Friday morning, senior Taylor Barber signed a livestock judging scholarship to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College while surrounded by friends, family and teachers.

Barber has been associated with FFA and 4-H for over 14 years, and now she is ready to take what she has learned and apply it at a collegiate level.

Barber said during the first of every month, she and other livestock judges will travel to junior area colleges and judge their livestock in teams of four. 

The majority of schools that have livestock judging teams are located out west, but Barber has heard they are working to get a team here in Georgia. She first learned about the opportunity when she attended a youth leadership conference and they toured Oklahoma State.

“I fell in love with it,” she said.

Barber said she had always wanted to do livestock judging at a higher level, so when the opportunity presented itself she was elated.

She had a couple of different offers, but Oklahoma A&M College felt right.

“Whenever I went and toured it, it reminded the most of my hometown,” she said.

Barber said she will take everything she has learned the past four years through FFA and 4-H with her.

“I met most of my friends from far off and I will always remember it,” she said.

Barber is not the first student from Bainbridge to attend Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College; in fact one of her family friends did and has been preparing her for what to expect.

Barber is ready to begin the next phase of her life and FFA teacher, Victoria Rawls couldn’t be more proud.

“Good luck at NEO. We are beyond proud to call you our own. Spread your wings, but never forget your roots!” Rawls finished.