Figure it Out ... A Competitive Edge

In this episode, Aaron Alejandro hosts Sheldon McKinney, Executive Director of the Kentucky FFA Foundation. Sheldon shares her journey from a high school student in Eastern Kentucky to her current role, highlighting the pivotal role of her ag teacher in guiding her career path. She emphasizes the importance of curiosity, hard work, and vision in leadership, drawing parallels between agricultural values and professional success. Sheldon also discusses the unique qualities FFA instills in students, such as communication skills, empowerment, and networking, all of which provide a competitive edge in today's world.

The episode underscores FFA's role in developing strong leaders by encouraging curiosity, hard work, and visionary thinking. These qualities not only benefit individuals but also contribute to the greater agricultural community. Sheldon emphasizes the value of staying curious and open to learning, a trait she finds common in influential mentors. This curiosity fuels personal growth and enhances leadership abilities.

Story Notes:

• Journey to Leadership
• Essential Leadership Qualities: Curiosity, Hard Work, Vision
• Impact of FFA and Agriculture Education
• Importance of Relationships and Human Connection

Learn more at MyTexasFFA.org

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:02

Welcome to the Growing Our Future podcast. In this show, the Texas FFA Foundation will take on a journey of exploration into agricultural science, education, leadership development and insights from subject matter experts and sponsors who provide the fuel to make dreams come true. Here's your host, Aaron Alejandro.

Speaker 2: 0:30

Well, good morning, good afternoon, good evening or whenever you may be tuning in to the Growing Our Future podcast. You know we just enjoy this podcast. Why? Because we get to bring on some incredible people, people that are willing to share their experiences, their testimonies, their backgrounds. And in those, typically, you're going to find some seeds, seeds of greatness. And, like we say in the world of agriculture, if you want to know what the future is, grow it. Well, how are we going to grow that? We're going to grow it by planting the right seeds, and today we've got somebody that's going to help us plant seeds of greatness. She's a colleague, she's a standout, she's a shining star in the world of development. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Sheldon McKinney. Sheldon, welcome to the show.

Speaker 3: 1:20

Thank you for having me. What a kind introduction. It is an honor to be here. I've listened to so many of your other guests and I am just thrilled to get to be able to share with you today no-transcript.

Speaker 3: 1:56

Sheldon, what are you grateful for today? I was just thinking about this and I decided that the thing I'm grateful for today is people who give back and volunteers, and just the calls, the things that I've had. This morning I had a call with my board who are all busy people who are engaging back to give to FFA. I had a podcast earlier with a teacher who was just talking about pouring into students' lives, my children. I'm a mother of two boys. They have been playing sports all weekend and I've been with their coaches and just the people who've encouraged them and I have just really thought about how lucky I am that I get to work with people who really believe in pouring back into others and they have. They're part of my day every day, but today has been. I'm especially grateful for those folks. That's awesome.

Speaker 2: 2:40

And I agree with you, by the way, and this, this podcast, is not about me, but I can tell you this, when you've been down the paths that I've been in life and you've been the person that receives those things, trust me when I say that what you just shared was beautiful, because we do appreciate people that pour into others, people that pour into others. I'm going to share this with you because you're going to appreciate it. I had a podcast guest that hasn't come out yet. Had a podcast guest the other day that was talking about this, and one of his seven pillars is to volunteer, and then he said something which I thought was pretty profound. He said volunteer and he said giving back is the greatest classroom.

Speaker 3: 3:27

Oh yeah, that's great.

Speaker 2: 3:28

And I thought, wow, that was really good and look at just the giving back. All the people that you've met, all the people that I've met because people that are willing to share and they're willing to give back, and how I mean I'm grateful for that. How could you not be grateful for that?

Speaker 3: 3:47

Yes, absolutely. How? I mean, I'm grateful for that. How could you not be grateful for that? Yes, absolutely. We in philanthropy we talk a lot about generosity, and it is generosity of of finances, but also just your time and talent and being a person of a generous spirit in connecting and offering kindness and help to other people. It makes your life more rich and fulfilled, for sure too.

Speaker 2: 4:06

Well, in the world of development we call it the four T's Time talent, treasure and testimony.

