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For one Center County high school student, winning a national agricultural communications competition is just the beginning.
Jaylene Everhart wants to take her passion for marketing agriculture to the state capitol and into the classroom. In the process, she prioritizes her one-on-one interactions, which she believes help market both individual farms and agriculture as a whole.
“It starts with them. It starts with that personal connection of talking to someone one-on-one, and then that story spreads out,” Everhart, 16, said. I was like, “Oh my god, I learned about this.” ”
Social media is also a powerful tool for farm advocacy and marketing, she said. Although she doesn’t post much herself, she uses the app to keep up with the latest information on the agriculture industry.
Everhart grew up going to his grandparents’ farm to do chores before going to school. She has been involved in 4-H since she was 9 years old and has been participating in FFA for the past two years.
That experience led to a passion for protest work, especially agricultural education.
“Learning about agriculture should not be a dubious topic for educators to discuss, but more importantly how educators can educate young minds about agriculture.” It should be about what you want to do,” Everhart said.
Jaylene Eberhart reads aloud to her second-grade class during Agricultural Literacy Week.
Essentially, this is how Eberhart concludes her research essay, which won first place in the Ag Expression contest at the National Young Farmer Education Association Research Institute and Agriculture Communication Contest, and was awarded the Agricultural Promise Program in March. won a trip to Washington DC for Everhart wrote about how agricultural education, despite its importance, is forgotten in many curriculum plans.
But her pageant success was rooted deeper than her writing ability. She said her communication and interpersonal skills all contributed to her competition results, and she attributes those skills to her time in 4-H and her FFA.
In 4-H, Everhart serves as vice president of the Center County Crackers & Quackers Poultry Club, secretary of the Center County 4-H Teen Council, and secretary of the Little Lions FFA Chapter. She also accepted the position of junior leader in the 4-H Rabbit Club.
She likes helping younger members stay involved in farming. Rabbits have been a big part of Ms. Everhart’s 4-H career, and more recently she has also been involved in breeding and selling rabbits.
Jaylene Everhart demonstrates how to show a goat to her fellow 4-H’ers.
“My main goal in building this activity is to help the young 4-H population,” Everhart said. “So no matter how much you spend on a rabbit to help young 4-H’s be able to afford a rabbit, it’s also affordable for young 4-H’s who are so excited to get a rabbit. I want to keep it affordable.” I got involved in 4-H and then FFA. ”
Other goals include improving understanding of agricultural policy. She hopes her trip to Washington in March will help with this.
“I always find myself wanting more and setting higher goals for myself,” Everhart said. “I achieved her one goal. I want to set it higher.”
Jaylene Everhart demonstrates food safety with young 4-H members.
After graduating from high school, she wants to attend collegeOut-of-state states. Everhart enjoys learning about agricultural production in other states in order to bring new ideas back to Pennsylvania.
Part of the National Young Farmer Education Association Institute and Agriculture Communications Competition included touring Texas A&M and learning about the state’s agriculture.
Eberhart said Black Angus don’t do well in Texas because of their dark coat and heat, even though Texas is a big cattle-producing state. This was a new concept to Everhart, but she thought she could implement it in rabbit breed selection.
“You can learn about their adaptability, you can learn about different rabbits, and you can say, ‘Maybe we shouldn’t have this breed. They’re really cold in the winter and they need warmth around them, so we don’t really have them here.’ It’s not good,’” Everhart said.
Jaylene Everhart with her Market Rabbit, who won Reserve Grand Champion at the 2023 Center County Grange Fair.
In college, she hopes to study to become an agricultural educator with a minor in agricultural communication and continue spreading agricultural news.
But first, she wants to run for FFA state council. She feels that her time in 4-H, FFA, and as a Fair Queen alternate helped prepare her for this goal.
He is determined to travel more and learn more about agriculture before he graduates next year. After that, she sees what direction her life will take.
“I have a picture of the United States, and every state I’ve been to is crossed out, and every state I have to go to is still crossed out,” Everhart said. “Wherever I go, I think I’ll go. If there’s a job opening, I’ll go.”
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