My name is Jason Perry. I was raised on a small family farm just north of Bement, Illinois. On that farm, my three older brothers and I were exposed to a variety of production agriculture systems. We raised corn, soybeans, pigs, and sheep. I have many pleasant memories associated with all of them.
One of the things that influenced my life significantly growing up was showing swine. I spent summers traveling from county fair to county fair and exhibiting at the state fair helped me learn about agriculture, start networking with other people in the swine industry, and, most importantly, bond with my family and friends.
Perhaps the most influential part of my life to date was my experience on the University of Illinois' Intercollegiate Meats Judging Team. In the spring of 2007, I joined the team, following in my older brother's footsteps. Little did I know that experience would take me around the world…literally. We traveled to Australia in the summer of 2007 and won their national contest. Then in the fall, we traveled the country from Pennsylvania to Texas judging. From these experiences I have gained a greater confidence in my ability to make a decision and defend it. Also, I gained a new respect for what it is to be part of a team.
I am currently a senior at the University of Illinois. I am also student teaching at Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School where I teach Introduction to Agriculture, Ag Mechanics, Biological Science Applications in Agriculture, Aquaculture/Environmental Science, Ag Business, and Ag Technology. I hope to teach agriculture at the high school level, and to utilize my experience to help grow a program and a community.
Click here to view a pdf of my resume.
