By Elizabeth Hert | LHISD Student Writer | June 21, 2023

Welcome to a day in my life!! My 5 a.m. alarm goes off, and I hop out of bed to get ready for the day ahead. Once I’m looking halfway presentable for school, I hop in the car and head that way! At 7:30, I make my way into Mrs. Tedder’s room to write a practice story for UIL journalism. Then, as my day goes on, I bounce around from ag class to chemistry and then Spanish, and finally get to the last period of the day, volleyball. I pull on my knee pads and shoes, and get ready for a good workout. 

At 5 p.m., I can finally go home, but the fun doesn’t stop there. Once I arrive home, I head outside to the barn to wash my show calves. Then I can go inside, take a shower, eat dinner, and do it all again the next day. And while I barely have a second to breathe throughout the day, I wouldn’t change any part of it for the world.

I’m Ellie Hert, and I will be a junior at Liberty Hill High School next year. I am the Liberty Hill FFA President, and also write for the UIL journalism team. When I say I’m always busy, I mean it! Although, sometimes the stress of being involved in multiple activities can feel overwhelming, I have found some of my life’s greatest blessings and lessons through it.

Having something to look forward to has helped me through my middle and high school years, and has taught me so much about time management, responsibility, and how much I can truly handle. Believe me when I say I’ve done just about all you can do. From volleyball to UIL to track to choir, and everything in between, I’ve done it. And while I may have loved some things more than others, I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t tried.

One of the best decisions I could’ve ever made for myself, was when I decided I wanted to show cattle through FFA. At the time, I was 10 years old, and knew absolutely nothing about FFA or raising livestock in general, but my family, teachers and mentors were there to guide me through everything. Even at just 10 years old, I knew I had found my passion in the agricultural industry. 

However, it doesn’t stop there. I didn’t truly understand the opportunities I had waiting for me until I went to eighth grade. There, I took my first high school-level ag class, and learned about a whole new side of FFA I was totally unfamiliar with. My ag teacher taught me about speaking events and team activities I could join to help develop my professional skills. 

It was then that I knew I was destined to work in the agriculture industry for my career, but more specifically in the public speaking, leadership and communications side of it. While I am still heavily involved with showing cattle, that will come to an end after my senior year. But the skills I’ve learned through FFA and my growing love for leadership will continue to guide me through life.

FFA has also brought me one of my biggest dreams, which is now a goal I have my heart set on. Once I graduate high school, I want to run for the Texas FFA state officer team, and be one of twelve individuals who travels around the state to teach younger FFA members about leadership. This would open so many opportunities for my future career, and life in general.

Without the FFA, and that one choice I made to pay my membership dues, I wouldn’t have found my greatest passion. While I agree FFA is a great organization with something for everybody, I’m not saying everyone has to join. But, I encourage students to reach out and find something they love to do. There are so many amazing opportunities for students, and all it takes is one choice to join an organization.

So try out for that sport. Join that club. Make that small choice that could be a huge blessing down the road. Whatever it may be, it could give you your biggest dream, introduce you to your best friend, guide you to your future career and truly change your life. I know it sure has changed mine.

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