I routinely find myself behind the wheel of the FFA truck driving across the state, as one would expect of a state officer. These are some of the moments that I have treasured and learned the
most about myself and individuals around me. Whether it is five minutes or five hours, I am always down for a coffee in hand, tunes going and conversations with my team as we drive down
the road.
With Thanksgiving around the corner, the theme of being grateful is at the forefront of my mind which means it comes up in conversations frequently. At the end of October, Jessie and I found
ourselves driving across the state from Ontario to Canby. Now that’s about six hours on the road, which meant that we had plenty of time for conversations and inevitably, we started talking about things we were thankful for.
We reflected about how amazing our three weeks of classroom visits were. Students were engaged and willing to take risks out of their comfort zone. We discussed all the things we had
learned from members at leadership camps like how to start a fire and what it looks like to be an inspiring leader. We reflected on our own time as high school members and our personal FFA
advisors that continue to pour into us along this journey as state officers. We are grateful for our state staff that keeps our calendar up to date, offers support when we are feeling homesick and words of encouragement whenever we need uplifted. We are continually amazed when meeting new advisors across the state that have a dedication to their FFA members that can not be
matched. We appreciate our team that supports us and encourages us every step of the way. We are thankful for our family that cheers us on from miles and miles away and how a small text or
phone call can make our day.
With all of that being said, I cannot help but smile when I think about the moments and individuals that I am grateful for. We are blessed. As Thanksgiving approaches around the
corner, I encourage you to take a little bit of time to reflect on your life and all the things you are thankful for. Grab a coffee, listen to some tunes, and hop in the car because car ride
conversations are some of the best.
With Love,
Kinsley Kemble
State Vice President
