Elkmont FFA boasts all-female officers this year. Pictured front row, from left, are student advisor Natalie Bartlow, treasurer Natalie Lovell, committee chair Ella Keller and secretary Maddy Barnes; back row, from left, are president Ashley Bailey, vice presidents Anna Schrimsher and Claire Bowling, reporter Lily Smith and sentinel Kaitlyn Burroughs. 

Alabama Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth praised agriculture and gave advice to students Thursday during a banquet honoring supporters of and participants in the Elkmont chapter of the National FFA Organization.

Ainsworth called it an honor to address the crowd not only because of his own history and interest in agriculture, but “because it’s about the future of Alabama.”

“It’s exciting to be a part of our future, because it’s a bright future,” he said.

He praised FFA for the life lessons taught to students through the organization and the value of teaching agriculture, “a tradition older than our state.”

“Almost 8,000 of your friends, neighbors and people in this room are included in agriculture,” Ainsworth said. “… I believe everybody has a God-given ability, and I believe everybody has a passion. I think the purpose of education is to get people ready for a job.”

To that end, Ainsworth said he and others in Montgomery are working to create a task force that would encourage ninth-graders to find their potential passion early. He said they hope to create a way for students to learn about all of the opportunities available to them, including the requirements for those opportunities, within a 60- to 90-mile radius of their home.

“We found out, unfortunately, a lot of kids don’t know the opportunities that are out there,” Ainsworth said. “They don’t understand the skill set needed. They don’t understand the education needed. They don’t understand you need dual enrollment, you need to go to a two-year college, a four-year college.”

He said the goal would be for ninth-graders to choose three or four areas they are interested in and review possible careers or jobs in those areas.

“We want to make sure there’s not a disconnect between industry and education.”

7 tips

While Ainsworth praised grit and encouraged students to stay engaged, he said he had seven main pieces of advice for students to keep in mind as they moved forward in life. They are as follows:

• Work hard. Make it a goal to outwork everyone, and never let anyone outwork you;

• Set goals, then achieve them;

• Persevere through struggles and failures. Make sure you keep driving through them;

• Find your passion. Figure out what drives you;

• Recognize that frustration, confusion and practice are par for the course;

• Realize that almost everyone who has a successful business, success in agriculture or an involvement in office has taken a risk. Things in life are not for certain. Take a risk; and

• Failure is not the end. Even in the face of discomfort, rejection and even bad advice, keep driving.

Chapter achievements

Students in the Elkmont FFA program stayed busy this year, winning several awards in the process. Here are just a few of the many recent accomplishments by chapter members, according to a release from the chapter:

• Land evaluation team, first place in the county contest and district contest, third place at state contest;

• Welding team, first place in county and district contests;

• Forestry team, second place in county;

• Creed speaking, first place in county, second place in district, top 4 in regionals;

• Extemporaneous speaking, first place in county, second place in district and top 4 at regionals;

• Quiz bowl, top 10 in district;

• Discussion meet, first place in local, first and second places at county, top 8 in district; and

• Livestock evaluation, first place in county, first place in district and first place with opportunity to compete in nationals in 2018.

Member proficiency

The following students submitted proficiency applications to the Alabama FFA for evaluation and will be recognized at the state FFA convention:

• Kendall Mullis, first place, beef production;

• Natalie Bartlow, first place, small animal production and care;

• Claire Bowling, third place, outdoor recreation;

• Emma Hargrove, first place, ag mechanics repair;

• Maddy Barnes, second place, ag communications;

• Shane Boger, first place, goat production;

• Gracey Norman, second place, ag education;

• Riley Webb, top 4, equine science; and

• Natalie Lovell, beef production.

Leigha Smith will receive a silver award on the national level for proficiency, while Justin Williams and Brianna Barnett will each receive a bronze award.

Giving thanks

Officers in the Elkmont FFA chapter took time during Thursday’s banquet to thank current and previous supporters of the chapter. Many were provided with a small token of the chapter’s appreciation, a wooden block with the words “Forever Blue” and “Elkmont FFA” in blue and a thank-you note from Elkmont FFA and its officers in the center.

“This banquet is an opportunity for the Elkmont FFA chapter to recognize the accomplishments of its members as well as thank the many supporters of the FFA chapter,” said chapter president Ashley Bailey.

David Hargrove and Regina Hargrove received the Randy Blacklidge Outstanding FFA Supporter of the Year award. Award recipients are chosen based on the way in which they show the same attributes the chapter has come to know from the award’s namesake, such as willingness to lend a hand and dependability.

Aviagen Inc. received the 2019 Elkmont FFA Chapter Industry Supporter of the Year award in honor of its role in the program.