By Robert Pore

Grand Island Independent

   When Sydney Paige, a senior at Northwest High School, learned earlier this month she had become the new state FFA vice president, it was the culmination of an ambition she first had as a freshman entering the FFA program.

   “It was such an exciting moment,” Paige said. “Hearing my name over the PA system at the Pershing Auditorium (in Lincoln), I was just so thankful and excited.”

   She said it was a “mix of emotions.”

   “It was something that I worked for since my freshman year,” she said. “Since freshman year, state office has been my goal, so that moment was exciting for me and humbling as well.”

   Paige, who is president of the Northwest High School FFA chapter, went to a leadership training conference for state officers when she was a sophomore and first got a taste of what state FFA leadership is all about. She has also served as chapter reporter and secretary.

   “I saw the impact the state officers had on all of us students and members,” she said. “It was just amazing and I really wanted to be part of that.”

   She will hold the office until spring of 2010, when she plans to be a freshman at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

   As state FFA vice president, Paige said, she will take on the role of an educator, helping to facilitate workshops for chapter officers. She will also make a number of visits to other high school FFA chapters across the state, where the officers will hold workshops for local chapters.

   Paige is excited about her service as a state officer.

   “I’m really excited about doing the educating and the workshops,” she said. “What I have noticed is that all the past state officer teams have had such a passionate heart for service. In my term in state office, I want to display that in myself, as well as develop it.”

   An Iowa native, her father, Jeff Paige, is a teacher at Northwest High School. Her mother, Kailyn, is a pharmacist in Grand Island. She has three older brothers, Ben, Zack and Jeb.

   While she has lived in an urban area all her life and her family is not associated with production agriculture, FFA was still something with which Paige was fascinated.

   “I ride horses,” she said. “That’s kind of my agricultural tie. My old FFA adviser, Jeff Moore, knew that I really enjoyed public speaking and leadership activities. He encouraged me to join FFA because I would have a lot of public speaking opportunities.”

   Attending the kickoff picnic for FFA as a freshman, she said, “I saw how cool an organization it was and all the leadership opportunities and contests I could be in.”

   Paige said public speaking is something that she enjoys.

   “I also really enjoy being an officer in that I get to impact the younger members,” she said. “It has been incredibly rewarding for me.”

   Part of freshman FFA members orientation is attending Husker Harvest Days.

   “I knew nothing about agriculture,” Paige said. “When I went out to Husker Harvest Days, I was just amazed at the whole industry, from the science that was involved to the different ways of marketing that were there.”

   What Paige realized after visiting Husker Harvest Days for the first time was how much of an impact agriculture has on the world.

   “All the kids who were from agriculture and had agricultural backgrounds were kind of chuckling as I was like, ‘This is so cool,’” she said.

   Paige said it’s important to teach young people about the agricultural industry. As an FFA member, she participates in the Grand Island Area Chamber of Commerce Ag Committee’s Ag Day event, which is aimed at teaching fourth-graders about where their food comes from.

   “I really got an education about agriculture from being involved in the FFA,” she said.

   And FFA isn’t just about production agriculture, she said. The FFA program introduces students to a wide variety of career opportunities involving the agricultural industry.

   “As a student, FFA has really impacted me learning how agriculture affects every aspect of our life,” Paige said.

   She said she would like to pursue a career in the medical field. She said her four years with the FFA program have helped her become better prepared for college, along with a future career in medicine.

   “I think in terms of leadership and public speaking, FFA has been a big help,” she said. “Part of FFA’s motto is ‘Living to Serve.’ Having that stressed throughout my high school career has given me a passion for service that will help me in any career down the road.”

   Marci Brown, Northwest High School FFA adviser, said Paige, to her knowledge, is the first FFA member from Northwest to serve as a state officer.

   Brown said Paige being elected to a state FFA office brings prestige to the program at Northwest High School.

   “It helps out because there are only seven state officers elected,” Brown said. “They go through a very rigorous interview process, test and questions. It’s almost close to an interrogation. It is really hard and they kind of stress them to see if they are up to the task because they are really busy throughout the year. It’s really good for her and shows what she has got.”

   Considering that Paige came from a non-ag background, Brown said she has been a great leader in the organization.

   “She has been an awesome help for me and has worked very hard for the chapter,” she said.