The National FFA Organization has been a part of my life since the day I was born. My dad was an ag teacher, so I was raised in the organization. Once I was old enough to zip up my very own FFA jacket I couldn’t wait to take in everything the FFA had to offer. The blue corduroy let a shy girl, who lacked confidence, blossom into a public speaker, leader and advocate for agriculture.
Later in life the National FFA Organization gave me the opportunity to share my passion with my students as a ag teacher. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing your students hard work pay off as they walk across the stage to receive their State FFA Degree or an award for a Career Development Event.
I can still recite the FFA Creed by heart and learned so much during my time preparing for the national competition. Thank you to my ag teacher, Laura Gaddy and my dad for all the long hours you put in to create that memory for me.
Today, the FFA is more to me than just memories. National blue and corn gold bleed through me each day. The FFA Motto of:
Learning to Do
Doing to Learn
Earning to Live
Living to Serve
Is a motto we should all bring into our everyday lives. Everyday is a learning opportunity. Our hard work gives us the opportunity to provide for our families. Everyday we should live to serve our friends, family and community.
This was taken during the Missouri State FFA Convention in 2003. I was a senior and my sister was a freshman. Both sets of my grandparents made the trip and of course my parents were always there.
It has been years since the FFA stood for Future Farmers of America, but the future of agriculture does rely on the FFA members from across the country. Today agriculture is not only about farming, but also about technology, marketing, science and AGvocating.
Cattle, family, farming and sharing the world of agriculture to others is my passion. Follow along as I chronicle my life in ‘The Hills.'
My Life in 'The Hills' 
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