Students Attend Youth Leadership Day

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Those attending from Shelby County are pictured above. From the left: Stephanie Eckler, Riley Stoneburner, Larissa Larrick, Dracus Power, Courtney Maubach, Sayrn Fox and Kelly McEwen. Photograph submitted

The State Capitol was taken over by high school students for a short time Tuesday, April 18, 2023 while in town as part of Missouri Farm Bureau’s (MOFB) Youth Leadership Day. Students came in from across the state to gather at the MOFB headquarters for a quick introduction by MOFB President Garrett Hawkins and orientation before being bused to the Capitol to meet with their legislators.

While at the Capitol, some groups were invited into the side galleries by their legislators while the House was in session. Other students visited with their representatives and senators in the hallways outside the chambers.

The students returned for lunch and an afternoon of learning. Most of them wore their blue FFA jackets and connected with former state FFA officer Janet Adkison, who spoke about growing up in Houston, Missouri, and a farm broadcasting career that led her to the national stage. Adkison is MOFB’s new director of Public Affairs and previously anchored the RFD-TV show “Market Daily Report.”

She reported from the White House and RFD-TV headquarters in Nashville. Adkison told the students to always keep the door open to possibilities they may not have considered. Usually, it is the unexpected that leads you to a better place, she added.

Chris Chinn, Missouri Department of Agriculture director, also talked to the group about finding opportunity in not just accomplishments, but setbacks as well. If you didn’t do well in that proficiency contest or test, learn from that effort and keep moving forward, Chinn said. Farm Bureau’s 2023 Ambassadors, Lauryn Robnett and Judson Mayfield also had a chance to talk about their experiences.

Youth Leadership Day is sponsored by the MOFB Promotion and Education Program. Costs for the event are underwritten by county Farm Bureaus and the MOFB Foundation for Agriculture. With the exception of 2020, the event has been held for 29 years.

Those attending from Shelby County were Stephanie Eckler, Riley Stoneburner, Larissa Larrick, Dracus Power, Courtney Maubach, Saryn Fox and Kelly McEwen.