Josh Kaufman planned to join FFA when he entered his freshman year at IHS.
He grew up on a farm, and older friends told him how much fun they had in the group.
Still, Kaufman was nervous. He’d always been shy. It wasn’t easy to talk to people he didn’t know.
Even his adviser, Amanda Strickler, would later tell him he was the shyest student in her freshman class.
She encouraged him to compete. It would be good for him, she said.
“I was doubting myself,” Kaufman said. “Judging at first was tough.”
He kept working through it though, forcing himself to learn and compete. He worked through the nerves, developing skills to help him converse with strangers.
Turns out, he has an eye for judging dairy cows. He won a local dairy judging competition his sophomore year, and placed in other dairy judging contests.
He started to look forward to competitions. He became much more confident.
“I enjoyed getting to travel and see different places,” he said. “FFA taught me to be able to go out there, and feel better about myself. I know as I get older, I’ll be able to do things on my own.”
Last year, before the coronavirus pandemic, FFA students toured a variety of farms. He enjoyed visiting an elk farm.
The pandemic has taken away the travel and social aspects of competition. Ironically, that’s what Kaufman now misses more than anything, the opportunity to meet people at contests.
“It taught me to appreciate what I have. I’ve had to adapt a lot,” he said.
He plans to attend Kansas State University next year to major in agricultural business.
He is serving as sentinel for the IHS chapter this year. The role requires him to assist the president and bring snacks to meetings.
His advice to anyone considering whether to join FFA is: “If you’re nervous about it, don’t be. Don’t be scared. It’s always good to try new things.”
