Hailey Eason’s Path to Agricultural Education and FFA Leadership

Serving as a 2023-2024 NC FFA State Vice-President has helped Hailey Eason grow her passion for agricultural education and outreach. This passion started during high school where her agriculture teacher and FFA advisor, Amber Davis, significantly influenced her life and helped her realize her potential in agricultural.

Eason is currently a student at NC State, majoring in agricultural education within the Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences (AHS), with minors in animal science, extension education, and biological and agricultural engineering and technology. She has taken her knowledge beyond the classroom by serving as an NC FFA State Officer and as an N.C. Cooperative Extension Intern.

When asked why she pursued her major, Eason reflects on her high school FFA advisor: “She pushed me to pursue growth constantly and to help others do the same, and I knew that I wanted to go into a career where I could do that every single day. Agricultural education is an opportunity to impact students’ lives every day, and I believe there is no finer career than that.”

Last summer, Eason interned at the Halifax County Extension office, eager to learn about extension opportunities. Her main responsibilities included creating lesson plans and organizing their summer camp program, which ran in week-long sessions throughout the summer. She also helped prepare and train their 4-H poultry judging team, with one member winning the National 4-H poultry judging competition. 

Eason reflects on the importance of her work: “Cooperative Extension provides many opportunities within the communities they serve, helping them to overcome challenges and educate on a variety of important subjects within agriculture. My work enabled me to help spread the impact of Extension to more youth in Halifax County.”

In addition to this internship, Eason has served as an NC FFA State Officer, representing over 45,000 members since June 2023. Her duties include representing the student voice on the NC FFA Board of Directors, conducting leadership training and workshops for North Carolina FFA members, speaking at various FFA and sponsorship events, and building positive relationships across the state and country.

Alongside this role, Eason serves as the Vice President for the NC State Collegiate FFA Alumni & Supporters (formerly the AEE Club), which promotes and supports local FFA chapters and allows students to stay involved with FFA after high school graduation. She is also an NC Teaching Fellow, which is a teacher education program that prepares future teachers to impact the lives of their students through professional development.

Reflecting on her time at NC State, Eason acknowledges several individuals who have helped her, particularly Josh Bledsoe and Carmen Bracey. She says, “All of the faculty and staff through AHS have been so helpful in guiding me through my time at NC State! I have also had the opportunity to work with Josh Bledsoe and Carmen Bracey as a North Carolina FFA State Officer, and they have been instrumental to my growth both as a student and personally.”

In finding inspiration, Eason looks towards FFA members and advisors across the state. She says, “I think that being part of the industry that feeds our world is incredibly important, and it is so inspiring to see young FFA members and agriculture teachers dedicating themselves to the cause”. As her time as a state officer comes to an end, she reflects on the positive memories she experienced.“I have gained so much from serving as a state officer, including a network of supporters, public speaking and facilitation skills, and a better understanding of the agriculture industry, but the best part has been making memories and building connections with students and agriculture teachers across the state. Learning and growing alongside them has been the best part of my year, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to finish this year with them.” 

Looking towards the future, Eason hopes to graduate from NC State in the spring of 2025 and go straight into the classroom as a high school agriculture teacher and FFA advisor, to teach Ag Mechanics and Animal Science.