My best...

 Over 5,000 thousand people in one place, silent, all listening to one man. Josh had every single one of those five thousands FFA member’s attention.  It was dark in the stadium, but you could see the faces and blue corduroy jackets in the seats from the floor all the way up to the nosebleed section.  He has just told us how he lost his leg to cancer, and how being handicapped has shaped him as a person.  In that moment he made me realize the impact one person could have on so many in such a short period of time. 

            It didn’t hit me right then; in fact it took quite a while before it really hit me.  It wasn’t that one speech that it me, it was all of them.  Throughout high school I had listened to dozens of inspirational and motivational speakers but had never been truly moved or inspired.  People like Mike Rowe, host of popular series “Dirty Jobs”; cancer survivor Josh Sundquist, and National FFA Officers.  I had heard peers, mentors, and even TV show host.  These had been some pretty awesome speeches, great stories, and from people I will not soon forget.  People like Josh, who could sprint across the stage faster than any two legged person could, with only one leg under him and a crutch in each hand.  All these people wanted you to leave with a different mindset or message to think about.  The message that took me four years to understand was surprisingly simple. 

            It had taken four years of state and national conventions, leadership camps, and classroom after classroom to realize the importance of influence. I had sat through never ending sessions of speakers preaching about the importance of this and that.   Looking back that is all we are ever told to do: practice this, read that, try and try again and again.  We are pushed harder and farther by those around us, and I was in the perfect position to do just that.

            After two days of interview of the interview process I was balloted for the Southeast State Vice President and had to prepare a speech to present to the voting delegates.  I was faced with the challenge of describing to my peers why I wanted to serve as a State Officer. I asked myself why I wanted to sacrifice for a year a huge amount of my free time and weekends.  What I didn’t know at the time was I would be doing it for them.

I was in my first week serving as a State Vice President in the Iowa FFA Association.  We were preparing ourselves to go out and impact members across the state.  We were preparing to run speaking contest, career development events, judging competitions, present workshops, and facilitate camps so we could understand the importance of influence.  The way we communicated to others who we were and what we represented were vital to success.

            Everything we do reflects on the Association and the members that make up that organization.  According to last years membership count, Iowa represented 12,231 of 506,099 FFA members nationwide.  FFA Chapters represent 11 of the 20 largest cities in the United States.  “The National FFA Organization is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.” is what the National FFA Organizations claims as their mission.  As a part of that organization we follow their mission and make it our own.  We learn how to talk with sponsors, members, and adults with the organization.  It was excruciatingly nerve racking to build up the courage to meet new people from different backgrounds and find a common ground.  If we don’t communicate effectively with those that fund our organization, we will not exist as an organization.  We must convey to those that give us money, that we are making a difference in the world of agriculture that will positively benefit them as a sponsor.  They could benefit in many different ways, but the importance of their contributions is directly affecting members.

            I have earned the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of thousands of young adults.  I have one year to influence as many of the people I come into contact with as I can.  I have the passion and training and now the opportunity.  Even if I make an impact on only one person, I will have done my job.