Fairview FFA Member Elected As Montana State FFA Parliamentarian

Allyson Young, a recent graduate of Fairview High School, has been selected to serve as the 2020-2021 Montana State FFA Parliamentarian. 

Young joined FFA as a high school freshman and has been a member of the Fairview FFA Chapter ever since. She comes from a long line of FFA alumni: her grandfather, dad, and brother were all FFA members, which ultimately inspired her to become a member. 

Over Young's four years of membership, she has participated in many FFA competitions, leadership conferences/camps, and has implemented several projects within her chapter. "Many projects that I have done have been service projects, but my senior project, Presents for Paws, came to me through an idea I had at the Washington Leadership Conference. I collected donations at a home basketball game of pet food, blankets, toys, and other miscellaneous items to donate to the local veterinary clinic to distribute to those fostering animals in the area. Another project was the "Thank A Farmer Breakfast," which entailed the chapter getting together and assembling breakfast burritos and snack bags to deliver to the local beet farmers and truck drivers during the harvest season as a way to express our gratitude for what they do."

Young explained that her favorite part about FFA is the amount of opportunities the organization provides for members along with all of the friendships, connections, impact, and memories that she has made.

When Young was asked how FFA has impacted her life, she responded with, "How hasn't FFA impacted my life? FFA has shaped me into the person I am by challenging me to dig deeper and take every opportunity to create the best version of myself. Now that I have been selected as the 2020-2021 State Parliamentarian, my life will change with new responsibilities that I am excited to have. I am especially excited to work with my new team to hopefully make an impact on members like we have been impacted and to show them the vast expanse of opportunity FFA holds."

She explained that FFA has also impacted her career goals and plans. In the fall, she will be pursuing political science at Montana State University, where she will eventually attend law school at the University of North Dakota. Young said, "I plan to focus primarily on agricultural law, as well as criminal law."

When asked how COVID-19 has affected her experience as an FFA member and the Montana State Officer selection process, she said that "Running for an office looked a little different this year since everything was virtual. COVID-19 has thrown a pretty huge curveball into everything. We interviewed with the committee over Google Meet, instead of in the room with them at the state convention. All of the officer candidates were still able to connect through Google Meets with all of us in them and through our group chats."

Montana State FFA also held their state convention online this year - Young said, "The virtual convention was great to watch, and although it wasn't like being in those seats that hurt your back while you're surrounded by a sea of blue jackets, it was the next best thing."

Young recalled, "At my very first state convention - after watching the 2016-2017 team on stage during the session and throughout the convention, I decided I wanted to be a state officer. I remember after the final session telling my advisor, Vanessa Pooch, that I wanted to be a state officer. She turned back to me with a smile and said, "Okay, I'll hold you to that."

And it turns out that Pooch did hold her to that - when Young's name was announced as one of the 2020-2021 Montana State Officers - Vanessa Pooch, Fairview FFA Advisor, was very excited. Pooch said, "Beyond that was pride for FFA making a difference in her life and now she gets the opportunity to share that with Montana FFA members. I also screamed, and after telling her Congratulations, I told her, "You may not realize it right now, but your life just changed forever!"

Young's main goal for her time as a state officer is to become a positive role model for FFA members across Montana and work with the officer team to uphold the values of the National FFA Organization, as well as be a positive advocate for agriculture. Young stated, "I hope to share my positivity and optimistic spirit with others, even in the most trying of times."

Vanessa Pooch, Fairview FFA Advisor, said," One of the first impacts this role will have on Ally is going to be the network of people she will grow. She is going to learn many life lessons through trials and triumphs that will help as she pursues her personal goals, as well as helps others in the future."

Young is excited to see the difference between who she is now and who she will be after her term as a state officer. She said, "I am always excited to grow myself and become better, and being a state officer is one of the greatest opportunities to do so."