There are some high school programs that seem to be a perfect fit for certain students. The Future Farmers of America program caught the attention of Bonham Eslick at a young age and he knew that he was destined to join. “Growing up on a cattle ranch, I always knew that as soon as I had the chance, I would be in the FFA,” he stated. “I joined the FFA in the eighth grade and immediately knew that it was going to be a bigger part of my life than I ever imagined.”

Bonham is a junior at Elgin High School. With agriculture and ranching being a part of most of his life, he had a number of people that he has looked up to. But he says that there is one that he is trying to follow in the footsteps of. “One of my greatest influences in my life is trying to live up to the legacy of my great
grandpa,” he said. “He was an Ag teacher in Oklahoma who was very successful in livestock judging and showing pigs. With this legacy, the pressure is on to work hard and succeed in everything I do.”

As a member of the Elgin FFA, Eslick is involved in Parliamentary Procedure, Prepared Public Speaking, Ag Communications, Sporting Clays, and Equine Judging. For his Supervised Agricultural Experience, he raises registered Black Angus bulls. He says that he enjoys being able to be a representative for Elgin FFA wherever he goes. And he has made a lot of memories during his time in the program.

“Representing Elgin when I go compete means that I am carrying the spirit of Elgin with me when I try to strive for success,” Eslick said. “It is a privilege and responsibility to be an ambassador for Elgin as I try to represent the town to the best of my ability. I think my favorite memory from the FFA was the opportunity to tour Purina’s Research Farm in Gray Summit, Missouri, to prepare for the National Ag Sales Contest. It was very fun to get to look at and learn about how they research and test their products.”