At a time when most teenagers are waking up and immediately checking their cell phones, Jandi Hurley is up and out to the barn, where she’s working on her show cows. 

“I wake up at 6 a.m. and do chores, work hair, work legs, and feeding,” Hurley said. “I go to school, come home late at night and do it all over again. It’s early mornings, late nights, and lots of barn time, with many nights of full showmanship practice. It takes a lot of time management when you own more than one species. But through each species, you come across friends who seem to turn into family. 

“It’s important to my future because I’ve always known I wanted to go into the veterinary field,” she continued. “It’s changed on locations many times, but not as much as it seems. In my future, I see myself going out and becoming an embryologist, working mainly on cattle.” 

Hurley is a junior at Alex High School, and she is the secretary of the Alex branch of the FFA. She said it came naturally, because her family has always been involved in animal husbandry. 

“I would say FFA has changed my life in more than just one way,” she said. “I’ve met some of my closest friends because of it. There’s almost never a dull moment in FFA. It gives you the confidence to speak in front of people, teaches you dedication, responsibility, and hard work. FFA is just a great organization to be a part of.

“I love showing animals,” she continued. “It brings out my competitive side. There’s something about the competitive side of it and standing at the side of the ring waiting to go in. It’s the dedication; it’s getting to know your new animals and starting over every year. Sometimes it can be hard to let the previous animals go.” 

In her free time, Hurley said she can be found hanging out with friends, working at a cow sale, or on her way to a concert.