Meet Lauren Roling, who is a senior at McCook Central High School. She plans to complete a Communication Sciences and Disorders degree and complete the necessary steps to become a Doctor of Audiology, which will enable her to help rural communities tackle the issue of hearing loss in agriculture.

Q. What ag activities have you participated in, and what made you want to join?
A. I have participated in a wide range of agricultural activities, including FFA, serving as chapter Sentinel and Reporter and competing in CDEs and LDEs such as Milk Quality, Agricultural Issues, Marketing Plan, Floriculture, Agricultural Communications, Prepared Public Speaking, Nursery Landscape, and Conduct of Chapter Meetings. I conducted six Agriscience Fair Research projects. I am also involved in 4-H, serve as the FFA Show Barn Rabbit Manager, and mentor students in the agriscience classroom. I’ve always felt deeply connected to agriculture through my sixth-generation family farm, and my older brother especially inspired me. Watching him grow through FFA, whether through competitions, agriscience, or leadership roles, motivated me to follow a similar path.

Q. How do you balance your Ag activities with classes, school activities, and community involvement?
A. I balance my agricultural activities with school, extracurriculars, and community involvement by staying organized. I set priorities and make sure I do not overcommit. I have learned how to manage my time efficiently and communicate clearly with others, which helps me stay on top of responsibilities in all aspects of my life.

Q. What would you say to younger students who are considering joining those activities?
A. What I have enjoyed most about my agricultural experiences is the opportunity to make an impact on my chapter and community while growing as a leader. These activities have helped me develop confidence, build connections with industry leaders and organizations, and discover my strengths. To younger students considering joining, my advice would be to go for it, it opens so many opportunities and makes you a better leader.

Q. What do you think being in ag activities taught you?
A. Agricultural activities have taught me the power of education and how individuals can make a difference. A key activity I have organized is a live grain bin engulfment simulation and rescue in collaboration with Nationwide Insurance, FarmHer, and the National Education Center for Agriculture Safety. At the event, 120 farmers, agricultural workers, emergency management teams, agricultural organizations, and community members were in attendance. Three individuals were engulfed, and attendees saw firsthand how fast an engulfment happens and rescue procedures. The event was featured on local news stations and on RFD-TV’s FarmHer segment, helping the event reach beyond my community to spread awareness and
potentially save lives.

Q. What are the most challenging aspects of your ag activities and the world of ag in general.
A. One of the most challenging aspects of my ag activities was organizing the grain bin rescue simulation. It took months of planning, coordinating with multiple organizations, and overcoming unexpected obstacles. One particular challenge in the agricultural industry is safety issues. Doing agricultural research on grain bin safety has been eye-opening to see the issue and provide a solution by hosting live grain bin engulfment simulation and rescue.