Starting Line in Mind

Now is the time where my teammates and I are traveling across the state for chapter visits and district kickoffs. My first week group consisted of Chyenne, Jarrett, and me. On Wednesday, September 5 we were in district three and decided to stop for lunch at Jimmy Johns. We walked in, ordered lunch, and sat down at one of the booths. If you have ever been to Jimmy Johns you know that they have a wide array of signs throughout the restaurant. One of these signs was hanging on the wall by the booth and we started reading it. It was a list and the title of the list was “16 Things That it Took Me Over 50 Years to Learn by Dave Barry (On the event of his 50th birthday).” One of these numbers stuck out to me...

15. Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic.

This is the circumstance for many students we are facilitating to during chapter visits and kickoffs. Unlike some, I was very fortunate to come from a school where FFA was the thing to do. I have noticed that others have not been so lucky. At some schools, individuals are ridiculed for being an FFA member. Those brave members join the organization looking to benefit from it like everyone else does, but also hopefully start a spark for other students to join. This embodies one of the reasons why we have chapter visits. Many of the students we talk to are middle schoolers who have their high school FFA career ahead of them or high school students who aren’t in FFA. It could just take one experience for someone to join FFA.

It’s hard to stand alone. I remember this being a fear for me when I was considering state office. My advisor was always there for me when I had a question or needed advice to improve a project. During state office, I couldn’t just send him a presentation or speech and ask for his thoughts on it. I thought I would be alone. I’ve learned this year that I will have individual projects, but the team will always be there to support me. If I need something to be looked over, an opinion on an idea, or a brainstorming session then my team will step up and help.

The reason we don’t start a project could be because we are too focused on the end goal and forget about the steps to get there. When a large task is presented, we just have to take it one step at a time. Focus on the “now” to reach the “then.” If the goal is to start a new fundraiser, start by determining what the fundraiser will be and what resources are already there. It would be overwhelming to think of every action that needs to be done. Trying something new is a scary feat for many of us, but if we tackle projects in steps it can make the end goal seem more realistic.

Never stop trying,

Brittany Gonzales

State Secretary