Name:  Meghan Anderson, 17
Family:  George and Darla Anderson; brother Ben, age 13
Hometown:  Springdale, Ark
School:  Springdale High School

What is your favorite aspect of agriculture?
“I like showing cattle. It is a lot of work but there are a lot of rewards as well. This year I didn’t place at the fair, but I did win the steer with the greatest weight gain, which earned me $100 and 1,000 pounds of feed. I like cattle because they are just a big version of a dog. You have to wash them, feed them, and train them to walk with you and stop when you do. My steer this year was huge but the laziest ever, so I named it Eeyore, like in Winnie the Pooh.”

What is your favorite possession?
“I really love my dog, Belle. She is six months old now and part Red Healer and part Border Collie. She is hilarious: stubborn but bubbly just like me. She is also really skittish. If somebody gives her a stern look, she runs and hides. Not much of a guard dog.”

What are your future plans?
“After high school, I want to go to the University of Arkansas and major in agricultural communications. The part of the program I am most interested in is advertising design and marketing. After that I definitely want to stay in the area and maybe work at Tyson’s.”

Who is the most influential person in your life right now?
“Mr. Burkett is my agricultural teacher at Springdale High School. Even though I have only known him just a little longer than a year, he is like an extra dad because he is really tough on me so I will learn to be more responsible and handle situations better. Because of a scheduling issue, he pushed me into taking the year-long mechanics course in the middle of the year. Now I can’t wait to take welding, and I am president of FFA.”

Story and Photo by Terry Ropp

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