Ingram Tom Moore High School senior named Austin Market's Ag Student of the Week

The National FFA Association provides students with the opportunity to compete in 24 different career development events, known as CDEs, in an effort to help students in agriculture find their niche. With the help of her advisor and fellow FFA members, Ingram Tom Moore High School senior Maggie Rector has been able to do just that.

Her agricultural journey began 12 years ago when she joined the 4-H program. Through 4-H, Rector participated in shooting sports, outdoor challenge, and raised market goat projects. She also served in leadership positions on the local and county level, including the roles of secretary, third vice president, reporter, and club delegate.

Her involvement in 4-H soon inspired her to join her school’s FFA program, where she has been an active member for the past five years.

Through FFA, Rector competes in various contests including agronomy, quiz, skills, ag advocacy, creed speaking, and agriscience fair. Her agricultural mechanics team recently earned a blue ribbon at the San Angelo Stock Show for the gun safe that they built. Rector also helped to build a trailer hitch game hoist, which was named the division champion at the district ag mechanics show. In addition to LDE and CDE events, Rector currently serves as the chapter president, and has helped facilitate leadership trainings for other FFA members.

In 2023, the Ingram Tom Moore FFA wildlife team won the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo wildlife judging competition. Rector herself earned the title of High Point Individual, an experience she says has been one of her favorite during her agricultural journey.

“It was really cool to be able to experience that with my team and with my coach,” said Rector.

Her success in the range and wildlife competitions through FFA inspired Rector to pursue a degree in range and wildlife management from Sul Ross State University beginning in the fall. She hopes to use this degree to become a wildlife biologist.

“Through this career field, I feel that I will be able to help give back to the land and the wildlife inhabiting it, and help to conserve our natural resources,” said Rector.

Congratulations on your outstanding accomplishments Maggie, the Capital Farm Credit team wishes you the best of luck in your future endeavors.