When I zipped up my first FFA jacket, it felt too big. The shoulders were too baggy, and the sleeves were too long. I had to order a different one, and even then, my name was spelled wrong. Long story short, I am the sole owner of three different FFA jackets. Now that I have had time to break in the corduroy, and stretch out the pockets, I have a fuller understanding of my jackets.
Not only did the jacket feel big, but I was now representing something bigger than myself: a whole organization that was waiting to welcome me into a world of endless possibilities. The whole idea of having my name stitched across my chest was something so exciting, but so terrifying at the same time. There was a lot for freshman-year Emma to step into and discover.
Throughout my FFA career, I now have held multiple officer positions, attended several leadership conferences, including Washington Leadership Conference, earned degrees, competed in countless career development events and even kept a record book for my Supervised Agricultural Experience. To say that “FFA keeps me busy” would be an understatement. Some experiences challenged my knowledge, while others pushed me to become a better leader, communicator and teammate. Looking back, every opportunity built on the one before it and encouraged me to keep saying “yes” to the next challenge.
However, when I look back on my time in the organization, I don’t immediately think about the competitions, conferences or awards. I think about the people who I have made lifelong memories with. I think about the mentors and teammates who challenged me to step outside my comfort zone. I remember the bus rides, the early mornings, the long practices and the laughter that somehow made even the busiest days worth it all. Those are the moments that have stayed with me the most.
That blue corduroy jacket has become much more than Official Dress. It represents confidence that was built one opportunity at a time, leadership that was learned through serving others and a passion for agriculture that continues to grow. It reminds me that every experience, whether it was a victory or a challenge, shaped the person I am today. Every pin, every rip and every memory attached to it reminds me of how far I have come since the day I first put it on.
I may own three different FFA jackets, but each one tells the same story. My story of “Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, and Living to Serve.” A story that involves a young freshman who eventually found that she was capable of filling the jacket she once thought was far too big. Looking at it now, ready to start my final year in the jacket, I realize it was never really the jacket that needed to fit me. I simply needed the time and the experiences to grow into it.