Q&A with Nathan Atkinson

Q A &

WITH NATHAN ATKINSON

BY KYLIE SELLMAN

1) Tell us a little about yourself. My name is Nathan Atkinson and this year I have the distinguished honor of serving as Texas FFA State Vice President from the Area X Association. I was born in Edinburg, Texas and spent some time in the RGV, before moving to Corpus Christi, Texas where I would eventually graduate from Calallen High School. However, they say history repeats itself, and I now reside outside of Edinburg and attend South Texas College. I am a huge fan of the outdoors, I love livestock, and possibly my most defining personality trait would be that I love listening to classic country music.

2) When and why did you join FFA? I joined FFA in 2016 through the Calallen Jr FFA Chapter. My pee wee football coach at the time, Mr. Brooks, who went on to be my ag science teacher and perhaps one of the most influential people in my life, encouraged me to get involved with showing livestock. I had lost my dad around this time and old activities like sports had lost their appeal; the FFA took me in at a time in which I really needed something new.

3) What is your favorite FFA memory? My personal favorite memory, and perhaps one of the coolest ones, would have to be meeting Senator Cruz in Washington, D.C. Having the chance to talk to our legislators about FFA and agricultural education at such a young age was really quite the honor.

4) What has been your biggest accomplishment within FFA? I would say one of the standout moments in my FFA journey was when my homesite evaluation team qualified for the National Land and Range Contest in Oklahoma. It felt really fulfilling to see our hard work pay off, and we were blessed to be the eighth high team in the nation. 8) What advice would you give to someone who wants to run for an office position? My advice to someone looking to pursue an officer position is to be tenacious. Be tenacious in your FFA pursuits and build a good resume for when it is time to run for office. Next I would say, never strive to be anyone but yourself. When it comes time to interview, be yourself. The people conducting your interview, whether it be a student nominating committee or adults, want to see who you are. I promise it is better to be elected as yourself, than be elected as somebody you are not and have to spend a year living as someone else. You are who you are, and you are perfect that way!

9) Who has been your biggest mentor/role model? My mom is definitely my biggest role model. First of all, someone who raised and put up with me deserves all the gold in the world. All jokes aside, my mom certainly had a tough task raising my sister and I after the loss of our father. However, through much adversity, my mom never slowed down. From working hard to provide for a family, to being our biggest supporter at any FFA event, I thank God that I was blessed with such a strong mother. I wouldn’t be who I am today without my momma.

10) What do you plan to do after your year of service? After my year of service, I plan on staying involved in the community by supporting local FFA and 4H programs. I strive to give back to the community, and to organizations that made me who I am. I intend to stay involved in agriculture, and one day pursue a career in the industry. Most importantly, I plan on striving to be the best version of myself, and keep on living the dream.

5) What inspired you to run for Texas FFA State Office? I made the decision to run for state office because of those who came before me. I have been personally inspired by many past state officers that I know, and I certainly know many others have been as well. I have seen the impact that can be made in this position, and everyday I pray that I am doing my part to make an impact. Although I am in my last year in the blue corduroy, I am blessed to have the opportunity to potentially leave a long lasting impact, that will hopefully last far longer than the time spent in this jacket.

6) How has being a State Officer impacted you? I would say one of the biggest things I will take away from state office is a deeper understanding and appreciation for the need of a strong community. I have a super neat opportunity in which I currently attend college in Area X, because of this I am able to attend many events, ranging from chapter meetings to leadership camps and contests. After I leave these events, I always reflect on how refreshing it is to see members interact amongst themselves, and I smile at the fact that the people in this organization will go on to leave long lasting impressions on their communities.

7) What advice would you give to a new FFA member? My advice to new members would be to jump right in! Get involved in your chapter, and never miss out on an opportunity. If there is a sign up sheet for a contest... sign up. If there is a community