FFA opens doors for those who say they can’t

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — One of the goals in FFA is to prepare members “for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.”

Through their own experiences, two state FFA officers shared how the organization had such a positive impact on their lives that paved the road toward their future.

Emma Dinges of Sublette, Illinois FFA treasurer, and Owen Torrance of Good Hope, state FFA secretary, each entered Amboy and West Prairie high schools, respectively, as shy freshmen.

“FFA has brought me out of my comfort zone. I was the shy, quiet kid that really didn’t want to talk to anybody, didn’t like talking to anybody, didn’t like putting myself out there, didn’t like doing anything like that,” said Torrance during the Agriculture Day media event at the Illinois State Fair.

“Then I joined FFA and I really kind of found my stride and hit my stride. Now I’m a state officer. I go around and work with members, I work with other state officers, I work with corporate friends and legislators all of the time.

“I’m talking to a lot of people and that is something that a few years ago when I first joined I never would have dreamed of doing. For me, FFA has brought me out of my shell and opened a lot of opportunities and a lot of doors for me.”

“I was also very shy and quiet my freshman year of high school and didn’t really think I’d do much in the FFA, but my adviser really pushed me to step out of my comfort zone and I was able to achieve so many of my goals and dreams through this organization,” Dinges said.

“I’m just here to show students that they can when they say that they can’t, to show them that they can achieve their goals and dreams in the FFA.”

Their résumés exemplify their successes.

Torrance, son of Corey and Michelle Torrance, held several leadership positions during high school, including 2021-2023 West Prairie FFA Chapter reporter, 2023-2024 West Prairie Chapter president, 2021-2022 Section 11 sentinel, 2022-2023 Section 11 reporter and 2023-2024 Section 11 president.

His Supervised Agricultural Experience was on sheep production. He won State Star Discovery Farmer in 2020. He then competed in sheep production in high school, winning in state sheep production in 2022.

Owen’s SAEs then expanded to include forage production, ag sales placement and diversified agricultural production.

After Owen’s year of service as a state officer, he will attend Oklahoma State University to study agribusiness with a pre-law concentration and minor in politics and policy.

Upon graduation, Owen plans to become either a lawyer, lobbyist, or hold elected office, according to the state FFA website.

Dinges, daughter of Nick and Stacey Dinges, began competing in career developments events as a freshman that expanded her confidence in competitions and led her to try leadership development events. Some of her favorites included parliamentary procedure and livestock judging.

Her SAEs were in goat production, food service placement and sheep production, and she raises, shows and sells pygmy and myotonic goats in her goat production SAE.

For her food service SAE, she works at Woodhaven Lakes Campgrounds Recreation Complex as a shift supervisor and scoops ice cream. In her sheep production book, she raises and shows market lambs throughout the summer.

After her year of service as a state FFA officer, she will attend Iowa State University to study animal science. Upon graduation, Dinges plans to become a large animal veterinarian.

Traveling State

There are currently about 43,000 FFA members in Illinois, and the state officers will be spending time meeting with chapters.

“Some of the cool things were working our conferences and chapter visits. Chapter visits are coming up this fall. Each state officer will visit six sections and we have 372 chapters in the state. So, we’re going to try and visit as many as possible,” Dinges said.

Both officers showed livestock at the State Fair and enjoyed their new roles representing FFA.

“I’ve been here a couple of times with my 4-H club when I competed at state. I was also here last year as a section president with Illinois FFA and it’s been such an amazing experience. I love it. It’s a cool experience seeing all of the different kinds of agriculture represented here,” Dinges said.

“I’ve been coming to the fair basically my entire life. I raise show sheep. I very familiar with the fairgrounds and the fair and I’m really enjoying it,” Torrance added.