What Alumni Say About Speaking in Public: Confidence Built One Contest at a Time
The Long Game: How FFA Leadership Pays Off in Careers, College, and Life
Speaking in front of a room is the FFA skill alumni mention most often. FFA has published interviews with a general in the U.S. Army, a rural television host, a plant scientist and past national presidents, and nearly all describe confidence built in steps rather than overnight. This article collects what they said, adds the practical tips current national officers share and shows how to turn a contest history into proof of confidence.
- Key takeaway: alumni describe confidence as gradual, built from early nervous contests, not natural talent.
- Source type: FFA-published interviews and officer tips, which reflect personal experience.
What Alumni Say
- Major General Tammy Smith. In a 2020 interview, the Army general says competing in parliamentary procedure taught her how to get attention when she had something important to say, and public speaking helped her communicate clearly. She served as Oregon state FFA reporter.
- Janet Adkison. The host of “FFA Today” on RFD-TV told FFA in 2021 that memorizing the FFA Creed in her first year made her more comfortable speaking, and that FFA gets you out of your comfort zone.
- Dr. Jeneen Fields-Abrams. The plant breeding and genetics scientist said in 2020 that some of her first speaking experiences came through competitions and parliamentary procedure practice.
- Gary Swan. The 1966–67 president says he was a shy, introverted boy who finished almost last in his first speaking contest as a freshman and placed second at a major regional exposition by his junior year (source).
Tips From National Officers
In a 2018 feature, three members of the 2017–18 officer team shared their approaches:
- Set small, concrete goals. Breanna Holbert says her advisor had her meet three people at each conference and recall their names, chapters and a fun fact.
- Keep a guiding phrase. Erica Baier’s phrase was “Never perfect, strive for excellence.”
- Prepare. Ian Bennett says he has never been nervous going into something he felt fully prepared for, and that slowing down and taking a few deep breaths helps.
A 2025 Kentucky feature adds two cautions: start preparing long before competition day, and do not overthink, because repeated rehearsal can increase nerves.
A Practice Plan
| Week | Goal | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Speak once in a low-stakes setting, such as a chapter meeting | Swan’s freshman contest |
| 2 | Meet three new people and learn one fact about each | Holbert’s advisor exercise |
| 3 | Practice with your advisor, then stop rehearsing | Kentucky nerves advice |
| 4 | Speak again and note one thing that improved | Bennett’s preparation tip |
The schedule is this site’s suggestion, built from the tips above. It is not an FFA program.
Questions Readers Ask
Does everyone start nervous?
The alumni above suggest many do. Swan, Holbert and a current national president, Trey Myers, all describe starting with little confidence, according to FFA’s profiles.
Is placing the point?
Myers says his early contest experience taught him FFA was about people rather than titles, according to FFA’s 2025 profile. That is one member’s view, not a rule.
Three Questions to Ask After Every Speech
The officers and alumni above describe improvement as a loop: set a goal, practice, speak, then adjust. A short debrief after each speech helps you see progress that nerves can hide. This site suggests three questions, which are not an FFA program:
- What is one thing I did better than last time? Naming a specific improvement builds the evidence that confidence is learnable.
- What is one moment I felt unsteady, and what was happening just before it? Look for a cause you can change, such as an unclear opening.
- What will I try differently next time? Pick one change, not five, in the spirit of the Kentucky advice against overthinking.
Keep the answers in a notebook. After a season you will have a record of growth that is far more convincing in an interview than saying you are comfortable speaking.
Honest Limits
Confidence is hard to measure, and every account here is self-reported and selected by FFA.
On this site, Mark Mayfield became a professional speaker and trainer, Gary Swan built an advocacy career and Trey Myers is the current national president. Their pages describe their own words, not proof that FFA caused outcomes.
Sources
- National FFA Organization: On the Record: Major General Tammy Smith (2020)
- National FFA Organization: On the Record: Janet Adkison (2021)
- National FFA Organization: On the Record: Dr. Jeneen Fields-Abrams (2020)
- National FFA Organization: Past National FFA President Commits to Lifetime of Ag Advocacy (2026)
- National FFA Organization: National FFA Officer Tips for Developing Confidence (2018)
- National FFA Organization: From Nervous to Confident (2025)
- National FFA Organization: Oklahoma Roots, National Reach (2025)