OFI 1111: Face Your Fear And Achieve Incredible Success | FFA SAE Edition | Madison Woods | Gustine High School FFA

When people rise to the top all of the sudden they find themselves answering a lot of questions. Other people want to know the secret to their success so that they can replicate what has been accomplished. So, naturally, I asked today’s guest what her secret to standing out was.

Madison Woods just completed her first year of college, and she is getting ready to head off to Oklahoma State University to pursue her agricultural aspirations. Along the way she has picked up a couple of very prestigious awards – National Proficiency Winner in Sheep Production and California State Star Farmer. Awards like that don’t just happen by accident, so I needed to know what made Madison stand out so much!

To begin, Madison grew up on a farm in the Central Valley of California with no livestock present! Her family farms almonds and grows plants in a greenhouse for sale. So, when she was nine years old and decided to go her own way by getting a lamb, there were some raised eyebrows in the house as to whether or not she was serious.

That first year wasn’t easy either. Madison got run over and dragged by that lamb, and there were plenty of times that she needed to find her resolve just to keep going, even at the age of 9. However, by the age of 10 Madison had purchased a ewe and started breeding her own sheep. Today, her flock is just over 50 ewes, and she has sold sheep all over the country. She has been pushed, and she has pushed herself, and it has paid dividends.

So, what was Madison’s answer to how did you do it? She encouraged everyone to “face their fear” and try everything that interests them. That way, you can find what you are truly passionate about. Once you do that, devoting yourself and putting in the necessary work is no problem.

SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCE: Sheep Production

HIGH SCHOOL: Gustine High School, Gustine, CA

MASCOT: Reds

FFA ADVISOR: Matt Buffunno

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR MADISON WOODS:

Click on the picture below to be taken to the Alexander High School Website:

Madison’s FFA Advisor’s Email Address: mbaffunno@gustineusd.org

Gustine High School Telephone Number: 209 854-6414

FFA LINKS:

National FFA Organization

Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE’s)

Support FFA

Donate to FFA – FFA students can start small businesses through an FFA grant of $1,000. In 2014, 141 FFA students received these grants. With your donations, more students can get this head start – pay it forward.

REASONS TO DONATE TO FFA:

Only 2% of Americans grow and raise most of the food and livestock consumed by the other 98% and the rest of the world. FFA provides the needed education, training, and resources to Americans to carry that torch forward and ensure that America continues to have inexpensive, quality food.
Rural Communities will rely on entrepreneurship in the future for population growth and job creation. The FFA is a major catalyst to that entrepreneurial growth.
Farmers, ranchers, and those working in agriculture give the rest of America incredible amounts of freedom because the food search is as simple as going to the grocery store:

“The future of American agriculture depends on the involvement and investment in America’s youth, In order to prepare for the population of tomorrow, we need to encourage America’s youth today, and show that careers in agriculture are profitable, rewarding, and vital.”. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Sonny Perdue