Junior Perspective
Looking Forward and Giving Back
By Hannah Ziegler, NALJA secretary
Greetings to all. I️ hope that
each and every one of you
have encountered an already
blessed 2019; shared with
family, friends, and rejoicing
in the name of Jesus! I️ know
for my family it feels as though
at this time of year we are
running nonstop, between
getting equipment ready for
the upcoming planting season
to focusing on our cattle and
the prime Ohio calving season,
it’s difficult to find time to sit
down, have a home cooked
meal together and watch an
episode of Andy Griffith!
However, there is one matter
that my family, and more
extensively, our agriculture
community cannot seem to
shake, and for a very good
reason. In our state, we
have numerous correctional
institutions for those who
have been convicted of crimes.
Within those systems, the Ohio
Department of Corrections
and the Ohio Department of
Agriculture had teamed up and
decided, nearly 10-15 years ago,
to formulate a system where
inmates could learn the farming
trade and deal with cattle and
hogs away from the corrections
facility, as long as they displayed
a positive engaging behavior.
Two years ago, my agriculture
education teacher, and a fellow
FFA member stood in front of
the Ohio Senate to speak about
the usage of the land of the
Marion County farm, as well as
the other farms throughout the
state, following the shutdown
of all state mandated farms due
to limited funding. We all had
NALJA Board of Directors
President: Randa Taylor, TX
[email protected]
817-504-6927
Vice President: Dominic Ruppert, IL
[email protected]
217-254-2558
Secretary: Hannah Ziegler, OH
[email protected]
419-618-2441
Treasurer: Lindsey Gulotta, LA
[email protected]
985-351-7674
Ex-Officio: Ethan Freund, CO
[email protected]
303-502-4605
Director: Aaron Linhart, IA
[email protected]
641-414-5060
Director: Callie Hicks, KY
[email protected]
859-699-3893
Director: Brooke Falk, KS
[email protected]
785-817-2214
Director: Zane Gavette, WA
[email protected]
360-389-7105
Director: Tristan Gulotta, LA
[email protected]
985-351-7643
Director: Colt Schrader, OK
[email protected]
918-704-2397
Staff Advisor: Katie Campbell
[email protected]
913-683-1415
26 | MARCH 2019