Katie Cole is a senior at Triton High School and a committed member of the Triton FFA Chapter. Throughout her time in FFA, she has demonstrated her skills in various competitions, including the Creed speaking leadership development event, livestock evaluation career development event and hunter safety.
Currently serving as her chapter’s sentinel, Cole actively participated in the State Leadership Conference and attended Rec Camp at the North Carolina FFA Center for 12 years alongside her father.
A Dedicated FFA Member and Aspiring Beekeeper
Throughout her four-year journey as an FFA member, Cole accumulated more than 60 hours through her Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) focused on beekeeping. This project isn’t a recent endeavor, however; it’s been a lifelong passion.
Cole’s father, who serves as her advisor, has been engaged in beekeeping for as long as she can remember. From a young age, she eagerly accompanied him, often watching from the truck as he expertly captured swarms and relocated them. In the spring, her father always kept a hive and his protective suit ready in the bed of his truck, anticipating the next bee adventure. This exposure to beekeeping naturally led Cole to pursue an SAE in this field.
“I love doing this activity with my dad,” Cole says. “The most challenging part of beekeeping is processing the honey, which we only do about once a year.” She candidly shares her experiences, highlighting the difficulties she faces while working alongside her father. Extracting honey is a labor-intensive task that requires patience and teamwork, but Cole appreciates the lessons it teaches her about perseverance.
Today, Cole is actively involved in assembling new hive bodies and frames, installing wax foundations, and conducting hive inspections. These tasks not only hone her practical skills but also deepen her understanding of the intricacies of beekeeping. Working closely with her father, who remains her biggest inspiration, Cole feels a strong connection to the craft. Their shared passion for beekeeping reinforces the values of hard work and dedication central to their FFA experiences.
As she prepares for graduation and considers her future, Cole reflects on how her time in FFA and her experiences in beekeeping shaped her. She hopes to continue her involvement in agriculture and inspire others to appreciate the importance of bees in our ecosystem. Through her dedication, Cole exemplifies the FFA spirit and the significance of family traditions in cultivating a love for agriculture.
