Lilly Nyland: Eight months, thousands of miles and a lesson in what truly matters

EDITOR'S NOTE: The views and opinions expressed are those of the writer and not of Ottawa News Network. Originally called Future Farmers of America, the National FFA is a national youth leadership development organization that promotes agricultural education for middle school, high school, and college students.

As I logged thousands of miles these past eight months away from my hometown of Holland, Michigan, as a National FFA Officer, I realized the biggest moments in life can happen in the smallest moments.

It is a great honor to travel the country representing National FFA, the largest student-led organization in the country focusing on developing agricultural leaders, with more than 1 million members.

In a few weeks on the road, my FFA National Officer team may find ourselves speaking in Washington, D.C., with the Secretary of Agriculture, visiting a rural chapter in Arkansas, then speaking on a stage in front of thousands in California.

The breadth of what I have experienced so far this year is hard to put into words, but along the way, I learned that the most important connections can be from the smallest one-on-one conversations.

The huge stages and meetings with influential agricultural leaders have all been honors, moments I will never forget. But I’ll also cherish the moments of connection with FFA members in chapters across the country. Amid the whiplash of travel across time zones and a packed schedule, those interactions sustained me through a demanding year.

As I reflect, I realize that titles like being a National FFA Officer will end. The travel will wrap up for the year and settle down. The applause and cheers will fade. But hopefully, the way my team and I made people feel is what will last.

It’s the personal conversations, connections, and reflections that truly matter.

The whole experience as a national officer made me even more appreciative of one of my hometown agriculture mentors, Ben Randle of GDW Turkey Farm in Ottawa.

I didn’t grow up with a background in production agriculture. My family’s small farm gave me some exposure to the industry, but it was really my supervised agriculture experience through FFA I had the opportunity to work with Mr. Randle at the turkey farm that shaped my perspective.

Mr. Randle taught me the value of working hard and being curious. Throughout my time at the turkey farm, we kept busy, but he always took a moment in the day to talk to me about life. I now realize that his mentorship gave me one of the greatest life lessons, which I carried with me across the country as a national officer.

Sometimes the most meaningful thing you can give someone is your time.

Traveling across the entire country allowed me to sit across from so many unique FFA members and individuals, all from different backgrounds and with their own stories to share. One of the most important jobs I have is to listen and carry their story.

Through those conversations, I discovered that even though FFA chapters in Maine look different from those in New Mexico, Kentucky, Wyoming, or even here in Michigan, we all cultivate the shared values of hard work, service, and integrity.

Witnessing FFA members hold true to our organization’s mission and values gives me hope for the future as we work to develop members who will feed, fuel, and clothe our world. I also got to see firsthand how FFA members are turning their passions into careers.

One FFA member I met in Arizona is passionate about fishing. He channeled his passion into a project through FFA that detailed which fishing lures work in different water environments. Through his project and research, he built a full-time career in the industry.

Another FFA member I met in Maine loves to hunt wild game. She found the most difficult animal to hunt was the moose. Her curiosity about the moose population turned into a research project about ticks and moose. She is now getting into more in-depth research with biologists in her area and has found a career path connected to her passion.

As for me, when I wrap up my duties as a National FFA Officer and return home to Michigan, I am unsure of what the future holds, and in a way, that is exciting. This entire experience has changed my perspective on what I hope to do in the future. I do know that I have seen the impact of agriculture teachers on the next generation, and that has inspired me to pursue a career that makes a difference in our communities and our world.

Traveling thousands of miles across the country taught me that quality connections and interactions shape who we are and who we will become. I hope that in my time connecting with FFA members across the country, I was able to make an impact on them just as their interactions helped to shape me and my future.

— Lilly Nyland is the National FFA organization secretary. She resides in Holland, Michigan.

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