FFA is a unique activity at the high school that focuses on agriculture based career readiness. While some members may not even be interested in an agricultural based career, others have already gotten jobs with the help of their FFA experiences. On the contrary, other members aren’t actually interested in an agricultural career. 

Kinzie McCurdy got involved in FFA through recommendations from family and friends. She used the networking opportunities given to her through FFA to help her obtain her dream job.

“I work on a horse farm where I train horses and help around the barn,” McCurdy, 10, said.

Other members are just getting started with their agriculture journey, but are making progress and becoming heavily involved in their chapters. Greenhands, the first year members, have the same opportunity to compete in various contests as experienced members; oftentimes, this is when they find their place in FFA.

“I heard about FFA through my family and so when I came to freshman orientation night and saw the booth, it caught my eye. I already enjoy agriculture and farming and I knew I wanted to get deeper into it and it’s really changed my life and the way I see things. I am able to see things from more of an agricultural perspective. It’s changed the way I look at the world,” Hadley Booze, 9, said.

Though McCurdy rode horses before getting her job, she learned skills she needed for the job through FFA. Now that she has the job, she has opened her eyes to other related opportunities she might also have. 

“My biggest goal through FFA is to go to state for horse judging next year,” McCurdy said.

Goals amongst members can be very similar or different depending on their participating contest.

“I’ve improved a lot in giving reasons. I used to be terrified of giving reasons and talking to judges,” Booze said. 

Most members use their first and second years in FFA to explore the different opportunities and see what their strengths are. Sometimes members end up doing contests they may never have tried. 

“Going into entomology, I didn’t think I would be good at it. I didn’t make the state team for it, but I still improved a lot and scored pretty high,” Booze said.

FFA includes networking, learning, and making bonds that are unique to the program. It is special to the members, and it drastically changed their high school experience. 

Next year I want to see everything and try everything. I want to get more involved and possibly run for chapter office. I thought FFA was an after school club, I had no clue that agriculture and FFA were even related,” Booze said. The community and support that they find through FFA not only help them make new friends but also open themselves to a whole new group of people that they can turn to; this includes advisor Alicia Hampton.

“Mrs. Hampton helps us no matter how stressful it is for us or for her. She wants us to succeed and she wants us to do our best,” Booze said.