“I may not know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future”- Ralph Abernathy
Each year the State Officers get a chance to stay for some time at the Kansas State Fair. This time is filled with the smell of fried foods, watching the livestock shows, hearing all the screams from the carnival rides and did I mention the fried food? This year as a State Officer team we were charged with taking care of the Grand Drive animals after they were selected and take care of them throughout the week so the families and exhibitors of the families could go home and go back to school. Since during the week thousands of elementary students come through the State Fair and our Grand Drive Barn specifically, making it Kansas’ Largest Classroom, we decided to do something a bit more interactive to teach the science involved in food.
Food is a huge part of my life and I am obsessed with it! Not only do I enjoy eating it, which is why fair time is one of my favorite times of the year, but I like learning about it. So when the chance to teach students about food became available I was super excited. We had two experiments at the state fair for the kids coming through the barn. My personal favorite was an experiment showing the iron content in breakfast cereal.
In our breakfast cereal we get many nutrients that are hidden or woven in enough to the grain that we cannot taste them or see them. A great example of a nutrient that we need but wouldn’t’ just eat it on its own is iron. To show that iron is in your normal everyday breakfast cereal and to get kids involved we had them crush up a couple Wheaties in a plastic bag into the smallest pieces they could get them. Then the students took a button magnet and put it the cereal and whaa laa! Iron.
Not only were the students surprised to see the small black specks and pieces of the cereal sticking to the magnet, they had the realization that more is in our food than they would think.
But this experience benefited more than just the elementary students that day. As it seems with every time we don’t expect to get hit with knowledge and wisdom, BAM! It happens. As I was helping first graders crush up cereal, I took a look back and realized that these students were learning something from me. I was having an impression on these kids.
What a scary thought that I had an impression on these students that will be growing up and leading and teaching other people. It soon becomes this whole cycle of teaching, learning, teaching someone else the information you have gained from other people. It soon became evident to me that my knowledge and passion for food is worth nothing unless it is shared with others.
This holds true for any passion of ours. Whether we are obsessed with rebuilding engines, fascinated with making our cattle herd better with genetics, have a passion for vineyards, or are like me and love food, we need to share that passion and our knowledge of it with others because if we don’t share that knowledge and wisdom then what use is it after we pass on.
I firmly believe in never-ending self-improvement. But with that comes realization it can’t be just ourselves that are improving. We should strive to help those around us grow as well. Our nation’s youth are those individuals that will take up any challenges that we did not complete. They are the future of our country and are who will be determining if we will continue to be successful.
Take time in your life to share your passion with someone, anyone in your life. It can be your grandma, brother, best friend or random stranger, but please just share it, because we don’t know when the chances to share what we have gained and learned will end. Also, remember who holds the future and who will continue on our traditions and success’.
