Adam Torres and Audrey Young discuss Texas FFA.
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Show Notes:
Listen to coverage from the 96th Texas FFA State Convention in Houston, Texas. In this episode, Adam Torres and Audrey Young, explore FFA and convention.
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Full Unedited Transcript
Hey, I’d like to welcome you to another episode of Mission Matters. My name is Adam Torres and I’m at the Texas FFA convention in Houston, Texas. And my guest today is Audrey, Audrey Young. Welcome to the show. Thank you. Thanks for having me. All right, Audrey. So. Who got you into the interview here? I’m excited.
They, they wrangled you and how’d they get you? My fellow state board of education member, Tom Maynard. I serve on the Texas state board of education and represent district eight. Amazing. One of my goals in this particular interview series is to introduce people that are even not familiar with Texas FFA or FFA in general to what’s going on here.
Cause I think it’s absolutely amazing. How did you originally get introduced to FFA? Both of my daughters were in FFA. Oh, before then, was there any introduction or was they, did they bring it home to you? They brought it home to me. And, and how did that go? So they started off in 4 H and then when they got to middle school and eighth grade, they were able to start in the junior FFA program and then roll into.
High school through the FFA program. Wow. So as a parent, seeing them go through this, did you know much about it before they did, you kind of heard of it a little bit, or I had heard about it. I had watched some other students go through, be part of the FFA program as a district administrator and had the opportunity to do even some judging for FFA, but didn’t really understand.
It’s total encapsulation of the entire program until my own children went through. So what was that like when your kids, cause yeah, as a parent, like outside of education, what was that like when they went through it, especially cause you were a part of it. So this is a unique, like a lot of the people I’ve interviewed, it’s like, Oh, third generation, this, that, whatever.
So you’re not, so how is it like, so speak to them that. So reflecting back on it, I understood how important it was for my girls to be well rounded. Yes. I call it the triple A effect, academics, agriculture, and athletics. And so the agriculture part is where FFA came in for them. Now that I’m a state board member, I can reflect back and tie it into all the CTE courses that it’s important for students to take as well.
But at the time I just knew that the girls needed the opportunity to be well rounded and To understand that things outside of just academics and to be exposed to different elements of agriculture. And that was primarily the focus that they were in for FFA. Did you notice any growth? Like, was your going through like, how, how was that like to see they’re coming back with projects or this or things like, what was that like?
Absolutely. Some of the things that I really appreciate that they learned while they were in FFA were. Many of the leadership skills they acquired, looking someone in the eye, shaking their hand firmly, you know, engaging someone in conversation, writing thank you notes being responsible for a project.
So when the girls had animals. To show, you know, the responsibility that went along with not only taking care of the animal, but also recording that information in their book that they had to keep that information in. And so, and then at the end, being able to reflect upon the whole process. How it made them feel, what it cost them in time and in money and what they learned from it overall.
I believe that FFA helps children learn to be not only better leaders, but better people. Yeah, I’ve noticed it and that’s one of the things that it makes me come back year after year is I have so much fun and I get to see it. Like the media meant much of media is controlled by The coast, right? So your New York, your LA, and I don’t feel like we get enough representation of what’s going on over here, especially stories like this.
So talk a little bit about what you’re doing in education. I’m in, I’m curious to hear about that too, as well. Absolutely. I am on the state board of education and one of our areas of focus is CTE. So a career in technology education, which directly impacts the FFA and the courses that the students take as they progress through eighth grade, ninth grade, 10th, 11, 12, and.
Receive their certificates in different areas that they’re looking at. And like, for example, today at the breakfast this morning, that was held, the centerpieces were floral arrangements that were made from a CTE. Class really at Conroe ISD, a floral arranging class and students can earn a certificate and they can earn a level one in floral design and a level two to level three.
And these are skills that they can take with them as they head out to college or Head to technical and work a job in that area as they’re seeking the next thing that they’d like to do, but it gives them lots of opportunities. Yeah. And one of the things that I find so interesting as I’ve been here too, is how the educators rally, the ag teachers and otherwise, can you talk about that a little bit from your perspective being in education?
