Untitled

Guest Speaker: Angela Mayfield
Practical Resources Lead
to Powerful Results
By Kelsey Fletcher
Angela Mayfield is a wife, mother and small business owner. The
California native graduated from California State University, Chico and
has a passion for educating others. All these things make her ordinary.
What makes her extraordinary, according to Mayfield, is her experience
as an FFA member.
Mayfield served as the 2000-2001 National FFA Western Region
Vice President. She looks back at her time in FFA fondly, saying “each
of those moments were the greatest moments in my life at the time.”
During her keynote address at the 3rd General Session of the 83rd
National FFA Convention, Mayfield discussed her experiences in the
National FFA Organization and how they led her first to a career in
agricultural education, then to her own curriculum-writing company.
“We need to come [to national
FFA convention] to realize the
potential we have inside of us,” Mayfield
said. “You have to seek out opportunities to be empowered, and
let go of your inhibitions, your doubts.”
Mayfield described the experience of substitute teaching and
the differences she saw between classrooms of kindergarteners and
seventh graders. Kindergarten students, Mayfield said, still had big
dreams and were enthusiastic about meeting new people. The older
classroom, however “sat with their hoods up and headphones in,”
without optimism and resisting change.
Mayfield admitted to sometimes having the attitude of these
seventh graders, but urged audience members to recharge and regain
perspectives at events like the national FFA convention so they could
continue to dream big and create opportunities.
“FFA has given me every opportunity I have had,” Mayfield further
explained. “There was nothing else that gave me the same chances,
the same opportunity for success. The organization taught me how
to advocate for myself, which is one of the most important things for
students to learn.”
Sponsors are key to the success of the organization Mayfield
emphasized. In her message, she explained that student growth is
not something that can be measured and she wished sponsors could
see what she had seen in the growth of the students in her agriscience
classes.
“As we look at the challenges facing the agriculture industry
today,” Mayfield urged, “it is worthwhile to invest in our students now
and get them into leadership roles. Even if they don’t go into agriculture
directly, they will one day become informed, educated voters and
help us inform and educate consumers and the general public.”
Because a lot of National FFA’s sponsors are corporations, Mayfield
said, the person who writes the check doesn’t always get to see
the progression. Mayfield said she hoped her address brought some of
the connections to life for the sponsors so they could see how much
of a difference they truly do make.
“We have no way to accurately count the number of young men
and women you have affected,” Mayfield explained to the sponsors in
the audience. “Partners, thank you for empowering us; thank you for
giving us these opportunities.”
Kelsey Fletcher is a former FFA member from Universal City, Texas. She
is currently a senior agricultural communications major at Texas Tech
University. Follow her on Twitter: @fletcher_k.
4 7