If you had told me a year ago that one of my favorite parts of serving as a state officer would be auctioneering pecan pies in front of packed banquet crowds, I probably would have told you that you were insane.
Throughout this year, it has become clear how much time, skill, and heart goes into everything our organization stands for. From state to state and chapter to chapter, there is a common theme. People showing up, doing their best, and building something bigger than themselves.
At the beginning of our banquet season, we started keynote training for speeches we would deliver across the state at chapter banquets. In those early stages, I struggled. My teammates were finding their rhythm, and I felt like I was always a step behind, especially when it came to shaping my message and finding what I wanted to say.
At one point, I kept thinking about something I did at the Hope FFA seed and cake auction. I sold a pecan pie for $900. I knew it meant something, but I didn’t know how to turn it into a message yet. It sat in the back of my mind as I kept working through trainings, conversations, and revisions.
Slowly, it started to click.
After hours of preparation and practice, everything began to come together. The nerves were still there, but so was confidence. Banquet requests started coming in from chapters all across Indiana and so banquet season began.
My first banquet speech took place in Washington, Indiana, the same city I was born in, with the Washington FFA Chapter. It was a night full of recognition, celebration, and community. I knew most of the crowd, which somehow made me even more nervous.
I was able to bring my dad with me that night, and my mom was there supporting me as well. When my introduction was read, I remember sitting there thinking, “Alright… here we go.”
One of the first things I do in my speech is bring in a volunteer for a tongue twister: “Betty Botter bought some butter…” It’s simple, but it gets people laughing, talking, and engaged right away. Some people do it perfectly. Some people have never seen it before. Either way, it breaks the ice, and reminds me that connection matters more than perfection.
As I continued speaking that night, I realized something important, this wasn’t just about delivering a speech. It was about learning how to connect with people.
This year has also given me opportunities I never expected, like stepping into auctioneering at Indiana FFA conferences at the Leadership Center. What started as something new quickly turned into something I love. Before long, I found myself auctioneering across the state at chapter banquets, sharing the stage with members, parents, advisors, and supporters.
At the beginning of my speech, I talk about three groups of people who make FFA possible, farmers, FFA advisors, and FFA members. Each one plays an important role that cannot be replaced. I thank them for showing up and doing the work that keeps agriculture and this organization moving forward.
I often share a lesson I learned from my grandma, Beryl Myers. She was so much more than the word “grandma” could ever capture, she was a school nurse, farmer’s wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and amazing community member. She never once asked, “Is this my job?” Instead, she asked, “Where am I needed?”
That mindset has shaped how I try to lead and serve.
I close my speech with a challenge using the word SOLD:
S – Service: Serving others without seeking recognition
O – Opportunity: Saying yes to new chances, even before feeling fully ready
L – Listening: Learning to listen before acting
D – Deliver: Following through on commitments, even when no one is watching
And then there are the pecan pies.
At the end of every banquet, I auction off a pecan pie made from my mom’s recipe. I’ll be honest, she’s helped a time or two with the busy schedule, but each one is made with love. So far, across eight banquets, those pies alone have raised nearly $1,600 to go directly back to FFA chapters across the state.
In addition, chapters have added their own auction items and experiences, helping raise nearly $5,500 more for local programs. Across the entire year, I have been part of efforts that have contributed to over $120,000 raised for Indiana FFA chapters and programs.
Those numbers are incredible, but what stands out more to me are the stories behind them.
One of the most meaningful nights came at the Shenandoah FFA banquet. We gathered to celebrate members and their accomplishments, but the night became something even bigger. Their chapter and community came together to raise $4,060 for their advisor who is currently battling breast cancer. In that moment, it wasn’t about bids or totals. It was about love, support, and showing up for someone who needed it most.
That night reminded me why this work matters.
Looking back, I realize something important, good things take time.
I was nervous. I was unsure. I didn’t know how this part of my journey would develop. But through practice, patience, and people who believed in me, it became something I now get to use to serve others.
Sometimes the things we struggle with the most become the things we’re most grateful for later.
And sometimes, the wait is exactly what makes the impact worth it.
Always striving,
Calvin Myers
2025–2026 Indiana FFA State Southern Region Vice President
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