First in His Family, Fueled by FFA
Lee Zurenda earning a ribbon.
A Spark That Turned Into Passion
In the heart of rural Texas, senior Lee Zurenda of the West Hardin FFA Chapter found his path in an unexpected way: through friendship.
“What first got me into welding was my best friend actually,” Zurenda says. “My freshman year, I didn’t really have anything going on; he asked me to join the trailer team with him. So, I did the next year and just fell in love with it.”
That decision would shape the course of Zurenda’s high school career, leading him into competitive agricultural mechanics and hands-on learning experiences that defined his time in FFA.
Building More Than Projects
For Zurenda, FFA has been about more than welding trailers; it’s been about growth.
“The most meaningful competition to me was Houston my sophomore year, which was my first year with my 35-foot-long gooseneck,” he says. “I had so much fun building it because it was with my best friend and my first year.”
Through competitions and projects, he developed skills far beyond the shop.
“From FFA, I have learned a lot more leadership and trouble-shooting than I would have learned in a traditional classroom,” Zurenda says. “FFA has really shaped me — from how I interact with people I don’t know, to how I work with the people I do know.”
Deliliah and Lee Zurenda celebrate success.
Lessons in Responsibility and Resilience
Even as an experienced member, Zurenda continued to challenge himself. As a senior, he took on his first animal project of broiler chickens.
“It was hectic throughout it,” he says. “I had to learn a lot about consistency and showing up every day on time, or else it won’t succeed.”
He also faced a unique challenge this year: working alongside family.
“I think one of the biggest challenges was joining a trailer team with my sister this year,” he says. “As everyone knows, getting along with your family can be hard. I had to find a way to make it work, and I did. And in the end? It turned out great.”
First-Generation Goals, Future Impact
Zurenda is preparing to take a major step after graduation: becoming a first-generation college student. “Both my mom and dad started going to college, but dropped out,” he says.
For him, that milestone carries deeper meaning. “For me, it is encouraging to show that I am capable, and I’m hoping it is encouraging to my sister as she grows and maybe decides to go to college herself,” Zurenda says.
Inspired by the program that shaped him, he plans to pursue a career as an agriculture teacher. “Everything I have learned, I’m going to use to help future students,” he says.
Advice for the Next Generation
Looking back as a senior, Zurenda credits his success to the people who supported him along the way. “I don’t think I would have been able to do it without the people around me,” he says. “They have been really encouraging for four years.”
His advice to students considering FFA is simple: “Try it,” he says. “The worst thing that could happen is you don’t like it and change schedules. The best-case scenario? You love it and make a career out of it.”
