FFA Week Challenge: I Believe in Growth

A long time ago, I was a young gal showing Angus.

Today's FFA Week challenge theme is growth. There are so many directions I could take with the statement "I believe in growth." As an educator, the first thing that comes to mind is the idea of professional growth to strengthen my knowledge and skill base in reaching my students and sharing current hot topics with them. However, since this is FFA Week and it's "their" challenge, my focus is a short share about how I believe FFA has helped me grow.

I had the privilege of getting involved in FFA as a middle school member. I was a fairly quiet and shy girl. FFA and the encouragement of my advisor helped me grow out of my shell of shyness into a woman of confidence. The experiences I had through competitions, leadership workshops, travel, service as a state officer, and MFE presenter helped me grow in my appreciation of diversity, broaden my worldview, and gave me memories that continue to remind me of the growth I have made through my years of FFA involvement.  In a nutshell, FFA has helped me with growth through helping me develop a greater appreciation for and obligation to:
Generosity
Responsibility
Opportunity seeking
Work ethic
Tenacity
Honesty

Yes, I believe in FFA and the growth it provides.