When I was six years old, my family decided to move to south-central Pennsylvania. We went from a small beef farm in northern Virginia to a two hundred sixty acre dairy farm in Pennsylvania. I mention this because growing up on a dairy farm made me the person I am today. That life gave me an exceptional work ethic and made me an advocate for the animals I work with and the industry I work for.

Most notably, my life on our family dairy led me to the Pennsylvania Dairy Princess Promotion Program. It was through this program that I was able to meet many amazing people, including state representatives, Miss Pennsylvania, and other dairy professionals. My time serving as the Bedford County Dairy Princess gave me the opportunity to speak and perform in front of hundreds at our state pageant. It also allowed me to broaden the public’s knowledge on where their food comes from.

My community was built on agriculture. This one of the main reasons my high school has a chapter of Future Farmers of America (FFA). For two years, I held the position of Chaplain on our board of officers. My duties were to set a good example for other FFA members, be a helping hand, a shoulder to lean on, and to say grace at meals. This position taught me responsibility, to be sympathetic, to work well with others, and to speak confidently. FFA gave me numerous opportunities to visit famous gardens and the state capital.