Although I didn't have a traditional Ag teacher-loving-experience, I don't discredit it, I just give the credit where it is due. The thing you have to know about ag teachers is that.... They are HUMAN. They make mistakes and personalities clash, and I get that, so I won't dwell on the angst from the past. Rather I would love to express the good.
And then there is Ms. Mosman... ha just kidding people. This lady is the freaking bomb! Despite the fact that she was not my advisor while I was in high school, she made up for lost time while I was a state officer. There are only a few people who know what it is like to be a state officer and know what we go on a day to day basis. As I struggled to cope during my first FFA event at State CDEs, she simply said to me, " Mind over matter kid. If you tell yourself you are not tired, you aren't tired. If you tell yourself you are energetic, then you will be energetic. You have to tell yourself to do things you don't want to do because the next year will be filled of coming out of your comfort zone and doing things that you don't want to do." She constantly gave me comments and advice when I was giving workshops or even just helping her out. Mosman is a leader and expects excellence out of all those who are around her. I admire that. She pushes and encourages so that her students are the best they can be. I have watched how her presence in my home chapter has dramatically shifted the expectations and the progress towards how a chapter of our caliper should resemble. Although she decided to take the time off to better herself and continue her education, her example to the kids in the chapter continues and I can attest to the fact that I myself and those in the chapter cannot wait until her return.
Mr. Shirts. Shirts-y. The Silver Fox. Man of a Thousand Faces. Shirts. This man, words cannot describe to you what he means to me. Unfortunately, he has taught me to develop an unhealthy need for Tootsie-Pops and Mountain Dew (okay maybe that last need was already there). He mentored me in the ways of the many faces making my current Snap Chat game quite strong. He also created monster when he introduced me to the Dairy Foods CDE and still refers to me as the "Cheese Whiz" and the "Dairy Queen". Although he has an occasional habit of losing papers and stealing tomatoes out of our garden, I love him to death. This man has stood by me in my good and bad days. I can still remember the gleam in his eyes as I hugged him after I was announced as the State Treasurer. The pride and joy that he had for me radiated and washed over me and he told me he knew that I could do it. His complete and utter belief in me continues to stun me. He is always there to listen and to heckle me about one thing or another to make sure that I always have a cheery disposition. His heart is bigger than what he lets on, but he never ceases to amaze when it comes to the welfare of his kids. Once you get through the rough exterior, there is a man who loves the FFA organization, this FFA kids, and all those he has touched along the way. Don't let him fool you. Believe me, he will try. And as many times as he says he doesn't love Dairy Foods, don't believe him. We all know he loves that CDE more than he loves Forrestry. Lets be honest. Mr. Shirts, you have made an immense impact on me and for that I am eternally grateful, and I hope that one day I will be able to influence those around me just as much as you do to your students each and every day. Thank you, thank you so much for all you have done and continue to do for me each and every day.
Our advisors put in more hours than most will know. They teach by day, grade papers, and then are there at chapter meetings or events by night. They train teams and they lose sleep over things that are happening in the chapter. They have put in their heart and sole into everything that they do. And I can attest to the fact that they would not be who they are or ag teachers period if they didn't love the National FFA Organization and agriculture. These men and women sit in the background and prepare the next chapter, district, state, and national officers. They deserve a little recognition. So thank you. Thank you to all the FFA advisors out there and all the work that you do, noticed and unnoticed. What you do day in and day out is what inspires these young people to be the people they want to be.
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| Shirts texted me this picture the first week of school. Needless to say it is his contact photo now. This is why he is so great. |
McKenzie
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