sixth place at state her senior year.
Franks also spent five years on the livestock judging team. She qualified for state twice and helped the team place third in district competition in 2026. Individually, she earned a top 10 finish at the 2025 Jacksboro contest and placed in the top 20 at the 2026 Tarleton Invitational contest.
During her senior year, she also competed in the Senior Prepared Plant Science competition, placing first in district and third in area.
Beyond FFA, Franks was involved in the National Honor Society and Exchangettes.
Her success, however, did not come without challenges.
Franks said one of the biggest obstacles she faced was gaining enough judging experience. Her team was unable to attend as many contests as some of the schools it competed against, limiting the amount of time she could spend evaluating livestock in competitive settings.
Rather than allow the lack of opportunities to stop her progress, she searched for other ways to improve.
“ When I found myself wanting to learn and practice more, I would find videos on TikTok and YouTube to help me continue to expand my knowledge,” she said.
Franks also paid close attention to the people around her. She learned from her parents, agricultural science teachers, other judging team members and professionals she encountered throughout the agricultural community.
She even studied the judges working the
livestock shows in which she competed.
“ I have watched and tried to learn as much as I could from as many people in the agriculture industry as I could,” she said.
Those watching Franks compete might see the ribbons, awards and contest results. What they might not see are the countless hours required to achieve them.
Much of her work took place behind the
scenes— caring for animals in the barn, studying for Career Development Events, Leadership Development Events and Speaking Development Events, and keeping up with academic assignments missed while traveling to shows and competitions.
Balancing those responsibilities required commitment, discipline and a willingness to keep working even when recognition was not guaranteed.
Franks did not begin showing livestock or judging until eighth grade, making her accomplishments even more meaningful. In just a few years, she transformed from a student new to the agricultural world into a state-qualifying competitor and college recruit.
Her experiences have taught her to trust her own goals, even when others might not understand them.
Her advice to younger students is simple:“ Don’ t let the opinions of others bring you down.”
As Franks begins her next chapter at Howard College, she is not leaving the agricultural world she found in high school. Instead, she is carrying that passion forward.
What began as a new activity in eighth grade has become more than a competition or extracurricular pursuit. It has become the foundation for her future.
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