Facing serious medical problems, teenager finds comfort in FFA

Being involved with agriculture is a "safe place" for Mariah Miller, reporter for the 42-member Blooming Prairie Future Farmers of America chapter.
On a recent day, Miller was helping another BP FFA member Erin O'Brien take care of a month-old Holstein calf that was brought to Farm Safety Day at Central Park in Blooming Prairie.
Miller has been faced with some serious health issues, having two brain surgeries since May.
She is suffering from hydrocephalus, which means she has too much brain fluid in her ventricles. "They are triple the normal size," Miller says. She currently has a VP shunt wrapped about twice leading to her stomach.
Miller resides on a farm with her parents. She is the lone child.
She moved into the Blooming Prairie school district two years ago. "Blooming Prairie is such a good school," Miller declares.
Miller has not let her medical issues deter from involvement in FFA and other school activities. "My animals have helped me forget about personal health problems," she said. She also said her friends in Blooming Prairie care about her.
She has played volleyball and basketball and shoots trap year round. She also loves archery.
In addition to FFA, Miller is active in the Moscow 4-H Club. She has been in FFA for four years, two years in Blooming Prairie and two years in Albert Lea.
Because of her health issues, Miller has had to make adjustments. She attended Pacelli School in Austin prior to coming to Blooming Prairie. She said she was bullied in the Austin school.
Miller says it is "a great honor" to be in the Blooming Prairie FFA chapter. She enjoyed talking to BP Elementary School students who visited her and other chapter members on Farm Safety Day.
"It makes me really happy to see the younger kids light up when you talk to them about animals and farming," says Miller.
She takes two online classes in addition to spending abut four hours in actual school. She missed over 70 days of school last year.
"I have learned that some things are more important than others, for example, my animals are important to me," she said.
Miller has a junior yearling Charolais cow named Elsie and also has a donkey. She obtained a special loan when she was 12 to buy her first red Angus animal. At 14, she bought another cow.
Her parents farm more than 1,600 acres. Her grandfather is also a crop farmer. "I got my parents interested in animals, and I love my pigs and cows," she said. "My cat is my best friend," she points out.
Her family also breeds Pomskies dogs, a small canine reaching 15 pounds.
"I love farm work, and FFA is also something I love," Miller affirms.