Oklahoma Farm Report intern Haden Snelson sat down with American Farmers and Ranchers Youth Coordinator Cara Comstock to discuss the upcoming Youth Leadership Summit.
Comstock says upcoming AFR youth and education programs are designed to connect Oklahoma students with leadership development, agricultural education and hands-on opportunities across the industry.
Comstock said AFR’s youth program is built around three main pillars: legislation, education and cooperation. Those values are integrated throughout the organization’s youth programming, which serves students across Oklahoma.
“We serve youth all across Oklahoma that are directly related with agriculture, and a lot of those that maybe don’t grow up in agriculture but are connected through 4-H and FFA programs,” Comstock said. “We really get to connect them further through our programs.”
AFR offers youth opportunities for students ranging from first grade through college, but Comstock said many of the summer events are focused on middle and high school students.
One of the organization’s largest upcoming events is the AFR Youth Leadership Summit. Comstock said the teen session will serve students entering seventh through 12th grade and is expected to draw about 350 students from across the state.
Students attending the summit can expect a mix of leadership training, cooperative education and networking with other young agricultural leaders.
“They can expect to have the time of their lives while getting to connect with other agriculturalists and young leaders from across the state,” Comstock said.
She said the summit focuses on helping students identify the leadership skills they already have, build new skills and learn how to take those abilities back home to make a difference in their communities.
Comstock said AFR camp is open to students with all levels of agricultural experience. Some students are already involved in FFA, 4-H or other leadership activities, while others may be attending their first camp away from home.
“AFR camp is definitely for everybody,” Comstock said. “We really focus on having a family and community atmosphere, and so everybody’s involved and you get to make a lot of friends.”
Comstock said investing in young people is especially important as fewer students are directly connected to production agriculture.
“Now more than ever, people are less connected to production agriculture and the farm,” Comstock said. “It’s really important for us to be able to invest, to give back and to provide those opportunities for our students across the state.”
Beyond summer leadership events, AFR also offers programs throughout the year that help students develop public speaking, research, decision-making and industry skills.
Comstock said AFR’s speech contest allows students to research agricultural topics, separate fact from fiction and present their findings with confidence. Other contests, such as cattle grading, give students real-world experience in production agriculture and livestock selection.
“Our contests really do run a very broad spectrum of the industry,” Comstock said. “They allow students to figure out what skills they have and how they can be successful and provide value to the agricultural industry.”
Scholarship opportunities are also available through several AFR contests and programs. Comstock said some scholarships are awarded through the state office, while others are available through county and local AFR offices.
For students considering attending an AFR event, Comstock said the most important thing to bring is an open mind and a positive attitude.
“We love students to get involved, even if they’re a little bit unsure about what they’re getting into,” Comstock said.
Comstock said AFR has seen major growth in its youth programs and has expanded its reach beyond students already heavily involved in production agriculture.
“We’ve really broadened our demographic from just some 4-H and FFA students to really a broad spectrum of students that aren’t necessarily deeply involved in production agriculture but are very interested in it and want to be,” Comstock said.
She said one of the most exciting parts of her role is seeing students who want to become leaders, better their communities and become more involved in agriculture.
“It’s incredibly unique to see that in today’s society,” Comstock said. “I’m just incredibly thankful that I get to work with so many awesome students from across the state that are so ambitious.”
More information about AFR youth programs, upcoming events and registration details can be found on the AFR Youth Program page and through AFR’s youth social media pages.
