In May of 2012, I was finishing up my third year of teaching, my first year at a new school, and starting, what I hoped, would be my final stop for my teaching career. I had come to a pretty major conclusion for myself, deciding that where I was teaching was the "ideal fit" for me.
As fate would have it, while attending our State FFA Convention, I became aware of a very unique opportunity in the agricultural education field. Our state agricultural education staff includes a project known as Facilitating Coordination in Agricultural Education-FCAE. There are 5 program advisors- individuals who work with agricultural education programs pre-k through adult- as our state is divided into 5 regional areas known as districts. There were two openings- a program advisor for the northwestern part of the state, and a program advisor for the west-central part of the state. At the time, I was teaching in the east-central district, and truly felt I had found my niche.
Flashback to a week prior, when I had a conversation with my longtime boyfriend, about our future, and specifically location. He was finishing his junior year of college. (Note: If you are doing the math, you are probably wondering how we met, as I am three years older than him. He deferred college one year to be a State FFA Officer right out of high school.) Being the planner I am, I asked him, point blank, if he knew what his plans were for the next year, and if he would be remaining in east-central Illinois. He told me he thought he had finally realized what he wanted to do-something he had always known he'd want to be apart of-- a family business, back home, in Northwestern Illinois. As confused as I was about my future in that location, I told him that I wouldn't move without a promise of a good job in that area, and he understood. Being as stubborn as I am, I thought I would never move. Fate had different plans.
Flash forward to two weeks later, when I was approached and asked, in point blank fashion by a current program advisor if I would be interested in being apart of FCAE. This had always been a goal of mine, and I often thought, it would never be possible. I applied, and again, as fate would have it, my future completely changed. For the better, I might add.
In the period of two weeks, I had a new job, found a dream of a rental house, and packed my bags. From the date of my interview in late June, I moved exactly one month later and started my new career.
In a new hometown, without an agricultural education program (one of the tasks near the top of my to-do list ;) ), in a part of the state that I have always wanted to live, I am starting to make a home and a life. In a new career, still in agricultural education, I feel so incredibly blessed. I have learned so much from all the of the teachers I've worked with, and am inspired and motivated by them everyday.
From here on out, I will be blogging about the different agricultural education programs which I will visit, sharing some of the vary unique and amazing ways agricultural educators in the state of Illinois are making a difference. I hope you all will follow me on this journey!
"Faith is where you close your eyes, and open your heart, moving beyond the familiar and embracing the unknown..."
