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Jackson Harris Elected Southern Region Vice President for FFA

As a freshman at UA, Jackson Harris sought one of 30 spots in the University Fellows Experience, a program that fuses high academic standards with a passion for community service. In the interview, he was asked to identify his strengths.

His answer? “Well, I restore antique tractors.”

After a few polite chuckles, Jackson explained what he had learned from participating in his high school’s Future Farmers of America chapter in Eufaula, AL. His passion earned him one of those Fellows spots.

Jackson didn’t grow up on a farm, but he, with his 10-member tractor team, spent countless hours in his high school’s shop restoring every inch of tractors that were manufactured long before any of them were born.

Jackson served as secretary and president of his high school chapter and state vice president of the Alabama FFA. As the Southern Region Vice President, Jackson, a New College sophomore, will have to take a year off from his UA studies. The 6 national officers commit to a year of service to the National FFA organization. In January 2014, he will travel to Japan to promote agriculture and agricultural education to business and industry leaders there.