Speaker 2: 4:14

And I think you're going to find Sheldon's a great example of all four. All right, so we agree on what we're grateful for, and now let's talk a little bit more about you. There's something that tells me that you did not just fall into that seat that you're in. Something tells me that there is a journey that led you to this role as the executive director of the Kentucky FFA Foundation and we're going to talk about the foundation and FFA here in a minute. But, sheldon, share with us a little bit of your journey that brought you to this role that you're in today.

Speaker 3: 4:51

Sure. Thank you so much for asking. You know, when I was in high school or trying to figure out what I want to do for a living, I didn't even know this was an option of something you could do. If you asked me what working in development was, I would not have had an idea I was. I'm from Eastern Kentucky.

Speaker 3: 5:06

I grew up my grandparents all farmed my parents didn't really, but I was in proximity to them and my grandparents dairy, but I didn't see myself in agriculture, that it was a career that I really wanted to have until I enrolled in high school ag class and I took ag because my friend said it was fun. And then I just had a great time and fell in love. I had wonderful ag teachers, a wonderful FFA experience and then, when I was thinking about a career in high school this sounds like a joke, it is a true story I did not know if I wanted to be a medical doctor, a beautician or a high school ag teacher. Those were the three careers that I really thought about and I did a work experience at a local doctor's office my senior year and turns out I hated it. I knew the medical field was not for me at that time and then it was really my high school agriculture teacher who said you have to take a chance on this. And they pushed me and helped me to find my path in ag education.

Speaker 3: 6:08

So I went to college at Western Kentucky University to major in agriculture education and I was a high school ag teacher for three years. But when I was in college I was an intern more than an intern maybe, but I worked for Billy Ray Smith, who was the executive director of the FFA Foundation. He had previously been the Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture. He's beloved Everyone knows Billy Ray and he had went from having a full staff of hundreds of people at the Department of Education and help and secretaries to. You know, they gave him a box of envelopes and were like good luck, raising money for the FFA Foundation and he needed help on just typing and prepping mailers and some of those administrative things. And when I was a college student I helped him do all that and so when he retired I stepped into this role. It's pretty wild but I have worked with the FFA Foundation in Kentucky since I was 19 years old in a lot of different ways, but yeah, that's really kind of my path.

Speaker 2: 7:14

Wow, that's really crazy and I know you and I've talked about this before, but when I started at the time that we're recording this, by the way, I'm starting my 24th year at the Texas Foundation and I remember meeting Billy Ray at National Agate in service and some other things which interesting. It's interesting when we look back and we think about those early dialogues, exactly to your point, compared to where the dialogues of these development staff are today, it's night and day compared to where we were then to where we are today. So, but I also think it's very valuable that you've had that experience, because I think sometimes people don't really understand the appreciation that you can have with institutional knowledge, because having that institutional knowledge number one, I do think it makes you more grateful for what you have today, but it also provides some fuel for the possibilities of what you think you can accomplish in leading an organization like the Kentucky Foundation.

Speaker 3: 8:21

Absolutely, and my work experience from that that I tell young people is no matter what your job is, is to do a really good job at it. And I was a state FFA officer but I had actually been working for Billy Ray's son in a feed mill and I was the girl at the front desk of the feed mill. That was a job I had in college. I had a lot of jobs because I needed to work and so when Billy Ray needed help, he came and he said can you help me do some of these things? And he worked from his home. When I tell you, I mean he could have been the governor of Kentucky if he had decided to run.

Speaker 3: 8:52

He was a beloved person and I did. I went to his home at 730 in the mornings and he would give me a list of things to do. He and his wife and I would sit and have coffee. They really became. I became kind of the family personal assistant with the FFA Foundation as well. But when he needed to retire and everything was still in his house, it was his wife was ill. He needed somebody he could trust to, to be a part of this and to hand this over to, and it made sense for it to be me at that time. I don't think that they hired me, thinking I would still be here in 12 years as the executive director, but I just kept at it, and so that's the advice I give people is, if you are making name tags, you do the very best of your ability and be a joy to make name tags with. If you're sweeping the floor of the feed mill, you do it to your best and you'd be a joy to be around, and that will take you anywhere.

Speaker 2: 9:47

Those are great words of wisdom right there and I will tell you that as you follow this podcast and you listen to our guests. For the students who are listening, there's a lot of wisdom in what Sheldon just shared, Because we all started at a place that we could grow, and I tell people it goes back to agriculture Things don't grow from the top down. They grow from the roots up and Sheldon has grown as a person because of that, because she started at a place where she could grow.

