Since the dawning of the blue corduroy jackets, and through nearly one hundred years of FFA history, these jackets have served as a symbol of the beginning of the creation of legacies. But for one Madisonville North Hopkins FFA sentinel, it is a story that is a little bit different from others. For him, it is a story that has spanned three generations and three young men.
Long before Cade King put on his own blue jacket, his great-grandad, Allen Whitmer, was served as sentinel for the Sacramento FFA Chapter in McLean County. Whitmer was raised on a farm, but agriculture wasn’t just his family’s livelihood — it was what shaped his character. This tradition was, once again, continued when King’s grandfather, Rick Robinson, also became involved in FFA and was a member. Now, nearly 50 years after his great grandad served as the sentinel, King is carrying this legacy into a new generation.
For King, becoming sentinel was never just about holding the same office his great-grandfather had before him. It was about embracing the values that have been passed down by his family, but still creating his own path as a leader at his FFA chapter. King wanted to serve his own chapter and ensure that every member feels welcomed and valued.
“I was inspired to run for sentinel because my great-grandad had served as sentinel,” King says. “He has always encouraged me to be a good leader, have strong character and keep learning. Family is very important to me, and serving as sentinel is something meaningful we can share.”
Unlike his great-grandfather, King was not raised on a farm. However, FFA has given him countless opportunities to explore agriculture, grow as a leader and create lifelong bonds with new friends. While being in FFA and starting as a sentinel, he has grown in confidence and stepped out of his comfort zone.
After King was told he had been elected as sentinel, the first people he wanted to tell were his family members. His great-grandad was thrilled to hear the exciting news because he knows firsthand all of the benefits that FFA can have on a young persons life. King’s family was proud to see him step out of his comfort zone into something that would allow him to grow while helping others.
King’s great-grandfather understands that impact very well. Growing up on a farm in McLean County, Kentucky he helped raise cattle and grow crops, such as corn, soybeans and wheat, as well as tobacco. Farming taught him both responsibility as well as perseverance.
“The farm taught me the value of hardworking,” Whitmer says. “When you work for something, you appreciate it more.”
During Whitmer’s years in FFA, he was enrolled in shop classes, attended FFA camp and went on educational field trips that introduced members to the most successful farms in their area.
“We’d visit cattle operations and outstanding farms,” he says. “It was fun getting to know other people.”
While agriculture and FFA have changed and evolved over the last five decades, the values still remain the same. King and Whitmer might have experienced different opportunities, but both give FFA credit with building leaders, gaining responsibility and teaching the value of lifelong learning.
One of King’s favorite parts of continuing the family tradition is talking with his great-grandfather about how agriculture has continued changing. Those conversations give him a deeper appreciation for agriculture’s history, while still encouraging him to help shape its future.
The advice Whitmer shares isn’t complex, but it is meaningful: hard work, involvement, meeting new people, and enjoying every opportunity given to you. Those lessons, along with faith, honesty, kindness and teamwork, are the values King aspires to show everyday.
As King serves the Madisonville North Hopkins FFA Chapter, he hopes to leave behind a legacy of encouragement, integrity and service. More than anything else, he wants members to know that they belong and leadership starts when you put other people first.
For three generations, this bloodline has worn the blue jacket, but King knows that legacies are more than just family history. Legacies are what is built by everyday actions, a willingness to serve and commitment to make positive differences. By carrying forward the values that were passed down through his family and bringing them to his own chapter, King wants to ensure that his family’s FFA legacy continues to inspire future generations.