COLLEGE STATION, Texas — As if starting your freshman year at Texas A&M during a pandemic wasn't hard enough, try balancing life as Texas FFA's community service chair too. Caitlyn Muckensturm is helping connect FFA chapters all over the state to get involved in service projects and give back to their communities.
"It is a lot to handle to be completely honest," said Muckensturm while laughing. "My calendar has become my best friend."
Muckensturm, originally from Krum, was appointed to the position in August 2020.
Community service has always held a huge place in Muckensturm's heart. When she was presented with the opportunity to help other FFA members get involved in service projects, it was an offer she couldn’t pass up.
"This was something my parents instilled in my brother and I from an early age," Muckensturm said. "Try to give back to those in your community, try to give back to those who might not be as fortunate or blessed as ourselves."
Muckensturm is setting three initiatives for her FFA teammates to get involved in for the 2020-2021 school year.
The first initiative is partnering with Blue Jeans Go Green, which is a denim recycling program. The recycled material is turned into cotton insulation which is used to build homes with partners like Habitat for Humanity.
They’ve been able to recycle almost 400 pairs of jeans which are enough to insulate half a home.
The other two initiatives are still in the works, but she plans to get FFA members to collect pop tabs to help raise money for children's hospitals and start food drives for local food pantries.
“Community service isn’t something that should be taken for granted," Muckensturm said. "It shouldn’t be done out of a feeling of needing to do something, instead out of a feeling of wanting to help the community members around you. It’s trying to make sure that our world stays a better place than we found it.”
Muckensturm is also the Area Five Texas FFA vice president. She decided to run for state office because it is her way of giving back to the organization that gave her so much growing up.
Muckensturm is majoring in Agriculture Communications and Journalism at Texas A&M University. She hopes to one day work as a journalist or media publication in the agriculture field.