Speaker 2: 10:17

And as a result of nurturing that and caring for it, her opportunities grew, her professional networks have grown, and obviously I can say the same thing. So, again, those are some of the takeaways that I think are really neat that come out of these podcasts is that look at where you're at, do a good job, be eager to learn, and a lot of times we tell people listen.

Speaker 2: 10:41

And when we say listen, we say listen with your ears and your eyes. And it sounds like you did a lot of listening, sheldon, because you were listening to the wisdom that Billy Ray was willing to embark, but you were watching what the vision of the Kentucky foundation could be.

Speaker 3: 10:59

Sure, I think that's a part of it. Also, I'm a people person. I just really do love people, and development is that it's getting to know people, their heart, what motivates them and and how to connect. Billy Ray taught me how to connect so well with people, but also connecting with him and his family and what he needed professionally and assistance with. And you know, if you're not faithful in little things, you won't be faithful in big things, and so, no matter what your role is, be faithful in it and do a good job.

Speaker 2: 11:37

So, for those that know, I mean obviously I've been in this world for 24 years now and I've had a lot of opportunity to see a lot of foundation folks come along. Some leave early and some probably stay longer than they should. So I've seen the whole gamut of foundation directors and there's no question that Sheldon is doing an exceptional job. She's a standout and a lot of our younger peers are learning from her example and I love that. What, sheldon, what you're sharing, is grounded in the basics of good business. They're grounded in the basis of just good operations and you could translate those skills into business. You could translate those skills into a classroom, but we're just fortunate that we're translating them into the world of development. One of the stories that I like to share and I'm going to lead this into our next topic here, but you know, when I was in my son, my oldest son was in fourth grade and it was bring your daddy to school day. You know what does your daddy do?

Speaker 3: 12:46

And.

Speaker 2: 12:46

I'm thinking well, how am I going to explain to a bunch of fourth graders that I'm a fundraiser, a professional fundraiser, I'm a development officer. And I remember going into that fourth grade classroom and I went up to the board in the front of the room and I drew a little bitty door and I asked the fourth graders I said how many of y'all could get through that door? And they looked at me and they said no, sir. And then I drew a really big door and I said now how many of y'all get through that door? And they said oh yeah, yeah, I could get through that. I said that's what I do I make doors bigger.

Speaker 3: 13:21

Oh, I love that, and, sheldon, that's what you're doing.

Speaker 2: 13:24

And what you and I are doing is we're saying look at what the FFA and ag education did for us. Now we get to lead organizations where we say, hey, grab a hammer now, whatever it takes, let's make that door bigger so more teachers can get through that door, so more students can get through that door. And I think there's a lot of opportunity that comes with us making those doors bigger. So let's talk about that, sheldon. Let's talk about why it's important that we make doors bigger. I don't know about Kentucky, but I can tell you in Texas there's over 3,000 high schools in the state of Texas. 3,000. That means they all have a graduating class. 3,000. That means they all have a graduating class.

Speaker 2: 14:04

Kids are getting out looking for a job, a scholarship or an opportunity, and I always ask the kids what's your competitive edge? What separates you from your peers? Why do I hire you? Why do I give you that scholarship? Why do I expose you to this opportunity, sheldon? I think that the role of development officers, I think what we're trying to do, is get those kids to opportunities. Now, kids, y'all got to determine the outcome. That's up to you. Our job is just to get you to the opportunity. Sheldon walk us through what are some things through FFA and ag science education that you believe give kids a competitive edge.

Speaker 3: 14:47

Oh, my goodness, that's a huge question, and a good one, I think. So the first one that I would say is one, of course, communication skills is that in today's world where so much is done, I just had a call with the ag teacher who was saying that the last six months of them in the classroom with AI has changed more than their whole career of 15 years before. 15 years before, and as people can rely on AI more, things get more automated. You know, what's going to matter deeply is to still be a person who can communicate, who can share, who can connect in a meaningful way, and I think the FFA absolutely does that for students. I think that it gives you a place to feel empowered and connected to make a difference in your community.

