By Julie Tomascik
Editor
A strong Texas demands high leadership standards, and Texas Farm Bureau’s (TFB) Thrive event helped empower and inspire high school seniors to be future agricultural leaders.
The three-day event was designed to equip students with leadership and public speaking skills. Students also learned about the free enterprise system, marketing strategies, agricultural advocacy and money management.
“The Thrive experience was designed to help the students examine and uncover their own personal attributes and abilities and inspire them to better develop their skills for their future careers and as an advocate for agriculture,” McKenna Bush, TFB youth outreach coordinator, said.
The Thrive event, held Aug. 5-7 in Waco at TFB’s Conference and Training Center, also included media engagement training and hands-on activities to help the students grow their skills.
Over 30 students from across the state attended and were sponsored by their county Farm Bureau.
“I’m interested in starting my own business in the agricultural sector, so this event allowed me to learn more about the financial aspect of that,” Joshua Jones, a senior from Rusk County, said. “It also gave all of the participants the opportunity to build connections and make friends with other students from across the state.”
Learning opportunities like Thrive strengthen students’ abilities to lead.
“I think it’s important for young people to come to events like this in order to better their selves, learn how they can make a difference in their community and just be the best person that they can be,” Clancey Bagby, a senior from Childress County, said.
Through Thrive, students were able to ask questions from industry experts about careers, leadership opportunities and how to be a strong agricultural advocate.
“I learned a lot about how to be a leader and how to harness my voice for agriculture,” Franklin Gavranovic, a senior from Wharton County, said. “I think it’s really important for us, as the next generation, to learn how to be a leader and how to advocate so that there is a future for the industry.”
The event help students step outside their comfort zones.
“There’s always a chance for you to better yourself and grow your impact on your community and the people you surround yourself with. I think pushing yourself outside your comfort zone can help you grow as an individual and as a leader for agriculture, which this conference really helped me do,” Amy Mathis, a senior from Kenedy-Kleberg County, said.
Those who attended Thrive are eligible to participate in TFB’s AgVentures Challenge, win associated scholarships and are also eligible to apply for the Dick Mitchell Memorial Scholarship.
Thrive is part of TFB’s Student Success Series, which include virtual and in-person programs for students in eighth through twelfth grade. The Student Success Series aims to help students develop a better understanding of advocacy, learn more about Farm Bureau and grow personal and professional skills they can use in the classroom and future careers.
For more information about the Student Success Series, visit texasfarmbureau.org/student-success-series.
