Ask a majority of FFA members, past and present, about the golden thread that ties the community together and it’s likely not the embroidery on their jackets — it’s the connections they create. “FFA catches you at the years when finding friendships is very important, and a great opportunity,” says Phil Eberly. “In high school, I struggled to find friend groups, but when I was in FFA, I didn’t have to be athletic; I didn’t have to look a certain way; and I didn’t need a crazy skill set to start. I could show up and continue to grow, and I found people along the way.”
One of those people was Kolesen McCoy, who served alongside Eberly on the 2017-18 Ohio state FFA officer team, the experience that both started and cemented their friendship. “I’m not sure there’s anything else quite like it,” McCoy says. “You bring together a group of young people and challenge them with the task of collaborating with their peers and leading a large organization. It’s a good challenge, and it’s nice to be able to share it.”
McCoy went on to serve as the 2019-20 national president and now works as strategist and managing director for agribusiness at Majority Strategies, while Eberly is pursuing a graduate degree in food science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and serving his third year as a FFA member leadership series facilitator for the National FFA Organization. Their separate paths have enriched the bond they share.
“In life, everyone is called to wear lots of different hats,” Eberly says. “What’s really cool being friends with Kolesen — because we have very different experiences — is having that person to go to when they have hats they are a lot better at wearing.
Kolesen is really good at relationships or speeches, and I enjoy going to him when I’m called to put on those hats.”
McCoy agrees. “We have very different interests, and we’re tackling two different focuses within the ag industry, but we still have shared common ground,” he says.
McCoy and Eberly’s friendship is but one FFA success story about the power of connection, especially when forged by the unique contributions of different individuals sharing one goal. More such connections are developing each day in chapters, officer teams, leadership conferences, and online through the Forever Blue Network. The exclusive social platform casts a wide, global net for members and alumni to find mutually beneficial relationships for mentoring, career advice, industry insights and more. Hundreds of profiles flagged “willing to help” are ready to share their personal perspectives for another’s gain.
“Don’t be afraid to initiate those connections,” Eberly says, and McCoy adds: “Perspective, encouragement and challenge — you can’t get all three of those from yourself.”
Connect with the worldwide FFA community at ForeverBlueNetwork.org.
Photography: BrittLuntPhotography
