When she was just a freshman, Alyxandra Bozeman knew she had found a home within the tight-knit ranks of the FFA. She also found an inner drive – and found it rather quickly – to climb the leadership ranks in the organization.
Consider her quest a smashing success.
On the afternoon of Saturday, May 15, Bozeman was on the campus of Washington State University when her four-year trek reached its penultimate moment. During a dramatic opening of envelopes, the White River High senior learned that she will be the FFA state president for the 2021-2022 year.
That means she sits atop a statewide organization that counts as many as 12,000 members in a good year, spread across roughly 300 chapters.
Considering the number of chapters, it’s noteworthy that White River has now produced two of the last four state presidents. Sadie Aronson led the organization during the 2018-2019 term.
Statewide officers begin serving in May and wrap up their duties during the annual state conference in Pullman a year later.
True to the current nature of FFA – which incorporates much more than raising livestock – Bozeman isn’t a farm girl. She is quick to point out, however, that she was “drawn to the lifestyle” exemplified by FFA. So, she has horses and was able to find a farm where she could raise pigs.
Now, she gets to share her passion for the world of agriculture.
Being the state president is a hefty commitment, causing young people to put their lives on hold for 12 months. During the next year, Bozeman said, she will travel the state meeting with students and providing training; she’ll also meet with ag industry leaders and attend the annual convention of FFA advisers throughout Washington.
“It’s basically a full-time job,” Bozeman said, but it’s a volunteer stint. She will be reimbursed for out-of-pocket costs like gas, food and lodging, but there’s no salary.
Bozeman recalls attending the FFA convention as a freshman, seeing and listening to the student leaders. She knew she wanted to be a part of the statewide leadership team and began the process of turning that dream to reality.
Toward that end, she competed in FFA events as a freshman, became the Enumclaw chapter sentinel as a sophomore and has spend the past two years as chapter vice president.
She was so committed to becoming a state officer that she didn’t make concrete plans for the next school year. Community college was the plan if FFA didn’t pan out.
But everything went according to plan. Bozeman first learned that she was part of the six-person leadership team that will serve for the next year. Then, during that dramatic moment in Pullman, heard her name called and her dream realized.
