Anyone who knows me knows my absolute favorite pastime is fishing. So, for my first blog post as an Oregon FFA State Officer I figured I would start it off with an old fishing story. It was late May and my buddies and I were trying to figure out where we were going fishing. Instead of going to our normal and proven spots we decided to venture out of our comfort zone and try a new location. Forty-five minutes later down the road we had arrived, eager and ready to fish. However, after surveying our surroundings we quickly realized that this day of fishing was not going to be a walk in the park. The once pleasant day outside weather wise suddenly flipped on a dime, and the only thing we could get to bite were the mosquitoes. Our two hour adventure brought us back with nothing but bug bites. However, we held a feeling of slight optimism that maybe this spot wasn’t showing off its best side that day. A week later the weather cleared up and the three of us decided to try this new spot again, even though the first time turned out to be a complete failure. An hour and a half later our perseverance had paid off. We hauled in and released 37 bass, and because of the adversity we overcame it will be a trip I will never forget.
These last couple weeks have been very exciting in office. From getting to give testimony on House Bill 5515 in Salem, to onboarding training with my new team, and being able to connect with the district officers at ODOT, I’ve been blessed with many new experiences. These experiences in my short time in office have already helped me grow tremendously, but I am still far from perfect. I might not have given the best speech they’ve ever heard in Salem, my running of the Executive Committee meeting could have been a little sharper, and I definitely can still improve a lot on my planning. But I know with perseverance I will continue to improve, and will enjoy the journey of serving the members of the Oregon FFA along the way.
With these first couple weeks done, I believe it’s a good reminder to think about the times when you weren’t the best or failed at something on your first try. As we go through life, and I go through this upcoming year, many things will come our way that we haven’t done before. If we keep trying, eventually things will work out. Do not be discouraged when the mosquitoes start biting or you’re not perfect at something the first time. When we fail we grow, so I encourage you to always be willing to step outside of your comfort zone and try something new, even if you might fail.
Sincerely,
Alex Wise
2025-2026 Oregon FFA State President
