Saying Yes, Staying Curious, and Soaking in the Journey

During the month of December, our team has the opportunity to travel across Indiana and meet with businesses and leaders who help fuel our agriculture industry. Each visit looks a little different from different buildings, different jobs, different missions. However, the lessons they have shared so far all have something in common: growth happens when you say yes, stay curious, and choose to never stop learning.

From the moment we stepped into our first meeting, one message kept coming back to me. No matter how large the company was, every leader talked about people first. Throughout our visits, I have been reminded that agriculture is built by communities, strengthened by relationships, and carried forward by those who are willing to step up and serve. Whether it was encouraging us to “build the bench” for the next generation, take care of others, or lift the communities we’re a part of, it has become clear that leadership always starts with people. 

I also keep hearing about the importance of saying yes, even when the opportunity feels big or uncomfortable. Many of the leaders we’ve sat down with shared that their careers started because they applied for an internship they weren’t sure about, took a chance on something new, or stepped outside their comfort zone. Their advice has stuck with me: if you want to grow, you have to be willing to try. 

Across every visit, one theme keeps returning: never stop learning, no matter where you are in life. Whether it’s understanding business, asking good questions, traveling, building your network, showing your personality, paying attention, or being open to change, these habits shape who you become. The people we meet aren’t successful because they have everything figured out. They are successful because they choose to keep learning every day. 

One of my favorite parts of this month has been traveling with our Indiana FFA Foundation Director, Mrs. Chaudion. Her stories, experience, and leadership add so much to each visit. She continually reminds us that even after your year in the jacket ends, your impact and your learning don’t have to.

So here’s my challenge to you:
Say yes. Ask questions. Build your network.
Your future's so much brighter than you think.

Always striving,

Calvin Myers

2025–2026 Indiana FFA State Southern Region Vice President

A Joke A Day Keeps the Blues Away!

So far in my year of service, my schedule is full of long days, late nights, and miles upon miles of travel. I love the work I get to do and the impact I get to make, but being more than 200 miles away from home can make some days feel a little longer than usual. Luckily, I have a support system back home that never lets me forget where I come from—especially my little brother, Sawyer.

Sawyer is in the fifth grade, but he already carries himself with the enthusiasm of someone ready to make a difference. He’s incredibly smart, thoughtful, passionate about everything he does, and quite possibly one of the funniest people I know. He wants to follow in my footsteps by being in FFA someday, so he tags along to as many events as he can, always ready to learn, make new friends, and be my biggest cheerleader (even asking countless times if he can live with me and my teammates). While the miles Sawyer has traveled to see me mean the world, one of my favorite ways Sawyer supports me is with his jokes. 

Some days, right when my teammates and I need a little boost in morale, my phone lights up with a call from Sawyer. And without fail, he always has a joke ready to go. Some recent highlights include: 

• “How much did Santa’s sleigh cost? Nothing—it was on the house.”

• “What do you call a cop in bed? Undercover.”

• And the one he said I would like best: “What car did Jesus drive? A Christ-ler.”

But it’s more than just jokes. When Sawyer came as a guest to my banquet, he surprised both my teammate Calvin and me with two of his own Tech Decks that he was willing to give away to make us happy. For those of us who don’t know what a Tech Deck is, it is a miniature and functional skateboard you can play with. He also writes me letters, sends me little gifts, and leaves sweet messages reminding me how much he misses me back home. 

Each one of these small acts means a world more than he knows. They bring a bit of home to me, making the busy days and long drives feel lighter. Sawyer doesn’t know this, but his acts of kindness remind me why I do what I do, and who I do it for.

I hope that someday, when he puts on the blue corduroy jacket himself, he knows that he has already embodied everything FFA stands for: leadership, service, and heart.

I couldn’t be prouder to call him my little brother.

Love you Soy Boy, 

Erianna Vela 

2025- 2026 Indiana FFA State Northern Region Vice President