EASTERN HANCOCK — She’s only a teenager in high school, but Emily Grant has already created a self-help social media page for farmers, complete with inspirational posts and professional help videos.
The social media page, “The Whole Farmer,” is just the beginning of what Emily, a junior at Eastern Hancock, hopes to accomplish as she builds toward a professional career in the agriculture industry.
“I have an extreme passion for agriculture. That’s the background for me as well as my faith,” Emily said.
Through her work in the Future Farmers of American, Hancock County 4-H, the Grit and Grace Nation program and even the Professional Bull Riding Association, Emily is constantly learning and reaching out to work with and help others.
Eastern Hancock Elementary Principal Amanda Pyle first met Emily when she started attending the district in second grade. The first thing she noticed about the youngster back then was how kind she was.
“I have been privileged to watch her grow from a shy girl to an amazing young lady who is so confident, kind and compassionate,” Pyle said. “She wants to help others and when she sees a need she doesn’t shy away from helping.”
Emily is an active member of the Eastern Hancock and district FFA program as well as a longtime participant in 4-H. However, she also recently joined a newer program called Grit and Grace Nation. The program is designed to inspire middle and high school girls to lead with courage through exposure to successful female mentors and western sports.
Emily was a recent top 10 finalist in the Grit and Grace Nation video scholarship contest where she showcased her community service program — the social media page. Grit and Grace Nation has a partnership with the Professional Bull Riding (PBR) Association. It was during a PBR event last year where Emily found out about Grit and Grace Nation and decided she needed to join.
“I like Grit and Grace Nation because it focuses on people’s grace through a person’s faith,” Emily said. “It’s about leadership and courage.”
Emily noted how she attend a Washington leadership conference through the district FFA awhile back and while there came up with “The Whole Farmer” service project idea.
That prompted her to create a social media page on Instagram and Facebook focusing on the mental, physical and social well-being of the farmer. As a person who has grown up in the farming community and is active in it now, Emily said she knows many in the industry who could use this kind of support.
“I know there are lots of farmers out there who do struggle with mental health, so I wanted to start something that would be a resource to them,” Emily said. “I wanted to focus on their mental, physical and the spiritual aspect of their faith as well as that social part.”
While Emily started the social media site to help farmers and to serve others, she ended up creating a video of her service project and submitted it to the Grit and Grace Nation scholarship opportunity where she was named a top 10 state finalist. That earned Emily a trip to Indianapolis for the Grit and Grace Nation Gala recently where she had the chance to network and meet many people who are part of the PBR.
“I didn’t win the scholarship, but I really entered to see how it would go and to go through the experience,” Emily said. “It was so much fun because I got to meet a lot of people who are big and active in the western world and that was a very cool experience.”
Pyle noted Emily’s social media page “The Whole Farmer” is just a small example of what she’s done for the community. Just last year, Emily made signs to display at the fairgrounds to encourage students to join 4-H and FFA and to encourage those who participated. She also organized a show clothes swap with her 4-H group last year to help ensure all kids who wanted to show had the clothes for the event.
Those who know Emily say the work she’s doing in high school is just the beginning of what she will accomplish as she becomes an adult.
“There is no doubt that she is going to do amazing things,” Pyle said.
Emily plans to attend Purdue University and study agriculture, marketing and design. Her gameplan includes working for the state on the administrative side in agriculture where she can make a real impact.
“I want to grow ‘The Whole Farmer’ bigger than it is now,” Emily said.
She noted being involved in so many programs now as well as keeping her grades up and working keeps her busy, but Emily said it’s a fun time to branch out and push herself while also helping others.
