First person: Texico teen keeps schedule packed

CNJ staff photo: Liliana Castillo Belynn Sharp of Texico is involved with 4-H, FFA and cheerleading. She plans to study business at West Texas A&M University after high school.

Texico High School senior Belynn Sharp was awarded the New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association’s Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Committee Scholarship. She said she plans to go to West Texas A&M University and study small business entrepreneurship.

After college, Sharp said she wants to start her own business as a wedding planner.

Application process: You or your parent has to be a member of the New Mexico Cattle Grower’s Association. My dad is a member. I applied online. I wrote an essay and filled out an application.

The essay had to be about how agriculture affects your life. Ag has been a big part of my whole life. I’ve been in 4-H since I was nine and in Future Farmers of America since seventh grade. I live on a ranch with 4,000 dairy heifers.

Honor: It’s a really prestigious award. A lot of kids I know applied for it. It’s an honor to get it and be looked at that way by cattle growers across New Mexico.

What to do: When I first started my senior year, I was so lost. Then one day I had a major epiphany and realized I want to be a wedding planner. I’m really creative and I’ve always wanted to start my own business.

Keeping busy: I’m involved with 4-H and FFA. I served as a state 4-H diplomat and state 4-H treasurer and held several offices in her local 4-H club. In FFA, I served as chapter and district FFA sentinel as well as showing animals. I like 4-H and FFA because I like meeting all the people.

I ... know one person from every county. It’s good for my future. It’s good networking and there are good leadership and scholarship opportunities.

I’m a member of Texico’s state champion cheerleading team.

I also competed in the 2010 Miss High School America pageant as Miss New Mexico High School. It went well. I didn’t make top 15. I was brand new to everything.

It was really cool meeting all 51 girls. It was almost like they had different cultures. Like some of the girls from the north call a water fountain a bubbler and some people say coke, some say pop and some say soda.

It was fun, really nice. And they weren’t catty. I was fun and relaxed the whole time.

— Compiled by CNJ staff writer Liliana Castillo