I sat in the convention hall of the 65th annual National FFA Convention and listened as motivational speaker Zig Ziglar famously tell FFA members, “You Can Have Everything in Life You Want if You Will Just Help Enough Other People Get What They Want.” I was only a sophomore in high school. I took Ziglar’s words to heart that day and they never left me. The key to success was helping others with a hand up along the way to achieving our own dreams and goals.
A few months ago, I shared with our readers about a program I am privileged to be a part of – LeadAR Class 20. LeadAR is a program designed to help Arkansans broaden their under-standing of issues and opportunities facing our state and strengthen their ability to make a difference. It is developed and run through the University of Arkansas’ Division of Agriculture Research & Extension.
Last month, I traveled with our class on a National Study Tour in Washington, D.C. Our cohort spent seven days in the capital city learning more about advocacy, the federal government, and issues facing agriculture today. We had many opportunities to appreciate the wonderful history of our young nation as we traveled the city.
As one can imagine, there was a lot of time spent planning every moment of this incredible trip. Our cohort had talked about the trip and things that we wanted to experience on several occasions leading up to our departure. Many of us were able to utilize our connections to secure tickets for a White House Tour and several of the Smithsonian museums. The coordination with the staff of the Arkansas congressional delegation was a moving target up until the day we arrived at the Capitol to meet with our U.S. Senators and congressional leaders.
The week we arrived in Washington, there were key meetings taking place to approve appropriations to attempt to avoid a government shut down. As we were touring the House of Representatives side of the building, there was a flurry of activity with the media and several congressional leaders coming out of a meeting. The body language and expressions communicated their frustrations, and yet many took the time to stop and speak with our group from Arkansas.
One of the most memorable experiences (and there were many) was a night tour of the Capitol led by Congressman Bruce Westerman of Hot Springs, who serves as the U.S. Representative from Arkansas’s Fourth Congressional District. To describe Westerman as a busy person is an understatement. He is the chair of the Natural Resources Committee and works with his staff and the other congressional delegations from our state in both the House and the Senate. What impressed me about Westerman was his thoughtfulness in taking the time to show our small group of constituents around the Capitol in an up close and personal way. His knowledge of history was astounding, and he regaled our group with stories about important agriculturalists from our nation’s past. He peppered in his own personal commentary from a humble perspective, including meeting a past U.S. president as a young FFA member at a state president’s conference.
Even 31 years after being inspired to help others, I am thankful for the encouragement I received. I never want to forget where I came from, or the people who helped get me where I am today. If I can ever help you achieve something on your bucket list, I hope you call on me, neighbor.
Jody Harris is a freelance communications specialist, gardener, ranch wife and mother of four. She and her family raise Angus beef cattle and other critters on their northwest Arkansas ranch. She is a graduate of Missouri State University. To contact Jody, go to ozarksfn.com and click on ‘Contact Us.’
