The Future Farmers of America program has made an impact on the lives of many students throughout the state of Oklahoma and across the country. Karlie Marcum is a senior at Cache High School and is also a member of the school’s FFA chapter. She says she does her best to be a positive representation of the program. “I want to represent the Cache FFA chapter as one of the greatest chapters in the southwest area of Oklahoma,” she said. “As this chapter has been here for me through absolutely everything. The good, the bad, and everything in between. Every officer from the time I joined FFA has been there for me and has always set such an amazing example for me to follow. Not only have the officers been there for me, but the members and the advisors too. I have found my true friends and forever family through FFA.”

Marcum says that she owes her love for the FFA program to a friend that introduced her to it. “If it wasn’t for my neighbor and best friend, Connor Hance, I would have never had the opportunity to be part of such an amazing chapter,” she said. “My eighth grade year, Connor and I became friends and he would talk about his exhibits with such joy and pride. I can remember the first time I went with him to feed his baby pig marshmallows. At this moment I realized that I wanted to be a livestock exhibitor. Not just because of the sweet and cute animals in the barn, but the joy in Connors heart and the work ethic it instilled within him.

My 9th grade year I decided to sign up for an AG class. This is by far my best decision that ultimately changed my life completely.” Pete Dempsey, the advisor for the Cache FFA chapter, says that from the beginning, Marcum has been an outstanding member of the program. “Karlie found her place in the Cache FFA when she joined her ninth grade year,” Dempsey said. “We encouraged her to step out of her comfort zone and she did. This has led to an extremely successful FFA career for her both in the show ring as well as being a member of a State Winning and National Gold Emblem Team.”