Mollie Cromley
Southeast Bulloch High School
Class of 2014
Parents: Ann & Lee Cromley

        Mollie Cromley started campaigning last year. "I figured it out in October of 2013," she said. "I went to a lot of events, at the region and the state level, to get to know a lot people." There were interviews the weekend before. A team of state FFA Officers conducted the question and answer session. "You have to be willing to be the person they need, and you have to know you can be that person," she said. She was competing against other high school FFA officers from three regions in the state: North, Central, and South.
        There was strategy involved. "You don't want to run against someone from your region or area. I didn't run for Vice President because Luke Nelson was running for that. We both won. We were the only two from the same region who decided to run as a region. Luke's from Jones County," she said.
Mollie also looked for something to make her stand out from the crowd of candidates. "I researched it and I decided to wear red lipstick to stand out. Whenever I wear official dress, it's part of my uniform and people remember it," she said.
        In addition to campaigning for state FFA secretary, Mollie also worked on her floriculture project. She grows gourds and peanuts on the family farm. She sells the dried gourds, which she paints or makes into bird houses, mostly through word of mouth or social media. Last year she yielded 250. She also grew one acre of peanuts which she pulled by hand and sold green or boiled. "Susannah Lanier, my agriculture teacher, bought some for the Livestock Association," Mollie said. "I had to prepare a proficiency plan to talk about my projects to allow them to be successful. Brian Elrich, my other Ag teacher helped throughout the process." Mollie's team won 2nd place in Area 4 competition.
        Mollie also helped her local chapter with a year's worth of activities. From the Brooklet Peanut Festival to the Georgia State Fair in Perry, GA; from the Area Awards Banquet to the National Convention; from cleaning up the Ogeechee River to a Veteran's Day service project, at least an activity a week was held during the school year. Mollie also helped the chapter raise funds through the Annual Pork Chop Dinner and the SEB Livestock show and barbeque dinner.
        This summer will be just as active. "It starts June 2nd, you blast off! You take off and don't land!" she said. Mollie will be attending meetings, conventions, training, and conferences. She will spend a week in Athens, a week in Macon, then on to Arkansas for state officer training. In July she will head to Washington, DC, for the state president's conference. "That's the most fun of the year!" Mollie said.
        Until this fall when she will enter the University of Georgia where she plans to major in - what else? Agribusiness.