A journey of growth: Agricultural communications junior serves as National FFA President

A journey of growth: Agricultural communications junior serves as National FFA President

Friday, December 13, 2024

Media Contact: Sophia Fahleson | Digital Communications Specialist | 405-744-7063 | [email protected]

Candidates held their breath as the presidential position was the last to be announced at the 2023 National FFA Convention. The crowd quieted as the announcer approached the microphone.

Amara Jackson began her term as the 2023-2024 National FFA President with excitement and tears as she rushed to the stage, even losing her shoes as she joined her new national officer teammates.

Jackson grew up in Corunna, Michigan, where she was involved in horseback riding, dancing, and playing the French horn in band.

FFA was not on Jackson's radar during the beginning of her high school career, she said. Avianna, Jackson's older sister, served on the Michigan FFA officer team while Jackson was in high school.

"I had other interests," Jackson said. "I also did not want to just be known as 'Avianna's little sister' in the FFA world. I knew I wanted to create my own path."

As the chapter's junior vice president, Jackson was convinced by her adviser to attend the Michigan FFA Convention in March of her sophomore year. During her time at state convention, Jackson was in awe of her peers and how motivated they were, she said.

"I watched Amara's eyes light up as she attended the first session at convention," said Casie Stiles, one of Amara's past FFA advisers and current career technology education facilitator for the Shiawassee Regional Educational Service District. "I knew she had something special. She just gave off the aura of a leader and someone who was going to do big things."

After Jackson returned from convention her sophomore year, she was ready to be a part of everything FFA and wanted to make up for lost time, Stiles said.

Jackson ran for Corunna FFA chapter office at the end of her sophomore year and was elected as the reporter. She served in this role during her junior year and as president her senior year, Stiles said.

Jackson also competed in career and leadership development events, including prepared public speaking and parliamentary procedure.

The FFA prepared public speaking contest gave Jackson confidence, she said, and parliamentary procedure taught her how to be a part of a team and something bigger than herself.

"Amara was involved in every contest and event she could be," Stiles said. "She showed up early and stayed late. Amara paved her own way and brought other students with her."

Then, Jackson's senior year was disrupted by COVID-19, Stiles said.

"Nothing was normal during this time, but Amara made the best of the entire situation and mentored students through the process," Stiles said.

During her senior year, Jackson was also a Michigan FFA regional officer. She decided to run for a state FFA officer position.

Corunna FFA members helped her prepare by hosting mock interviews and meetings and assisting with networking throughout the state

"I was elected to be the 2021-2022 Michigan FFA President," Jackson said. "Even in this hard time of a Zoom meeting convention, I got to celebrate with some of the people who helped me achieve this title."

After being elected to serve the Michigan FFA Association, she began her freshman year of college in Fall 2021 at Lansing Community College in Lansing, Michigan.

As Jackson was beginning her time as a state FFA officer, she sought ways to better the program and the industry, Stiles said.

"Throughout her year as state FFA president, Jackson took a leap of faith, not knowing what it would look like, said Tiffany Rogers-Randolph, Michigan FFA state executive secretary. "She constantly looked for ways to serve and make people feel valued."

After serving Michigan FFA, Jackson decided her time in the organization was not over, she said. In 2022, she pursued being the national officer candidate for Michigan FFA.

Michigan FFA hosts a day of rigorous interviews, judges' panels and networking to decide who will represent the state as the national candidate. However, in 2022, Jackson was not selected as the state's candidate.

After one more semester at LCC, Jackson transferred to Oklahoma State University as an agricultural communications student.

"Kaia Cooper, one of my Michigan FFA officer teammates, sat me down," Jackson said. "This is a conversation I will never forget. She said if something is on my heart and I want to do something about it, I need to go and do it."

This conversation gave Jackson confidence to seek the Michigan national officer candidate slot again, Jackson added.

