LEXINGTON – As the 2025 Kentucky FFA Convention came to a close last Thursday, so did the year as president of Kentucky FFA for Trenton Page. Page made history last year by being the first Adair County student elected to that position.
He was introduced to the audience of over 3,000 people by his 12-year-old sister, Carly Page, and his best friend, Jake McQueary.
Page spoke about how much he disliked school during the elementary years. The best part of the day was when his grandmother, Patti Page, picked him up and took him for a Reese’s Blast.
“My grandmother taught me that you can change someone’s day with a five-minute conversation, but as I got older, I realized you can do more than change their day, you can change their entire life,” said Page in his farewell speech.
When Page was in seventh grade, ag teacher Brittany Smith asked him if he wanted to take an FFA class next semester. Page said that he told her he would let her know, with no intentions of letting her know. He didn’t want to do anything that would keep him at school any longer than he had to be. Smith was persistent, and Page ended up taking one of her agriculture classes.
When Page went to high school and continued to take agriculture classes, Smith also moved to the high school to teach.
“She certainly wasn’t a miracle worker,” said Page. In his freshman year, Page said he was “interested in a ton of different things, but school certainly was not in the top 25.”
“One day sitting in class, my perception of school completely changed when I met one person who seemed like they really had it all going on. She was bubbly, friendly to everyone, and had an outgoing personality. I was sitting in the back of that ag class working on entering some farming records, when Emylou came and sat down right beside me,” said Page.
Emylou Miller’s effort to talk to Page made a huge impact on him.
Miller first just said, “Hey Trenton, what’s up?” and he realized a simple conversation starter like that could make a lifetime of difference. She was a senior officer, and she saw the potential in Page and went out of her way to talk to him.
“In that moment she convinced me to become more active in the chapter and even run to become a junior officer, which really started my journey in FFA,” said Page.
“Now what does Ms. Smith, my grandmother and Emylou all have in common? Besides the fact that they are three of my absolute favorite people still to this day, they all took time out of their day to impact my day.”
Page spoke about how valuable time is. Like when his grandmother called him and told him that she had cancer.
“In this moment, everything changed,” said Page. He realized that the time he spent with her in her car after school sharing a Reese’s Blast and talking about his day were the best days of his life. Fortunately, his grandmother survived the cancer and was there to see him give his speech.
The five minutes that Page spoke about can be such a little amount of your time but can make a huge impact on someone else. Five minutes can be life altering.
He continued to speak about all the amazing friendships he has made and how much those friendships meant to him. When he was elected, he knew he needed a mission. He began thinking about all the people whom he met along the way and the impact those people had on him.
“I decided that I wanted to be a friend to Kentucky FFA,” said Page. “It’s on you to pay attention to those around you and realize what you can do to help.”
“I am so joyful for the experiences that I have had because of each and every one of you. You are my friends. Thank you for paying attention to me. Thank you for knowing what I needed. Kentucky FFA, I am so thankful for my grandmother, I am so thankful for Emylou, I am so thankful for Ms. Smith and I am genuinely thankful for each and every one of you,” concluded Page.
Page is the son of Stacey and Joey Page of Columbia. He currently attends University of Kentucky and majors in agricultural education.
By Amy Pike
amy@adairvoice.com
