From a young age, I knew that agriculture would be something I was passionate about. All I wanted to do was ride around in machinery with my dad and help my grandpa do random tasks on the farm. I spent many hours in my show barn at home, around the farm helping run grain cart, and delivering research pigs to several hospitals in Ohio. I quickly learned that people in our community, state, and country didn’t know where their food came from. This frustrated me because it was so easy for me to see how much hard work and dedication went into this, and I realized my passion was to communicate all things agriculture to these people. Since I was born into a family with such a significant agricultural background, I knew I would have to work hard at everything. Throughout my time, I have spent eight years in 4-H and four years in FFA, where I have held different leadership roles. I worked hard in the classroom at school to reach as many kids as possible to become involved in our fast-changing FFA chapter, and I became the president in my senior year. I wanted these kids to feel the same passion I did for this organization and agriculture.
During my time in 4-H and FFA, I have shown at the Marion County Fair and the Ohio State Fair. I have exhibited Market Goats, Weather Dams, Dairy Feeders, Market Lambs, and various miscellaneous projects. I have learned many valuable skills and lessons while participating in these organizations that I hope to pass on to younger generations. One example of a skill I have learned from these organizations and from my grandfather is being benevolent. This past year, I got to converse with younger kids just starting with their showing career, which opened my eyes to what being benevolent means. I quickly learned that being helpful and humbling yourself before others is so important. Often, it is easy to get frustrated when things don’t go your way inside and outside the show ring; I have learned through these organizations that the next generation of leaders will sit ringside to see how you deal with these hardships. This past May, I lost my grandfather to a stroke. He was a significant part of growing my love for Agriculture and promoting youth in agriculture. Shortly after his passing, I got to converse with people and friends of my grandfather from all over the country. These individuals proved it is essential to be a leader who shows humility and benevolence. My grandfather was well known in the show ring, but he was remembered as a humble and caring person towards everyone when all of that was over. This motto has stuck with me ever since and has motivated me to become a better leader. No matter how much you win or lose, the type of person you are and how you treat others will stick with you.
After High School, I plan to continue my education and receive a degree in Agriculture Communications so that I can positively impact others by promoting agriculture. I am blessed to have grown up in the greatest country in this world, where our backbone is Agriculture. Without people who work countless hours for us to have food on our tables, we would not be able to live the way that we do. I plan to use this degree to become an advocate for agricultural issues in Washington, D.C., to represent farmers and ranchers who cannot, and continue to promote the importance of youth in agriculture.
For someone who did not grow up on a family farm, I somehow fell in love with livestock and agriculture at a young age. I decided that it would take over my life, and I would dedicate my future to educating younger generations about agriculture and animal science. Since I did not start with a large agricultural background, I have worked very hard to prove that I am able to succeed. Throughout my twelve years in 4-H, I held office for ten of those years. I was also president of my FFA chapter at the Delaware Area Career Center. I was very lucky to be able to take care of and show livestock for many years. While I was involved in these programs, I was also a member of the Junior Fair Board at the Delaware County Fair.
I exhibited dairy heifers, dairy feeders, beef feeders, and market hogs at my local county fair. I had a love for pigs and wanted to take it a step further and show at open jackpot shows as well as my state fair and other national shows. After showing gilts at the Ohio State Fair and NAILE, I decided to send them to a separate farm to be bred. While I am in school I still go back on weekends to work with the show pigs and babies. On the farm, I help farrow, ear notch, vaccinate, and castrate baby pigs. As I am a student at the University of Findlay majoring in Animal Science Industry, I am able to get additional experience in the barns working with a wide variety of animals. I am also an exhibitor on the university's show cattle team where students have the opportunity to show Aberdeen cattle at the North American International Livestock Exposition. During my time in school, I have learned a lot in the industry and about different animal species like sheep, goats, cattle, and equine. I currently work at a standardbred breeding farm where I manage broodmares, foals, and breeding stallions. I have gained wealth in knowledge about the semen collection process and farm management skills. When I earn my degree, I plan to become an Agricultural Educator so that I will teach high school students about the importance of agriculture and animals.
From personal experience, I know that teachers can have a large impact on a student's future. The instructor of the Equine Science program at the Delaware Area Career Center had a very big influence on what I wanted to do after high school. She inspired me to want to help future students become confident in their capabilities and futures. My previous Equine Science instructor believed in my ability and potential, and gave me the resources that I needed to succeed in school. She still continues to help me throughout my years in college and more recently helped me apply for the American FFA Degree. I already had the passion and love for livestock, she just expanded my knowledge and pushed me to do greater. I want to be able to do the same for the future students in my community.
