FFA Member of the Week: Unlocking Potential

Name: Kayla Overland

FFA Chapter: Albert Lea

Year in School: Sophomore

Favorite Color: TealFun Fact: Kayla has been shooting bow and arrow since she was just five years old! In her second year of firearms hunting season, she shot her first deer which was an eight-point buck.

This Albert Lea FFA member first got started in FFA because of her her father and two older brothers - they were in FFA and always talked about how much fun the organization was. She has stuck with FFA from the get-go because she knows it will make her grow into a greater person each day as a result of all of the different opportunities she has. 

Kayla’s is in her second year of high school FFA activities after attending state convention last year to compete in Creed Speaking and participating in State Greenhand Leadership Conference this summer. She’s also been involved in a lot of chapter activities including working at their county fair food stand and showing at state fair.

This Albert Lea social butterfly’s favorite part of FFA is by far getting to meet so many new people, traveling, and seeing people from all over the country knowing that every person has a common connection, they are all FFA members.

Kayla credits FFA with shaping her into a leader and unlocking potential that she didn’t realize she had. Kayla now realizes that there are endless possibilities with the opportunities in FFA, even after FFA. She holds onto the skills she learns in FFA because Kayla knows they will come in handy later in life. 

Kayla gives back to FFA by volunteering at the chapter level. She helps out in anyway possible with the FFA advisor or chapter officers if they need any volunteers to help plan or work at different activities. Kayla made a difference in agricultural education this past spring when some of the members in her chapter and her took animals to the Albert Lea elementary area schools. They taught the students about animals on the farm as well as animals used for other purposes. The Albert Lea FFA members and Kayla brought in a lizard, a calf, some puppies, chicks, and a kitten - Kayla enjoyed seeing the elementary students light up with the knowledge they gained that day in school.

Even though Kayla’s just a sophomore, she has an idea of what she wants to do later in her life. Kayla would like to go to Minnesota State University or Iowa State University. She is really interested in agriculture - specifically veterinary science and animal genetics. Kayla has a bright future ahead of her as an FFA member. Congratulations Kayla on FFA member of the week, keep staying involved with the Albert Lea FFA chapter!