I am a Future AG Educator

Payton Brookshire, Class of 2025

“I switched schools when I was in 8th grade because of the ag program Woodland Christian offers. I come from a 7th generation farm family, where we have around 50 head of sheep that we raise and breed for competitive shows for county, state, and hopefully national level. My parents were also in FFA at Woodland High School when they were young, so an ag program was really important to me and my family. 

I have been showing animals since I was 7, including pigs, sheep, goats, and steers. To do this, you have to have a lot of strength, resilience, and determination to complete your tasks and stay consistent every day. I have become really good at showmanship, and I have won a lot of county and jackpot shows. Because of this, I was able to create a business where I could show younger kids how to do showmanship. I also work at BK Livestock, helping them with their sheep operation, and BK Magnawave, which is pulse electromagnetic field therapy to help livestock be less stiff before shows. 

I am now the president of our FFA Chapter here at WCHS, and the secretary of the Yolo Section Officer Team. My experiences with FFA and showing animals has helped me grow in my leadership skills. I started out very shy. However, through speaking contests with FFA and having the opportunity to talk to people, I was able to grow in my confidence and leadership. My favorite part of FFA is the connections I have made here at school, but also the opportunities to meet new people outside of Woodland Christian in our ag community. 

My experiences with ag and FFA, both through my family and Woodland Christian, have fueled my passion to become an ag educator. When I graduate, I will attend Lakeland College in Illinois to be a part of their livestock judging team and grow my connections out there. Then, I would love to transfer to Oklahoma State University or to Western Illinois University to study ag education and eventually become an ag teacher. I am thankful for all of the opportunities I have had so far and I look forward to the future.” -Payton Brookeshire, Class of 2025