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When Samantha Selliers walked into her first ag class at Coalinga High School in California as a 13-year-old freshman, she didn\u2019t realize she was stepping into her future.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone else was 17 or 18, and I was a little 13-year-old,\u201d she laughed. \u201cI really just was like, \u2018I don\u2019t want to be here.\u2019 \u201d But what began as a mandatory high school rule set by her mom \u2014 \u201cYou have to at least be in FFA your freshman year\u201d \u2014 blossomed into a four-year journey of leadership, self-discovery, and national recognition.<\/p>\n
Now, with a $10,000 National FFA scholarship in hand and a national SAE grant under her belt, Selliers is preparing to leave California for Kansas State University. There, she\u2019ll triple-major in agricultural communications, finance, and pre-law \u2014 an ambitious combination that reflects the passion and purpose she\u2019s cultivated in the blue corduroy jacket.<\/p>\n
Samantha is a third-generation FFA member. Her grandfather was active in South Dakota, showing cattle and working on a dairy SAE. Her mother followed in his footsteps as a Coalinga FFA member \u2014 the same chapter Samantha would later represent.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just felt like continuing a family tradition,\u201d she said. \u201cWe still have some of the things she won and her old jacket is still there. I got to serve in the same chapter and carry on her legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though initially hesitant, her freshman year saw a turning point. \u201cI did creed speaking and absolutely loved public speaking. From there, I did prepared speeches for three years and participated in Ag Expo\u2019s extemporaneous events. That\u2019s when I realized FFA had a place for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
What truly launched Selliers\u2019s unique voice in FFA was her SAE in agricultural communications \u2014 an area she stumbled into after a series of setbacks.<\/p>\n
\u201cI ran for regional and sectional office and didn\u2019t make it to the next round either time,\u201d she said. \u201cSo I was bored, and I really liked posting on social media. I started vlogging state conference and other things under \u2018FFA Around the World.\u2019 Eventually, it became more ag-focused, and I rebranded it to \u2018Ag Around the World<\/a>.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n