Local FFA Students Head to National Convention
By Greg Ritchie
Messenger Reporter
HOUSTON COUNTY – If you have anything to do with agriculture in Houston County, you have probably heard the name Tobi Curless. The Latexo High School Senior is president of the school’s Future Farmers of America (FFA), active in 4H and can be seen at county fairs and other local spots showing off her talent for all things ag.
She recently led the prayer ceremony during See You At the Pole, and as this reporter can attest, is hard to get to sit down with even to do an interview. She is a young lady on the move.
Curless has been in Latexo schools since the beginning, member of FFA for the last five years, president for the last two. She takes the job seriously, leading the students in and out of different projects and representing them on a state and national level.
“My main job is to help make sure our officer team itself stays organized and on track, but also help plan things for the chapter we’re going to accomplish throughout the year,” Curless said. “I also help boost morale in the chapter and bring new members in and get people excited about FFA. I think it’s something so important to have in our school system, because I think agriculture is so important.”
Coming from a family long involved in agriculture, raising animals since she could walk. She said FFA has given her the opportunity to experience a world she never dreamt of, thanks to the adults supporting the kids and the program.
“We have advisors who are willing to work with their kids and open to giving us opportunities not every chapter has. Our advisors are so adamant about opening every door possible for their students,” Curless said. “There’s just something for everybody and that’s pretty unique to our chapter. You don’t find that everywhere you go.”
Curless and the other kids stay busy during their monthly meetings – this is not just a place to talk about animals and plants. The kids are learning real-world skills to not just operate in the field of agriculture, but to manage it.
“We’re doing workshops at every meeting. So, we’re leadership workshops and various competition events. We do leadership development events, career development events and speaking-development events,” Curless said. “We do that throughout the year. We have a couple of people working towards their American degrees, as well as Lone Star degrees.”
Curless, along with five other FFA members, will be attending the National Conference in Indianapolis this month, where the group will spend a week rubbing shoulders with some of the big players in the country’s agricultural industry.
“We will attend sessions, and get to have an inside look at what it looks like to run the FFA at the national level, and hear people that compete on national levels. We’ll get to hear keynote speakers from across the country. They’ve had Presidents speak at the national convention. it’s just a really good experience to get some really good leadership development,” Curless said.
Curless promised to bring back an autograph of one former President in particular, should he come to speak at the convention.
Receiving her FFA Lone Star Degree over the summer in Houston was a big honor for her, culminating years and many hours of hard work.
“The highest degree the Texas FFA association can award a member is the Lone Star Degree,” Curless explained. “That includes hours and hours and hours of journaling and keeping up with financial records and maintaining a project for every year you’ve been in FFA.”
Active in the Homestead 4H Club and busy showing animals, she is also in Beta Club, a Houston County Fair Livestock Ambassador, member of the school’s health science club and UIL journalism team. And no, that’s not quite all for this busy young lady.
“I’m also a Texas Youth Livestock Ambassador, advocating for livestock on a state level and help people engage in agriculture and help them understand where their food comes from, where their product comes from and what agriculture is really all about,” Curless explained.
Curless has applied to attend Texas A&M after graduation – no surprise there – and hopes to study animal science and eventually attend veterinarian school.
Does she think she might like to be a vet, someday?
She had a ready answer, somehow fitting yet another activity into her busy schedule.
“I’ve been volunteering at Crockett Vet Hospital since I was 10 years old. I spent multiple summers volunteering and worked there over the summer,” Curless concluded.
Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]
