Preparing for Future Success

Sam Mills is a member of the Chiefland FFA chapter.

By Kayla Walden

WHERE CAN YOU LEARN everything from poultry judging to public speaking or cattle evaluation to community service? For kids or teenagers, youth development organizations – in particular, FFA and 4-H – can teach an array of abilities.

CULTIVATING AG LEADERS

One of the most popular youth organizations in the United States is the National FFA Organization, formerly known as Future Farmers of America. As the name suggests, it has a rich history in preparing young men and women ages 12 to 21 for careers in agriculture. However, they broadened their mission in the late 1980s to welcome those interested in pathways such as biology, chemistry, engineering, veterinary sciences and entrepreneurship.

Florida is home to a whole host of leaders in these fields, but agriculture remains one of the most impactful industries in the state. And thanks to organizations like FFA, students like 17-year-old Sam Mills of the Chiefland FFA chapter are stepping up to the plate to continue moving the industry further into the future.

Since the sixth grade, Mills has dabbled in everything from livestock evaluation and land judging to food science and agricultural mechanics. His commitment to becoming an outstanding member has earned him numerous accolades, including the State Star Discovery Degree, the State Greenhand Degree and the State Star Chapter Degree.

This year he received news that he was in the running for State Star Farmer, which would make him the first in the state of Florida to win all the State Star Degrees.

While Mills has spent the last two years in the Cooperative Diversified Education program, his goals are to continue his involvement with FFA, win more awards, and eventually receive the American FFA Degree to follow in the footsteps of his father and sister. While he currently leaves school early each day to work in the agricultural sector, he plans to work full time in his family’s pine straw business once he graduates.

“Teaching the next generation about agriculture will bring them back to their heritage,” Mills says. “Growing crops and tending livestock used to be a way of life, and I think it’s important to educate people on where our food comes from.”

SERVING THE COMMUNITY

No one could have expected the world to take such an extreme turn this year, but when COVID-19 shook the globe, 4-H members like Lamiya Dix stepped up to serve the community in creative ways.

Dix joined the Havana 4-H club in 2015 while still in middle school – the organization caters to students from elementary school through age 18 – and has continued to participate in various activities ever since. While 4-H provides opportunities for its members to encounter a wide variety of subjects, one of the most crucial things she learned about was the importance of nature.

“Learning about agriculture taught me how important it is to value things that are sometimes under cherished,” Dix says. “I think people often pass through nature without understanding that it’s more than just a beautiful background for a photograph, but that it’s the foundation of everything we have.”

In addition to cultivating an appreciation for the natural world, 4-H places a significant focus on community service. And in times such as these, students who go above and beyond to help others in need are developing skills that will serve them well as individuals and future leaders.

The Havana 4-H Club decided to make the most of their time in lockdown by providing specially made masks to Riverchase Health and Rehabilitation Center in Quincy. The students received a pattern and instructions and got to work.

“It was such a good way to give back to my community,” Dix says. “I made between 30 and 40 masks, but I wish I’d been able to make more.”

She hopes to study physical therapy or orthopedic surgery in the future, both of which are careers that require sacrifice, diligence and a willingness to care for others.

“My decisions for the future are primarily influenced by the job and life skills workshops I had the opportunity to attend through 4-H,” Dix says.

“I would definitely encourage anyone who is interested to participate in the organization,” she adds. “It opens up opportunities and gives young people a chance to do things they’ve never done before.”

See more online

To learn more about how to get involved in these organizations, visit flffa.org and florida4h.org.