They are a big team. It’s such a blessing. It’s like, they’re like their own little family. I don’t know how to explain it. I can’t really, how would you explain it? That’s exactly right. But for real, and these, and they’ve been with each other for a long time and it’s just like in their heart, they’re like to see that many, I haven’t worked in education, but to see that many individuals from any industry that are focused and facing in the same way is amazing and education alone affecting that many youth, I mean.
It’s such a positive thing to see with the students and the teams and the ag teachers. They really put, pour their hearts and soul into it because it’s not just a nine to five job. Ag, the life of an ag teacher is nighttimes. It’s weekends. It’s their whole summer. Yes. By the time that they attend this conference and CTAT and several of the other conferences, that they’re responsible for attending to learn more about their craft and to learn new and innovative things.
And so it’s a year round, constant effort on the part of ag teachers. You know, teachers get to go home. General core teachers, core classroom teachers get to go home. They can grade their papers at night. But our ag teachers, they have animals in the barn. Where they have plants in a greenhouse they have things that they, I never thought about that.
So if something’s happening like a hurricane, yes. And there’s no electricity and you’re trying to keep chickens warm or rabbits warm or the automatic water feeders going and your pig farm, all of that stuff stops when there’s no electricity. Wow. That’s good perspective. Those ACT teachers are out there taking care of all of that, man.
What’s your favorite part about coming to convention? I really enjoy the student enthusiasm. It’s infectious. You are in just a sea of blue corduroy jackets, but every one of these children are happy. They’re glad to be here. They’re, they’re together with their team, their FFA group. And you can expect when you walk in a room, they’re going to use their manners.
They’re going to shake your hand. They’re going to say, yes, ma’am. And no, ma’am, they’re going to say, please. And thank you. They’re going to step out of the way and let you go first. Those are all the things that children in FFA learn. Yes. That’s highly important. That improves our society. Oh my gosh. Yeah.
I have a great story for you. Now that you say that, I forgot. I wanted to make sure I got this sent. So I’m waiting in this long line for Starbucks upstairs and one of my ambassadors, and for those that are watching that don’t know what a master is, this is a group of students that work with sponsors like myself and they just want to make sure we’re taken care of.
And so a group of the ambassadors come, they see me wait in this long line, they’re like, Oh, Mr. Torres, we’ll wait in line for you. I’ll wait in line for you and I’ll bring you your coffee. I know where you’re at. And I’m like, you don’t have to wait in line. They’re like, no, no, no, I’ll wait in line. And I’m like, no, keep on.
I know this is your convention. I don’t want you to like, spend your time waiting in line to get rid of me coffee. But like, they went out of their way. They didn’t have to do that. They could have walked by and act like they didn’t see me. I was just waiting for coffee. Like no big deal in a mile long line with of all the blue jackets, by the way, but that’s the type of like responsibility and caring there is like, that’s, that’s different.
That’s different. It is different. And I believe that as each one of these children learns that, that they will spread that to their other friends and take that with them to their new jobs or to their other clubs and it will follow them as for a lifetime. Yeah. One of the other things that the girls learned.
So while they’re in FFA, I was to leave it better than you found it. And I see that. I see that here. I see kids. They see garbage on the ground. They pick it up. Yes. You know, they clean up, they straighten up, they make sure it’s better than they found it. And that’s really important. Yeah. I had also, I had an ag teacher on here, Brian Reed, and he was talking about he, they were there driving around like aft when they got into town and he had a group of senior males that were with him and they were, they were picking up trees.
That we’re, that we’re like in the middle of the road so cars could get by. Who does that at that age? The FFI kids. There you go. Like, who does that? Nobody’s watching. They don’t have to do that. They’re helping. Like, can we get that one up? Yeah, let’s get that one up. Come on, get out. Let’s pull over. Let’s, let’s do this.
Let’s leave it better than we found it. Like, that’s amazing. Nobody’s watching. Nobody’s like, they don’t have to do that. They don’t live here. They’re inconvenienced too. But who’s doing it? They are. Well, Audrey, this has been so much fun having you on the show today and getting to know more about you and your experience with the FFA.
So thank you for coming on the show so much. Thank you for having me and to the audience, as always, if this is your first time with Mission Matters, we sure are happy to have you number one, but don’t forget, hit that subscribe or follow button because we have many more episodes coming up for you. This is a daily show each and every day we’re recording new episodes, new content, and hopefully providing you with new inspiration to help you along on your journey.
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