Commissioner Miller Honors Caitlin Edsall From Red Oak With April 'GROW' Award (4/19/2017)

AUSTIN — Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is pleased to honor Caitlin Edsall, a senior from Red Oak High School in Red Oak, Texas, as the winner of the Texas Department of Agriculture’s monthly GROW award. The award Gives Recognition for Outstanding Work to middle and high school students who demonstrate leadership and excellence inside and outside the classroom.

“I’d like to say how proud I am of Caitlin for earning this month’s GROW award,” Commissioner Miller said. “Young Texans like Caitlin make me hopeful for the future of our great state. She’s got the talent and the drive to succeed that has been fueling success in Texas for hundreds of years. Way to go, Caitlin!”

Caitlin was chosen from hundreds of Texas students for demonstrating leadership and academic success in her school activities, as well as her commitment to community service.

"I am so honored to have been selected as the April GROW award winner,” Caitlin said. “I want to thank my two amazing ag teachers and my incredibly supportive family for always believing in me no matter what and always pushing me to do my best. I owe my passion for agriculture to these amazing mentors in my life, and it is because of them that I am the person I am today. I feel very blessed to have had the opportunity to be involved in the agriculture industry through my FFA chapter the past four years, and I am very excited to continue advocating for the industry as I start this new chapter in my life at Texas A&M and later through my future career. Thank you again for this amazing award and opportunity!"

Caitlin was nominated for the GROW award by Jake Mullican and Adam Robinson, her ag teachers and FFA advisors at Red Oak High School. She is shining star in the classroom, maintaining a high GPA and a spot in the top ten of her graduating class. She is a member of the FFA, Student Council and National Honor Society. Her teachers note her impeccable time management skills as helping her balance academics and extracurricular activities so well.

“I’ve known Caitlin Edsall for almost three years now,” Mullican said. “I have known her in the role as an accomplished student. I have known her in the role as an organizational leader. And, I have known her in the role as an amazing, confident and apt young lady. I highly recommend Ms. Edsall for the Texas Department of Agriculture’s GROW award.”

In his nomination, Mullican noted that Caitlin is an accomplished and dependable leader. She is a member of the Red Oak FFA Chapter and has served as the chapter president for the last two years. She has also served above the local level with a stint as president of the Corsicana FFA District where she was a representative for more than 20 schools in her district.

Additionally, she has participated in FFA leadership development activities like Junior and Senior FFA Creed Speaking Events, Senior Prepared Public Speaking and the Senior Parliamentary Procedure team. She has also competed in Career Development Events such as Wool Judging and the Vet Med Applications Team.

Caitlin has also actively been involved in the show ring. She has shown sheep all across the state for the last three years, including at the State Fair of Texas, Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, local Ellis County Youth Exposition and many others.

In her community, Caitlin is actively involved in her church’s youth group, logging many community service hours and participating in numerous projects through her church.

“Caitlin is truly a one-in-a-million student, leader and wonderful human being,” Mullican said. “For these reasons, I again highly recommend Ms. Caitlin Edsall for the Texas Department of Agriculture’s GROW award.”

After graduation, Caitlin plans to attend Texas A&M University and major in soil and crop sciences. She hopes to become a crop scientist or agronomist and work for the Natural Resources and Conservation Services.

For more on Caitlin’s accomplishments, click here. The Texas Department of Agriculture established the GROW award to celebrate outstanding student leaders who demonstrate excellence in either their academic or extracurricular activities. Students can be nominated by community leaders such as teachers, coaches, school administrators, mayors, county judges or anyone else committed to recognizing youth leadership and achievement.

Between October to May each year, TDA selects one Texas student per month to receive the GROW award. Our final award of the 2016-2017 school year will be given out in May 2017. Nominations will be due by May 1, 2017. To learn more about GROW, click here.