Speaker 3: 15:41

A question I think about my ag teachers and they were not helicopter teachers in that they said hey, here's the end goal, figure it out. When I'm looking for interns or I'm hiring younger people, I want figure it out, people who we can talk about. Here's the end in mind, and then you have the skills to figure it out. That is so important and I would say so many employers would rely on that, somebody who can bring good ideas and execute to the level of your expectations without a lot of handholding the whole way. And then I think the FFA also just opens doors for you to meet and connect and grow with people from all across the country and be a part of this network that moves the whole world. Agriculture moves the whole world and it is such an important industry to be a part of and it's so connected and FFA really gives the skills to to connect and grow to help us, our whole world, grow okay, there you go.

Speaker 2: 16:45

Y'all heard it right there from Sheldon Sheldon. I couldn't have said it better there. There is no question communication, but I love the fact that you honed in on the personal touch in the words of Zig Ziglar. Zig Zig always said if they know you, they will listen to you, but if they trust you, they will do business with you. And that communication, I believe, can become the glue to trustworthy relationships. Number two you mentioned empowered. That's one reason I love the blue and gold jacket. I tell people all the time when I zip the jacket up you didn't know that I came from a broken home. You didn't know that I got my dinner out of a garbage can. You didn't know what my ACT or SAT scores were or how much money I had in my checking account.

Speaker 1: 17:35

That's right when I zip the jacket up.

Speaker 2: 17:36

I look just like everybody else. I had the same opportunities as everybody else and I believe you're absolutely right. That's what FFA does. It empowers you. That jacket says come here, let me give you a hug. And the jacket gives you a hug and then said here's a world of opportunity.

Speaker 2: 17:53

And that's unique to this program, to what we are able to support, and lastly, professional networks. I've always believed that successful people know lots of people. We have a program here in Texas called the Ambassador Program and one of the awards that we give in the Ambassador Program is called the Three Foot Award and we teach our kids to get to know everybody within three feet of you, because everybody that's within three feet of you is going to be one day your client, your customer, your constituent. But build that network because you never know when that network is going to come full circle, to solving a problem or capitalizing on an opportunity. So there's a lot of wisdom in those three competitive edges you just shared, sheldon.

Speaker 3: 18:42

Sure, I'll share a little insight I share with our state officer team in training, and it's about the FFA jacket. What you say about the FFA jacket always empowers me so much and inspires me so much, erin, I've heard you mention that before. It's so good, but I do a training for our state officer team about introductions, meeting and connecting with people and I tell them this sounds maybe silly, but I say, just pretend, when you walk in a room you know how sometimes you've maybe been there and you're like waiting for somebody to come speak to you or you feel kind of awkward about what you're supposed to do and I tell them, as a state officer, I said, when you walked into the room, you put in your head everybody here is waiting for me to come and introduce myself and say hello and just feel empowered, just expect hey, I'm so-and-so, this is what I'm doing. I'm connecting us. You're all waiting for me to say hello and when you're, having that state FFA officer jacket, it gets easier to do.

Speaker 3: 19:37

But when you take that jacket off and you retire and you move into a career, what an asset and skill set to be able to be a person who can walk in a room and say I'm going to meet everybody here. Everybody here is waiting for me to say hello. And that might feel awkward to some people and hard, but we are all people waiting for somebody to engage with us. We all are. And how good does it feel when you're standing and somebody comes and approaches and says, hey, I'm here to connect. It breaks the ice for everybody. So just decide, that's the person I'm going to be. I'm going to be the icebreaker and the connector in this room. That is excellent.

Speaker 2: 20:14

That is great words of advice right there, to make it a point. Well, what do we say? Listen, at the end of the day, when you're proud of something, you want to share it. We ought to be proud of who God made us. Number one, number two I ought to be proud that I'm in this jacket. Yeah, now I'm just going to fuel that pride with what Sheldon said, that now I got a responsibility. Yeah, I'm going going to fuel that pride with what Sheldon said, that now I got a responsibility.

Speaker 2: 20:41

Yeah, I'm going to introduce myself.

Speaker 3: 20:43

And people are grateful to have someone to come and introduce themselves and shake their hand and break the ice. People are always looking for this. So just decide I'm going to be that person. I'm not going to wait for somebody, I'm going to be it.

