I experienced in this scenario.

During my sophomore year of high school, I had told myself I wanted to participate in the Livestock Judging CDE. That year, my team was lucky enough to qualify for the state contest and were more than ecstatic to get to go to state. The day of the state contest rolls around, we carefully pick our placings, say our reasons and head back to the hotel after the contest. When we heard the results, we were crushed. We had worked so incredibly hard all season long in order to meet our goal at state, and we thought we had simply failed. While this could have been seen as a failure, the success we experienced was getting to cheer other members from our chapter on. While we may have not been able to meet our goal, we were able to watch other members achieve theirs.

FFA members, as you start this year off strong and take every opportunity you can, always remember that success looks different for each and every person.

Aug 01 2024

Leading With Love

2024-2025, Carmen Wilburn

Carmen Wilburn

“I am not the loudest leader in the room but I will work hard, always put my best foot forward, and make sure everyone feels seen.”

I remember saying these exact words during officer interviews. I’ve never been the one to raise my voice and take over a room, which is often the image we see when we think of leadership. This stigma was always in the back of my mind throughout high school and left me questioning if I was the best person for the job.

One of my core values has always been: actions speak louder than words. I am not a loud bubbly person, and I will not pretend to be. At the beginning of my senior year I remember having a conversation with my mom about being a leader for my teammates. I remember her saying, “Be the leader you needed when you were them.” This advice from my mom made me realize that leadership doesn’t always require a loud voice or a commanding presence. Instead, it’s about embodying the qualities you want to see in others and creating an environment where people feel valued and supported.

As the year progressed I found myself assessing my teams. Our basketball and softball teams were inexperienced and low on numbers and confidence. Rather than stepping in and being the leader that takes over and yells, I embraced my quiet nature and was the leader who cared and supported. While we didn’t have winning seasons we created confidence and atmospheres that exceeded our expectations. As I move forward, I carry this lesson with me: being a leader doesn’t mean changing who you are to fit a mold. I can confidently say that embracing my quieter, more personal approach helped me become the leader I’ve always aspired to be.

You can be a leader, too. Step up and just be you.

Aug 01 2024

Be the best version of you, not the perfect version

2024-2025, Andi Belt

Andi Belt, President

I can safely say I have always held myself to huge standards and high expectations. The bar has always been set incredibly high, and I strived to meet those goals. Naturally, my competitive nature pushed me to be a perfectionist, and a little scared of failure. You can imagine my uneasiness about trying the Ag Mechanics contest my senior year. Not only was it an extremely challenging contest, but I also didn’t know the first thing about tractor parts, was known for welding my tip shut, and had never heard of sweating copper.

The first few practice contests left me feeling like a complete failure. I somehow managed to burn my hand holding copper tubing and shock myself on a circuit. Knowing that giving up wasn’t an option in my mind, I reached out to my advisors and teammates for extra help. As I began to put more effort and time into it, by the end I began to see a lot of growth in myself. At the final practice contest of the year, the same girl who burned and shocked herself, placed high individual overall.

I’m still not an Ag Mech pro, but what I did learn is how silly trying to be perfect is. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a very competitive person – and that’s okay, but we can’t let our competitiveness ruin the experiences, take the fun out of the process, and make perfection our end goal. As long as you’re challenging yourself, trying new things, and learning along the way – then that’s a win in my book. Being the best possible version of yourself is way more important than being the perfect version!

Jul 17 2024

E + R = O

2024-2025, Kade Jenkins

Kade Jenkins

The night of October 29, 2021, I got my first ever varsity win for football. For my football fans out there, you probably realize there were a lot of games played before that night. My sophomore year, I got to start on the offensive line. I was ecstatic, only to come up 1-10 on the year.

After these events, my coaches decided they needed a way to inspire not only our football program, but the school as a whole. They wanted a way to further develop leaders on and off the field. So they created a new program called Climb Academy (we were the mountaineers, get it?). The premise of the group was to have coach and student-led inspirations to motivate our students. One of the first lessons I remember learning was E + R = O.

Event + Response = Outcome

For those of you who have had events in your lives go awry or even go perfect, you can see how this applies. However, I have a substitute for the equation: Event + Response = Opportunity.

As FFA members, most of us will take the opportunity to compete in CDEs and LDEs. I think I speak for everyone who has participated in a career or leadership development event when I say they do not always go the way you want. Every time you compete, you will have an outcome, and that outcome will always generate an opportunity. The opportunity may be to continue to prove yourself, to learn from your mistakes for the next time or even fall short of your goals and move on to the next. As you continue to go throughout the next year, look for the events in your life that stand out. Do your best to give a good response. Look for the opportunities opened to you and take them while you have them. If you do that, you’re likely to have a good outcome.

Jul 16 2024

Leave Knowing You Loved Well

2024-2025, Madilynn Wehmeyer

Madilynn Wehmeyer

As I was leaving Camp Rising Sun for the last time, I had time to reflect on the experiences I had with all the people I met. I was given the opportunity to meet so many fellow FFA members from all over the state and make connections with them, learning about their chapters, their SAEs and even their personal stories. All of these opportunities made me think of the goal that the Week 4 state officers had set for ourselves going into our final week of FFA Camp – “Love them well.” Fast forward to the end of the week, there I am sitting with Don Koonce, a long time speaker at Camp Rising Sun. He is telling us about how someone very close to him had left him with the advice of making sure you leave this world knowing that you loved well.

I look back to the times in my life when I loved well and the times I didn’t. Whether it is loving ourselves and embracing who we are, loving others through the service we are able to give or loving others in accepting their differences. The word “love” has so much more meaning than we give it credit for. FFA Camp is just one of the many examples of opportunities in our FFA journeys we have the chance to love not only ourselves by trying new things or stepping out of our comfort zone to better ourselves, but also to love others by making friends and overcoming differences. My word of advice to you is to love in all things you do. You never know where it may take you, from growing as a person to growing the connections you have. FFA members, as you go through your journey in your blue jacket and even your life, leave knowing you loved well.

Jul 16 2024

Don’t Forget Your Village

2024-2025, Gentrie Davis

Gentrie Davis, VP

I have been blessed with a supportive family and community that has pushed me to take opportunities in and out of agriculture. These opportunities include serving my community through FFA, showing equine and being a young entrepreneur. These have all contributed to my lifestyle and shaped me into the person I am today.

In 2022, I was blessed with the opportunity to travel the country with my family to follow a personal dream, winning the national year end championship title with my horse. Showing in the American Ranch Horse Association (ARHA) previously that year, I was not planning to go for such a big title. However, that soon changed after attending the ARHA World Show. I remember getting back from The World Show thinking I could achieve this goal, but there is no way I could balance school and work while being gone every week to compete. After much consideration with the help of family, teachers and friends, I took the leap of faith. While pursuing this achievement, I had supporters near and far. I had my family cheering me on at each show, friends at home keeping our operations running, mentors guiding me and teachers working remotely. When stepping into this opportunity, I was so fixated on myself and trying to win I never thought about the others around me or those working behind the scenes. Looking back, if it were not for my supporters, I would have likely had a very different outcome.

The people who contribute to our village – our support group – are the pillars that bind our strength and inspiration. From family members who provide unwavering love and guidance to friends who offer companionship and understanding, each person plays a crucial role in our journeys. Ag teachers and mentors impart wisdom and encouragement, pushing us to achieve our best. Local community members and leaders offer support and opportunities that broaden horizons and add value to our experiences. When brought together, they offer support and empowerment, helping us to navigate life’s challenges and celebrate triumphs with confidence and resilience. FFA members, don’t forget those who contribute to your village.