More Than a Corduroy Jacket
Hailey Helmke in the corduroy jacket.
For Fox FFA member Hailey Helmke, the blue corduroy jacket means a lot more than just being part of an organization; it represents the growth she has had over the last few years. FFA changed the way she sees herself and others. She learned to look deeper than the surface and to never underestimate anyone. As an FFA member, Helmke says the organization has impacted her life in ways she never expected.
“FFA has changed me in so many ways, even the ones I didn’t expect,” she adds. “It has taught me how to speak, how to learn, how to work and how to advocate for the industry.”
Helmke’s journey with FFA started long before she officially became a member. Her grandfather is an agriculture teacher, and she grew up attending banquets, livestock shows and other events.
“The way I saw people come together, excel in something they found joy in and truly belong in an uncertain world was something I clung to before I even zipped up a jacket of my own,” she says.
FFA provides lifelong friendships and connections that are truly valuable.
Not only did she have her grandfather to look up to, but she also had an ag teacher that she looks up to. When reflecting on the person who made the biggest impact on her agriculture journey Helmke said, “She has shown me that I am capable of anything, and lives her life like every moment is for the service of others.”
Helmke’s ag teacher provided her with so many opportunities over the last few years. One of her favorite memories was the state FFA convention her eighth grade year. She walked into a laser light show and had never seen anything so beautiful. She was inspired from that point forward to get deeper into agriculture and service.
Helmke with one of her show lambs.
Helmke had a rough early childhood and needed something to change in her life in a big way. She is so thankful that FFA altered the course of her future. Putting on that blue corduroy jacket changed the course for Helmke’s future in a positive way.
“It is a big question mark of who I would have been without it,” she says. “That could be in terms of my character, or even the skills and knowledge I have picked up along the way.”
When asked what her future holds, Helmke said, “I want to give as many people a genuine connection to agriculture as possibe. I want people to know what it is like on a real producing agricultural operation.”
Above all, she hopes to be a role model in agricultural leadership and give back to Oklahoma. “I simply want to give back,” she says.
