Cultivating Success Through FFA: My Journey to Powerful
Looking back at my high school years, being a part of my local FFA chapter in Perrydale, Oregon stands out as a key foundational point in my life. I was lucky to grow up in a small town, where the sense of community is strong, and everyone knows everyone. This community-oriented upbringing played a significant role in shaping my values and ambitions, and FFA provided the perfect platform for honing these characteristics.
My journey with FFA was filled with so many exciting and meaningful experiences. I served as a Sentinel for the Perrydale FFA, a chapter that earned the number one rank for several years, a testament to our collective hard work and dedication. My role as a Sentinel cultivated in me a sense of responsibility and leadership, which would later come to play a vital part in my professional life here at Powerful.
Learning from the Land: My FFA Experience
Life in a small town often means getting your hands dirty and learning from the land. For me, it meant spending several summers and long hours bailing hay, a tradition that allowed me to appreciate the value of hard work, persistence, and collaboration. These qualities, which I learned firsthand in the field, have translated directly into my role as on the Powerful web team.
Our FFA chapter was not just about hard work, though. We had our fair share of fun and camaraderie, a credit to our FFA teacher who created and hosted the annual AG Olympics, an event that was always a highlight of the year and revolved around agricultural-related games. These lighthearted moments served to balance out our hard work and dedication, reinforcing the strong sense of community we had fostered.
Taking the Road Less Travelled: FFA Trips
Nothing matched the joy and inspiration of FFA trips. The journey, the unity, the shared excitement—it was always an exciting time to learn, grow, and connect with each other in new environments. These experiences helped us come together as a cohesive group, contributing to our sense of camaraderie and enhancing our ability to work effectively as a team.
Community Service: The Heart of FFA
Community service was an integral part of our FFA journey. From organizing fundraisers to responding to the needs of other Oregonians in times of crisis, we were there. When Klamath Falls suffered a massive drought, our FFA chapter joined forces with the community, helping to provide over 200 tons of food and water. It’s moments like these that show the impact that a dedicated group can make when they rally together for a common cause.
From FFA to Powerful: Translating Skills
The FFA planted the seeds of leadership, teamwork, and community service within me, all of which have grown into an integral part of my role at Powerful. The lessons learned from the FFA and my small town upbringing have proven invaluable, enabling me to adapt, grow, and strive to always work hard in our team’s mission to deliver robust, efficient, and effective web solutions for utility partners.
In my role at Powerful, every second we invest is dedicated to ensuring that our community-owned utility clients receive the best value for the products and services we deliver. The work ethic cultivated during my FFA days is mirrored in our commitment to delivering top-quality web solutions.
Looking back, my FFA experience was much more than an extracurricular activity. It was an important part of my personal and professional development. I have no doubt that the FFA helped shape me into the person I am today; more than 20 years later.
The agricultural lessons I learned from FFA are very much applicable to my work with Powerful. The importance of adaptability, sustainability, and efficiency in agriculture mirrors the needs of maintaining and enhancing a web presence for community-owned utilities.
The FFA’s focus on making a positive impact and serving the community continues to drive my work at Powerful. I am proud to have been an FFA alumna dedicated to making a difference in the world around me.