"Amara was chosen to be the candidate because of her knowledge of what it means to serve, commitment to growth and her intentionality," Rogers-Randolph said. "She is so genuine and wants to see everyone around her succeed, and I believe the committee saw that when selecting her."

After being selected, Jackson was focused on representing Michigan, she said, and the multiple people who helped her prepare for the national officer selection process.

"We held countless rounds of practice and so many conversations with executives just so she could become more diverse in the industry," Rogers-Randolph said. "Michigan FFA experienced an outpouring of support by people sending cards and gifts to let Amara know Michigan was behind her as she embarked on the national election process."

Jackson received a multitude of calls, texts and letters of support and encouragement as she left for a week of intense interviews and meetings during the 2023 National FFA convention, she said.

"I know Amara had a lot of people supporting her back in Michigan, and she also had her OSU family supporting her as she prepared for the interview process," said Dwayne Cartmell, OSU agricultural communications professor and Jackson's academic adviser. "Many folks were supporting her in any way possible, which included positive text messages and encouraging conversations."

Although her nerves were high going into convention, a specific conversation grounded her, Jackson said.

"I was sitting in the agricultural building at OSU, and my mentor Ryan Best, an agricultural education doctoral student, sat down with me and asked if I believed in myself," Jackson said. "He wanted to know when everyone else was going to see it. He told me I was prepared for this at the perfect time and place."

This conversation with Best, a former National FFA officer, helped remind Jackson of something so simple as believing in herself, she said, and she carried this advice with her throughout the election process.

Jackson's defining moment came Nov. 4, 2023.

"We were sitting in the stands at convention, hoping to hear her name," Stiles said. "I knew in my gut she had something special and had the potential to be the president, but waiting felt like a lifetime."

When Jackson was announced as the new National FFA President, everyone cried, Stiles said. It was such a surreal moment, she added.

"It is so incredible to see someone from Corunna FFA get elected," said Brian Kiesling, the Corunna FFA adviser. "She is the first person from Corunna FFA to be on the national officer team, and being a part of this experience is unbelievable."

Jackson is the ninth person from Michigan to earn a spot on the National FFA officer team and the second as president, Kiesling added.

Once you are elected, the year of service starts as soon as you put on the national jacket, Jackson said.

"I took a year off of school, traveling and serving FFA members across the nation," Jackson said. "I visited 26 states and even spent time in Japan."

The National FFA officer team visited Japan for 13 days in January 2024. They started in Tokyo, where they met with agricultural high schools and Future Farmers of Japan members. They visited Kyoto where they met with more members and then traveled to Hiroshima.

The team saw a lot of traditional agriculture in Kagoshima, like a tea leaf factory and machinery. They met with the Japanese tea division of the Agriculture Cooperative Union and networked with other agriculturalists, Jackson said. The team also saw a Wagyu beef operation of more than 1,000 cows.

"After a long 14-hour flight, I was so excited to experience what agriculture looks like on the other side of the world," Jackson said.

During her year of service, she devoted all her time to advocating for agriculture and helping younger members grow during their FFA journey, Jackson said.

"I loved seeing FFA members throughout the year, and it was eye-opening to see their passions through agriculture," Jackson said.

Throughout her year of service, Jackson focused on taking every opportunity to learn and talk with members, she said, and was always impressed to see the commonalities from FFA members throughout the country. This just shows a reflection of the FFA organization and culture of the students, Jackson said.

"No matter where you are in the United States, students in FFA share a couple different similarities," Jackson said. "They are passionate about agriculture, working hard and caring for their communities."

As her term ended, Jackson was sad to see her year of service to the National FFA Organization come to an end, she said, but is ready to get back to OSU and finish her degree.

Following graduation, Jackson wants a career in agricultural estate law, where she can help farms be passed down from generation to generation in the most efficient manner possible, she said.

"The FFA has opened so many doors, and my time within FFA will forever be cherished," Jackson said. "I cannot thank the people who stood behind me enough."

Story by Samantha Bennett | Cowboy Journal

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