Ethan Sheets (wearing the pink polo) stands with volunteers during the meal packing event.
Inspired to Serve
How can one person make such a massive impact that it affects hundreds of people across their community? For Clinton Central senior Ethan Sheets of Clinton County, Ind., it began with a simple dream to serve others.
Sheets’ inspiration started at the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC), which he attended at the end of his freshman year. While there, he joined nearly 200 FFA members from across his home state to pack approximately 80,000 meals for the Washington, D.C., area. That experience opened his eyes to the power of service and showed him how leadership can extend far beyond the classroom. From that moment on, Sheets began thinking about how he could create a similar impact in his own community.
Turning a Dream Into Action
That opportunity arose during his junior year when Sheets and his officer team discussed potential chapter events. When a meal packing project was mentioned, Sheets knew this was his chance. He organized his chapter’s first meal packing event, during which members packed 10,000 meals for their local community in partnership with Meals of Hope. The success of that event gave Sheets confidence in what he could accomplish.
In 2025, Sheets set an ambitious goal: packing 50,000 meals. That number carried special meaning. Through Meals of Hope, chapters that pack 50,000 meals qualify for a WLC scholarship. For Sheets, this became a powerful source of motivation and a way to give another member the same life-changing opportunity that first inspired him.
Leading a Community Impact
With determination came challenges, though. “Planning this event was an emotional rollercoaster,” Sheets says. “There were days when I thought it would be easy, and other days when I felt like giving up.”
Sheets reached out to countless businesses seeking sponsorships. When he ran out of contacts, local FFA alumni stepped in with additional connections. Through persistence and strong communication skills, Sheets raised nearly the full $15,500 required to host the Meals of Hope event.
Beyond funding, Sheets faced the challenge of recruiting volunteers and finding destinations for the meals. He initially planned the event as a district-wide effort, using his role as a district officer to reach nearby chapters. When interest was limited, though, he shifted strategies and broadened his outreach. The result was an incredible turnout: FFA members from across the district, district and state officers, community members, Eagle Scouts, alumni, family and individuals with no prior connection to FFA all came together to help.
Sheets also coordinated with local food banks to ensure the meals reached families in need throughout the area.
On Dec. 20, 2025, months of planning finally paid off. In just two hours, nearly 140 volunteers packed almost 51,000 meals. Reflecting on the event, Sheets emphasized the values FFA instills in its members.
“People kept calling it ‘my’ event, but I couldn’t have done it without the support of advisors, officers, alumni and volunteers,” he says. “This wasn’t just my project; it was everyone’s.”
Through leadership, perseverance and service, Sheets demonstrated how one FFA member can turn a dream into meaningful change for an entire community.
