Many of us know FFA or Future Farmers of America as the club that competes showing livestock or what Napoleon Dynamite did when he wasn’t fishing for bass. But FFA is much more than that. Chelsea High School’s Baylee Imhoff is proof. When she was in the seventh grade Imhoff was offered a spot on the trapshooting team, and she jumped at the opportunity. Now a sophomore, Imhoff is looking forward to another year in FFA and representing her school in competition.
“I would say my Ag teachers really encouraged me to join FFA,” said Imhoff. “I am currently involved in trapshooting, speeches, pig showing, and I am a Chelsea High School FFA officer,” said Imhoff.
Imhoff said there are many reasons she loves being involved in FFA, but the biggest is the people she gets to meet and the friends she has made.
“I love all the people you get to meet and all of the amazing things you get to do as a member of an FFA chapter,” said Imhoff.
Not only is she on the trapshooting team and can probably shoot better than the guys at school, she is also showing cross-breed pigs. Outside of FFA Imhoff is a four-sport athlete playing softball, basketball, cross country, and track.
“One of the biggest things about my softball team is that some of the friends on that team are like family to me and getting to play with them is a great experience,” said Imhoff. “What I love about my team is that not only are they like family but some of them have carried me through some pretty tough spots and we all push each other to get better.”
Imhoff said while her friends have had a positive influence on her life, it was a teacher who became a mentor and encouraged her to try new things.
“One of my biggest influencers has to be my Ag teacher, Mrs. Jinkens. She has pushed me to try new things and do them to the best of my ability, without her I probably never would have gotten into doing speeches or gotten to show a pig, so I am very thankful she pushed me to try new things,” said Imhoff.
The sophomore offers this advice to anyone wanting to join FFA.
“I would tell them is what someone told me. Just go for it, there are so many things you can do and different people you can meet when you join FFA,” said Imhoff.
