Serving as the Wyoming superintendent of public instruction since 2015, Jillian Balow plays an important role in the state’s public education system, and she’s doing her part to ensure agricultural education is at the forefront.
Balow, a fifth-generation Wyomingite, did not grow up on a farm, but her father did. He instilled in her a deep appreciation for agriculture, and she was active in 4-H as a young girl. Balow has helped pass that appreciation on to her children, Paiton and Jack, and she says watching them thrive in FFA has reinforced her commitment to promoting ag education.
Jack, who will enter ninth grade this fall, has already been involved with FFA in middle school, and he plans to continue his involvement in high school. Paiton, now 20 years old and a member of the U.S. Army, was in the Frontier FFA in Cheyenne during her entire high school career — a transformative experience from start to finish, according to Balow.
“Paiton had an incredible passion for FFA, and it was a huge part of her life as well as our family’s life,” Balow says. “She raised pigs and cattle, served as her chapter’s reporter, and earned her State FFA Degree. Along with meeting new friends and mentors, she developed skills and learned lessons that will serve her throughout her life. FFA changed her entire trajectory, and her father and I couldn’t be more thankful.”
Although both of her children have enjoyed raising livestock and taking part in the traditional FFA activities, Balow says she sees great value in all aspects of the organization. She points to the unique ways in which FFA can help young people grow their confidence and develop leadership skills, and as a result, she is using her platform in another role. As national president of the Council of Chief State School Officers, Balow can advocate for FFA and ag education on a much larger scale.
Balow says she hopes she can inspire other education leaders to develop or enhance FFA programs in their respective communities and spread the message that FFA is for every young person, regardless of their proximity to a farm.
“Part of my mission is to make sure all students know that no matter where they live — whether in a city or a more rural area — they can be in FFA and reap all the benefits,” Balow says. “There are so many opportunities in FFA, from ag business and communications to animal science and horticulture, and I want to dispel the myth that FFA is only about farming. It’s about leadership, relationships, being active in your community and giving back, and being part of something bigger than yourself.”
