From Livestock to Leadership: A Conversation with Evan Ludwig

SPEAKER 01 : 0:00

FFA Today brought to you by the Carroll County Cattlemen's Association. I'm Von Ketelsen. Evan Ludwig, president of the SAC FFA chapter, obviously a very active FFA member. What got you involved in FFA, Evan?

SPEAKER 02 : 0:14

Honestly, I'd have to say it was my dad and my sister. My sister, she ended up being president too. And my dad, he was always encouraging me to go out for something because I never went out for sports. I mean, I tried on back in middle school, but they never really caught on. But then FFA finally came in, and my freshman year of high school, I wasn't really active, but I paid my dues. And then sophomore year, I had an ag class with Susan Groth. She just resigned. And it was honestly one of the most amazing things I think I've ever been through. She was very welcoming, and then she helped me think, and I finally was like, you know what, I might do it. And then I just got my and then that year I got my green hand degree. And I was like, you know what? I kind of like this. This is kind of entertaining. It's something new. And I've always dealt with livestock outdoors my whole life. I live on a farm. And I was like, all right, I think this might be it. So I kept trying and I got my chapter's degree my junior year. And hopefully this year I can get my Iowa degree.

SPEAKER 01 : 1:24

Very good. Well, we've already answered the question about some of the activities you do at FFA, livestock and such like that. And you have a big chapter, I understand, about close to 100 members. A very busy chapter, too, involved with things like, of course, the county fair and water carnival and activities throughout the year, it seems like.

SPEAKER 02 : 1:41

Oh yeah, we have a lot of activities. We have a back-to-school grill-out that we do. We have a soup supper. We have fun nights. We have a movie night. There's opportunities to go to national conventions, state conventions. It's always something that you can do. You just have to talk to someone about it.

SPEAKER 01 : 2:01

Evan, it sounds like being an FFA is something you'd encourage students to take a look at.

SPEAKER 02 : 2:05

Oh, without a doubt. I feel like FFA finally gets you to step out of your... box, your turtle shell, because me going to National Convention my sophomore year, I finally stepped out of the box.

SPEAKER 01 : 2:19

Evan Ludwig is president of the East Sac FFA chapter. FFA Today brought to you by the Carroll County Cattlemen's Association. I'm Von Ketelsen.