FFA Member Profile

Tell us about your farm and family. Of my family of seven, my older brother is hoping to take over our family farm someday. We do not have hired help, and my family members have been the only workers on our farm. My dad is the owner of Zawislan Dairy, and we have a 130-cow dairy herd. Most of our heifers are raised at home, and we have many facilities for each age of our heifers.

Why did you join FFA? I joined to help better my leadership skills and to participate in activities throughout the year. Also, I joined to help get younger kids involved and see them progress in the agriculture industry.

What is your role in the chapter? My role in the chapter consists of assisting the president, developing the program of activities and helping to encourage younger members to join FFA.

What FFA contests do you compete in? For the last two years, I have participated in the dairy judging Career Development Event. This year along with participating in a CDE, I will also be participating in a Leadership Development Event. This January, I will be participating in prepared public speaking.

What do you look forward to most in the upcoming FFA year? The dairy judging competition is what I most look forward to. I love competing with the three other girls on my team and getting to see how our skills have progressed from the previous year. We hold high expectations of our team and of each other, so getting together and practicing is always fun.

How has FFA shaped you as a person? FFA has definitely helped me grow as an individual. I have bettered my public speaking skills and become more confident in getting to know new people. I have learned that FFA isn’t just about one person’s own growth but the entire chapter’s growth. Getting others to participate in activities can help any organization grow, and that helps to get the whole chapter to do new things. I have learned that these things wouldn’t have been possible without everyone’s interest and involvement.

What are your duties on the farm? I am the main cleaner on the farm, and I milk cows during night chores. Cleaning means I clean up where the cows eat, sleep and walk. I also help feed calves and help with any extra job that needs to be done that day.

What are your future plans? This upcoming year, I will be enrolled and taking classes at Northcentral Technical College in Wausau, Wisconsin, working toward an associate degree in dental hygiene. I will be pursuing my dream of becoming a dental hygienist and will hopefully be able to work at a dental office soon after graduating.