Finding a passion can be vital to one’s journey, and everyone has places and activities that provide them with enjoyment. For seniors Kayleigh Thomas and Jesse Fulkerson, agriculture fuels their fire. 

“Ag has given me many friends, a career, and a lifestyle to live by,” Fulkerson said. 

Similarly, Thomas found was able to hone into her interests.

“It’s where I found a passion for something I didn’t think would be so strong in my life,” Thomas explained.

FFA has placed positive qualities in their lives and built a sense of community over the years from freshman to senior year. 

“We have been pushed out of our comfort zones to improve,” Thomas said. 

Thomas and Fulkerson adore ag and FFA so much, they plan to further their schooling at the University of Kentucky, majoring in Agricultural Education. Although the future is right around the corner for the both of them, they spend the time they have now dedicated to FFA and Ag. 

For the first part of his school day, Fulkerson is at Creekside Elementary teaching a second grade Ag class and a fourth grade math class.

“I’ve always loved educating young people,” Fulkerson said. In addition to teaching at Creekside, Fulkerson also breeds, raises, and sells livestock.  

Thomas has worked on her family’s farm her whole life. In 2012, they started a pumpkin patch called The Pumpkin Wagon. She works after school most days and on the weekends, she sells pumpkins, mums, gourds, and more.

Thomas and Fulkerson are certainly taking advantage of the opportunities provided to help them grow for their upcoming career paths and interests. 

“I believe there are a lot of people that need to be more aware of the Ag industry and need to learn it’s more than just farming and through FFA, Ag classes, and my teacher Mrs. [Jayna] Thompson, I’ve been encouraged to teach the future,” Thomas stated. 

It’s clear that guiding the future generation is very important to Thomas and Fulkerson. 

“Without agriculture, we wouldn’t have food, clothes, houses; we wouldn’t have anything and we would be nowhere in this world, so we need to teach the future,” Fulkerson said.

The agriculture industry provides so much for schools, families, and the general community. Fulkerson and Thomas both feel it’s important to shine a light on how crucial teaching Ag and FFA is, yet they notice the difficulties teachers today face and how heavy the responsibility is. 

“Even though there are many challenges, I still know that it’s worth it, you’re not doing it for yourself, you’re doing it for the kids,” Fulkerson said.

Both Thomas and Fulkerson are up for the challenges within teaching, and they recognize strong leaders’ significant role in sparking their same passion for agriculture in future generations. 

“We kind of look away from those challenges and focus on the importance of what needs to be done,” Thomas said.

It is without a doubt that Jesse Fulkerson and Kayleigh Thomas are driven and show strong passion for what they love. As they continue to pour their hearts into this community, it’s visible they will do great things. Ag and FFA have given their lives so much meaning and will continue to do so forever.