Senior officers pose at their last Back to School Bash back in August.
“How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard,” says Winnie the Pooh. On the surface, this saying may seem trivial, but as you grow, you realize this classic character is telling the truth.
As the four senior officers from the Olney FFA Chapter in Illinois say goodbye, they realize saying this seven-letter word is hard. Carter Anderson, Selena Fuentes, Victoria Rudolphi and Claire Steber have all gone from freshmen to seniors within the Olney FFA Chapter. Each of them is now thinking about what their footprint on the chapter will be.
So, let’s look into their journey throughout their time in FFA.
Remembering Where It Started
“Get involved, but not just [in] everything,” says Anderson, the 2024-25 Olney FFA Chapter and Illinois FFA Section 23 president. “Intentionally pick some of the events you know aren’t necessarily in your comfort zone.”
Anderson was once a shy freshman who was scared to get involved. As he started to step outside of his comfort zone, however, he developed into a confident person. He has served the Olney FFA Chapter in so many ways and is a role model to many different students in the chapter.
Selena Fuentes has become a key person within the Olney FFA Chapter officer team throughout the past four years. Her funny and bubbly personality is always sure to make people laugh, and her work ethic and determination are unmatched. She has managed to be an active member and help run three restaurants simultaneously.
“FFA has so much to offer,” Fuentes says. “The more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it.”
The seniors and Mr. Steber pose for a selfie at a church service during National FFA Week.
A Journey Through the Field
Before she enters the classroom as an agricultural educator, Victoria Rudolphi has a few more years of schooling to get through. Rudolphi left quite a footprint on the chapter by being vice president and winning two national competitions. Through this organization, she has decided her blue jacket will continue to live on in her classroom in the future.
Joining FFA was an easy choice for Rudolphi due to her farming background. Even though her path in FFA seemed planned, Rudolphi has learned flexibility is the key in this organization. “It’s okay to not have a concrete plan,” she says. “Some things don’t need to be planned out to a T.”
The final of the four is Steber. She wants to nurture young minds and instill a passion for agriculture at the elementary school level. Steber found this passion while attending an Ag in the Classroom event for the first time. After her experience, she started to think about a career in teaching. She has also competed in a variety of different competitions, including food science horticulture.
“Don’t hesitate to sign up for random events or activities,” Steber says. “You will meet so many new people when you branch out.”
Harvest Time
The emotional senior officers watch a slideshow about their time in FFA at the chapter banquet.
As these four amazing people take off their blue jackets for the last time, they reflect on their journeys in FFA and how it has prepared them for the unknown future. However, one thing is for certain: They will all do great things in the future.
To close, Dr. Seuss wrote it best: “Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to great places! So, get on your way!”
