News

FFA helps bring South Dakota youth out of his shell

A South Dakota farm youth left his shell, thanks to the FFA.  State FFA President Dalton Larson tells Brownfield he’s from a long family line of introverts.  He didn’t want to talk to anyone unless he had to, but he says FFA leadership training gave him skills that have helped him.

“Four years later now I’m State President, so obviously I’ve learned something over those four years about leadership and public speaking,” Larson, from Hartford, South Dakota, told Brownfield Ag News at the South Dakota FFA Convention in Brookings Monday.  “I’m really grateful that it’s helped me get out my comfort zone and out of my box.”

The FFA also teaches farm production skills.  State Treasurer Aaron Linke tells Brownfield he aspires to return to his roots at Woonsocket, South Dakota.

“Some day I would really like to go back to the family farm,” said Linke.  “I have a couple of brothers and we have cattle and crops; I don’t know if that’s possible (to return to the farm), but if it is, that’d be a dream come true as well.”

AUDIO: Dalton Larson (2 min. MP3)

AUDIO: Aaron Linke (2 min. MP3)

AUDIO: April Hamilton (2 min. MP3)

AUDIO: Avery Gilchrist (2 min. MP3)

AUDIO: Gerri Eide (3 min. MP3)