Speaker 2: 20:53

So here we go. Sheldon has opened the floodgate now to skill development, so I'm going to share one with you. So one of the things that we share with the ambassadors to talk to adults is we say one thing you can always talk to an adult about, that they'll always love to engage with, is the weather. So we always teach the kids, ask them what's the weather like where you're from? Sure, and they all come back. They said mr alej, that's crazy. They said as soon as I asked him about the weather, they just opened up. I think it goes back to what you said, sheldon. I think all they're looking for is that catalyst, something that makes them comfortable enough to start that dialogue. And then, once that dialogue starts, then a personal testimony comes through.

Speaker 2: 21:39

But you just got to find something to get that dialogue started, so I always get a kick out of me. Kids 20 years later have told me it started by asking what the weather was.

Speaker 3: 21:50

Sure People, and it's a neutral topic, it is Everybody talks. I don't know why. I tell them that.

Speaker 2: 21:57

They got gray hair. They're going to tell you all about the weather, matter what so anyway, talk about the weather all right.

Speaker 2: 22:04

Success begets success. That's another thing that you just shared, that if I can learn to be successful and communicating and reaching out and starting a conversation, I'll be able to do that same thing probably when I get into a new job setting, because success begets success. So I'm planting that seed today and I'm going to be able to harvest a little bit further down the road. So once again, sheldon, that's why I said you're going to share seeds of greatness. That's another example of learning that technique, that skill set, that's going to pay dividends down the road.

Speaker 3: 22:41

Yeah, thank you.

Speaker 2: 22:42

Let's talk a little bit about leadership. I think FFA is known for being great leaders, and there's a lot of voices out there that are sharing tips on leadership, and I've got to believe that somebody shared some with you along the way. That meant something. So if you could share with FFA kids, three tips on leadership.

Speaker 3: 23:07

What would they be? My first one I really thought about this and how to kind of sum it up. But the people who have been most influential in my life, who have mentored me well, I think what they have in common that's inspired me so much is that they are curious people and they stay curious. They don't go in any anywhere thinking that they're the expert, and they may be the expert in the room, but they go with a posture to learn and a posture to engage. And they are my board chairman right now.

Speaker 3: 23:41

He is in his late 70s. He was an incredible CEO of a company and did so many great things. He still is. Every week he calls and tells me I've read this book, I've had this thought. He sends me an article to think about. I think that is so inspiring to just continue through life with going. There's so much I don't know and I am going to be curious about what's out there. It makes you a better leader because it makes you a better listener. You have to listen, to be curious and to be ready to respond. So for me, that's my number one is to stay curious and stay learning. Always know that somebody has something to impart to you and listen. Yeah, let's see. The other things I wrote down were to just do the work. Just to do the work. Anybody can.

Speaker 2: 24:34

That's good.

Speaker 3: 24:35

There are people who can really share a lot. I want to maybe back up and say I work with ag teachers and so many of them have talked recently, you know, about like am I doing a good job? Am I doing enough? And it's this comparison piece that I think they're really getting from social media, like look how good this person is, look how much they're winning, when those teachers, every day, they are showing up and doing the work of being a good classroom teacher, of saying hello to people in the hallway, of engaging well in their community, it deeply, deeply matters. It's far and above. You know, just, I won this one contest. It has to be about I am committed to just doing the work every day and being a reliable person. I value that so much.

Speaker 3: 25:25

I my family, is from dairy farmers. My grandparents were dairy farmers. Dairy farmers have to absolutely do the work. They show up morning and evening, every day of the year. The work is imperative, and so for me, they're really valuing hard work and showing up and doing it over and over is important. And then for me, the last skill that I would love for FFA members to have and be a part of is to have a really big vision of what you can do is dreaming big and having big plans and being curious about the world. Combine that with the ability to work hard to see it through. The sky really is the absolute limit.

Speaker 2: 26:09

That. Right there, sheldon, you've done it twice. Now. You've encapsulated in two different sections these incredible, impactful skill sets that will generate future successes. They will make you more successful in school, they will make you more successful in college and they will make you more successful in a career. And they will make you more successful in a career Curiosity. We have a program in Texas called the Lead Trip, where we put teachers on a bus and we take them on a week-long leadership experience. What's so funny is what you shared is when they get on the bus, they get a notebook, a resource book, and if you open up that resource book, the first word inside the cover is the word question. And I always ask the teachers what is the root word of the word question? Quest, to go on an adventure. And I said I want this whole week to be about going on an adventure. I want you to explore and, like you said, I love it. Be curious, ask questions, find out what ifs the do the work.

