Voluntold to Volunteer

Embrace Opportunity

Voluntold: when someone else volunteers you for something. That’s the best description for it. It’s like when your parents ask for help with something, but they’re not really asking, they’re telling. For the mundane tasks around the house, being voluntold to do them usually meant they weren’t the most fun. Yet, from my experience in FFA and agricultural education, being voluntold came from a place of encouragement, trust, and understanding. 

I wasn’t all in on FFA when I first joined the organization. As an 8th grader with little to no background in agriculture, I was confused when I saw “Exploratory Agriculture” on my class schedule. However, as the year began and I spent more time in the class, I found myself becoming more comfortable with the course. I was learning about the basic components of agriculture, we were doing some pretty cool experiments, and the teacher brought an excitement to learning that I hadn’t seen much before. There was still a lot to learn, but I was adjusting. Just when I was starting to settle in: POW a whole new idea was introduced. FFA. Initially, I was a hard pass. Sure, I was having fun in class, but I didn’t think that would translate to FFA. Yet, I was volunteered more like voluntold by my peers and classmates to join. With that kind of encouragement, I figured, why not? A few days out of class, traveling to contests, and spending time with my friends couldn’t hurt. The next year didn’t take much convincing. I had enjoyed my time in the classroom and at events enough during 8th grade that I was ready to sign up again. I was more than willing to participate in chapter activities, attend events, and help wherever possible. However, I had decided that contests probably weren’t for me, that is, until my advisor voluntold me to join the Ag Issues team for the year. Not something I would’ve signed up for on my own, mind you. My advisor understood that I wanted to be more involved, so she gave me the chance. Ag Issues was my introduction to LDEs. The following year, as a sophomore, I was voluntold again, this time for the Farm Bureau Discussion Meet, a contest I had never heard of before. The student teacher at the time trusted that I could succeed, so I agreed and competed. 

So, what happened when I was voluntold to participate? Well, the Ag Issues team in my freshman year made it to Nationals. The next year, I was surprised when I was called back for the final round of the Farm Bureau Discussion Meet at the State Convention. The whole FFA thing? It turned out to be the most influential organization in my life. I’ve made countless friends and lifelong connections. I discovered a career in agriculture, one that combines all of my interests and one I’m incredibly passionate about. I’ve grown as a person; I’m finding new ways to involve myself, exploring new talents, and becoming more comfortable stepping outside my comfort zone. Now, I serve as a State Officer, interacting with people from all over Kansas FFA and helping others on their own FFA journeys. 

There’s a beauty in being voluntold. It’s when people encourage you to pursue an opportunity because they know you well enough to see that you can succeed if you apply yourself. Cherish the people who push you beyond your limits. It takes incredible encouragement, trust, and understanding to volunteer someone to step out of their comfort zone. It’s all done with the best intentions. Maybe it’s not what you imagined for yourself, but if others are volunteering you for it, you just might be the right person for the job. A few right turns, and you won’t be waiting to be voluntold anymore you’ll find yourself taking advantage of the opportunity.

Jory Ratzlaff

State President