Age: 17
Parents: John and Julie Burden
Hometown: Summers, Ark.
FFA chapter: Lincoln FFA
Advisor: Sarah Hale
What is your favorite aspect of agriculture?
“I really like working with animals because they have taught me responsibility and help me advocate for all of agriculture. Besides, they keep us kids out of trouble.”
Who is the most influential person in your life?
“My mom is the most influential because she’s always there for me whether I need help with school projects or FFA or 4-H. Sometimes she helps me or she finds someone else to help. This has been especially important this year since I’ve missed a lot of school in order to attend school sponsored agricultural activities. She also helps me with some of the paperwork for the events that I need to attend.”
What is your current involvement in agriculture?
“I get up at 6 a.m., and feed the show steers. After school I catch our show calves by halter to feed, water and work with them. The calves are for both me and my brother Caden to show. My project for 4-H is collecting data as I work at my grandpa’s with the hay and garden. For FFA, I became part of the judging team and judge horses in order to help Lincoln develop a team, which has placed in the top five in every event so far this year. I also compete in parliamentary procedure.”
Awards: “In FFA, I won the Star Greenhand for my chapter by being on the judging team, entering a leadership contest and having a Supervised Agricultural Experience which was raising registered Angus heifers and bulls. In 4-H, I won state for the record book for my hay and acreage records.”
What are your future plans?
“I want to attend Northeastern Oklahoma Junior College because I want to continue horse judging and plan to transfer to the University of Arkansas for a degree in ag leadership or ag communication.”
What is the most important thing you have learned about agriculture?
“I’ve learned how to advocate for agriculture because the public needs to understand that our goals and methods are substantial practices and that we can’t survive in agriculture if we don’t take good care of the land, animals and crops.”