Speaker 3: 27:17

It's funny.

Speaker 2: 27:18

Kids ask me. They said I want to be a great ag teacher. What does it take to be a grad ag teacher? I tell them three things. Number one do your job. You better do your job. If your administrator says don't dot I's, don't cross T's and staple in the top right hand corner. You better not dot, you better not cross and you better staple in the top right hand corner. If you don't do your job, you'll be looking for another one. Number two have mentors. Have people like Sheldon that are around you, your personal board of directors that are helping you get better. And lastly, sheldon, you said it so beautifully. The last one think big.

Speaker 2: 27:57

If you're a teacher listening to this, if you can't think big, you can't inspire big. If you can't think big, you can't teach big. And if you can't think big, your kids can never be big. We need to challenge ourselves and others to think big, to ask the what ifs, but to add that personal touch. I'm so glad that you touched on AI, by the way. I don't think there's anything wrong with technology and tools, but I don't ever think they're ever going to replace the human element of what makes strong relationships and I think it may be in our world. We value that because strong relationships and sponsorships are the very fuel that provide us the tools to make opportunities accessible to kids. It's fuel for us to make opportunities for teachers and so you know it's even biblical.

Speaker 2: 29:01

I don't know if you've seen it or not, sheldon, but it's on the internet. But back in 1986, when I retired as state FFA president, when I ran for state president, my speech started with what the Bible says where there is no vision, the people will perish.

Speaker 3: 29:19

That's wonderful, aaron, and I believe that when there is no vision, people will perish.

Speaker 2: 29:24

You've had a vision for Kentucky, and guess what? I believe people are drawn to vision.

Speaker 3: 29:29

I do too, it's apparent.

Speaker 2: 29:31

People are drawn to vision. We've had a vision for what we've wanted to do. We've created a vision there. I don't do that and we could share best practices and encourage one another, and because we live in a different world of cultivation and development, so many times our peers they don't see cultivation A lot of times. You only see cultivation when the cash register rings or a new logo goes up or a new banner goes up.

Speaker 2: 30:07

And you don't always understand behind the scenes, all the little things, the stress, sometimes the heartaches, the challenges that come in the world of development. So this organization called LEAD was established Leadership Executives of Agricultural and FFA Development and a colleague of ours, don Thorne, was our first president of this organization and Don went on to another career path, but in leaving he made a recommendation for Sheldon to take that role. And so, sheldon, thank you for taking on the leadership role of the National Lead Organization, because I can't help but think that all of these directors across the country, we like to say that the essence of leadership is to plant trees under whose shade you may never sit.

Speaker 3: 31:06

I can't imagine how many trees are being planted because of the work of development officers across the United States. Yes, Aaron, thank you so much for that compliment. You know you were a main part of why LEAD has become what it is. But being in a development direction, people don't probably know that it can be lonely work and not that you're with people all the time. But very few people understand what you do and what the challenges are in fundraising and development, especially for FFA. But we have this network of people across the country. We've brought them together to grow and learn together.

Speaker 3: 31:40

You know I was a high school ag teacher. I love teaching too, and so it has been fun to get to teach and work together and use best practices and just build that community that we. You said you were 24 years. It's my 12th year.

Speaker 3: 31:55

So when I came to my first foundation director meeting I remember at National Life of Faith Convention, just like sitting around the table, I felt terrified to even speak because I was just so intimidated by being in that room. And now we have created together, I think, a robust support system and network where I know we have colleagues who said I would not have stayed in this role if it hadn't been for your all's level of support. And so it's not just me, it's you, it's all of our friends from across the country who are advancing ag education in their states and in their communities, and their work deeply, deeply matters, are advancing ag education in their states and in their communities, and their work deeply, deeply matters. And so it's an honor to get to be together and to recognize our hard work and to support each other well, and I want to.

Speaker 2: 32:42

I mentioned that because I hope that there's a challenge there, a challenge for students. You know, one of my board members is the son of the great motivational speaker, zig Ziglar, and Tom Ziglar says his daddy taught him that we're all going to leave a legacy. Everybody's going to leave a legacy. You're either going to leave a legacy by default or by design, and I think that the lead organization affords us the chance to help foster a legacy by design, a legacy that, in our individual states, allows individuals and companies and organizations to leave a legacy by design. So it's exciting to think about what we're doing, to think about what we're doing.

Speaker 3: 33:33

Yeah, it's really exciting. I love being a part of it and I'm grateful for all of my colleagues across the country. And I say FFA makes the world smaller all of the time it does. In Kentucky we can play the oh, where are you from? Who's your ag teacher? I think in three questions I could connect to anybody in Kentucky if I know where you're from. But FFA and the lead organization has helped me do that across the country. You know I have friends and board. I had a board member who went to Wyoming for vacation and I connected him with our colleague in Wyoming and now they're friends and doing those things and it's just. I'm so grateful for networks and people who are generous with spirit and time and talent and that's what our lead group really is. Yeah.

Speaker 2: 34:13

It is Well. Thank you for what you do. All right, sheldon, we're going to try to wrap this up, but every podcast we wrap up with a fun question.

Speaker 3: 34:27

So your fun question is what is the best concert you've ever been to? That's a great question for me. I love live music. I'm from Eastern Kentucky and so we have a lot of wonderful musicians from the area that I'm from. I could start going down the list of like Loretta Lynn, keith Whitley, tyler Childers, chris Stapleton. The Country Music Highway is, you know, 20 minutes away from my house.

Speaker 3: 34:47

So I would say this New Year's Eve I got to see Tyler Childers play Rep Arena, which is, you know, a big arena in Lexington, kentucky, and he doesn't play a lot of shows, but this was kind of a hometown crowd and he played for three hard, strong hours. And we rang in the New Year at midnight with Tyler Childers and their band and their fiddle player is a friend, and we rang in the new year at midnight with Tyler Childers and their band, and their fiddle player is a friend, his name's Professor Jesse Wells and my children have been learning how to play the fiddle, so it was fun to get to just see. See that. I mean it felt really special to get to be a part of that on New Year's Eve, so that would probably be my favorite. A fun fact about me, though. My first concert I ever went to was Dolly Parton and Billy Ray Cyrus together, when Romeo, the song Romeo, their duet was very cool.

Speaker 3: 35:44

That was the first concert I ever got to go to.

Speaker 2: 35:48

And that's good to know. Look at you.

Speaker 3: 35:49

Yeah, yeah, and I love Dolly, so it's great. Wow, that's a great question. What's the best concert you've ever been to?

Speaker 2: 35:57

oh, don't get me started. I'm like you, by the way. I'm a definite alive music fan. Uh, obviously I'm a little more classic, but yeah um, everybody that knows me knows I'm a diehard parrot head, so I was um, I've been to I don't know how many Jimmy Buffett concerts and, uh, I'm a diehard Bruce Springsteen, yeah, and so I've been to multiple shows with the boss, but my spectrum goes from Michael Bublé to Sara Varela's, to George Strait to Tyler Childers. So it's funny.

Speaker 2: 36:28

I have a whole musical spectrum, but I'm like you, I just love good live music and I've been blessed with some incredible experiences, all because of the FFA.

Speaker 3: 36:39

So I appreciate you sharing yours with us yeah well, tyler Childers' wife was an FFA member. It her ag teacher was Mr Orville Bennett in Lee County. So it's it's a small world. Ffa connects everybody.

Speaker 2: 36:53

That's awesome. Well, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us for another episode of Growing Our Future. You know what is it? Abraham Lincoln is credited with the quote that he said the philosophy of the schoolroom in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next. And we think about agriculture, and we know that to grow a harvest, you've got to plant seeds, you've got to nurture them.

Speaker 2: 37:18

And then one day you've got to harvest them, and then you got to feed people and growing our future whether it's the Growing Our Future podcast or Kentucky's podcast of growing future leaders doesn't matter. What we're trying to do is plant seeds, seeds of greatness that, if nurtured, will one day provide a great harvest that will lead our country, lead our states and take care of our families long after we're gone. So, Sheldon, thank you for being part of that. To all of our guests, thank you for joining us today and until we meet again, go out and do something great for somebody. Trust me, you're going to feel good about it. Thank you for joining.

Speaker 1: 38:05

We hope you've enjoyed this episode of the Growing Our Future podcast. This show is sponsored by the Texas FFA Foundation, whose mission is to strengthen agricultural science education so students can develop their potential for personal growth, career success and leadership in a global marketplace. Learn more at mytexasffaorg.