Two Bristow students attended the 2026 American Farmers & Ranchers (AFR) Youth Leadership Summit July 21 – August 28. The annual retreat develops leadership skills in junior high and high school students that will prepare them for future educational and professional experiences.
More than 300 students from across Oklahoma participated in one of two AFR Leadership Summit sessions—Teen Summit and Senior Summit. Steele McNiel attended the 2026 Teen Leadership Summit. Hadlie Bell attended the 2026 Senior Leadership Summit.
The theme for this year’s AFR Leadership Summit was “Beyond the Summit.” Summit attendees participated in development activities that will benefit them now and in the future. Students learned life skills, such as setting and achieving shortand long-term goals and working in teams. They also learned the value of personal responsibility, respect for their peers and many other positive attributes.
“The AFR Leadership Summit is a great way for the youth of Oklahoma to learn skills that will benefit them throughout their lives,” said AFR Cooperative President Scott Blubaugh. “We are proud to invest in the future of Oklahoma through our state’s agricultural youth. This is just one way of demonstrating that investment in communities across our state.”
In addition to this year's leadership development activities, Summit attendees also engaged in a camp-wide service project. For the Teen Summit, students assembled over 250 military care packages for service men and women, while Senior campers packaged more than 20,000 meals to support families in need.
The AFR Youth Leadership Summit is just one of many AFR Youth Program traditions. The organization also hosts an agriculture achievement contest, statewide scholarships, speech contests, livestock judging and grading competitions, and many other development opportunities. For more information on this contest or other AFR Youth Program projects, contact AFR Youth Development Coordinator Cara Comstock at (405)218-5566 or cara.comstock@afrmic.com.
AFR Cooperative is a membership services organization established in 1905 as Oklahoma Farmers Union. AFR provides educational, legislative and cooperative programs across the state and serves as a watchdog for Oklahoma’s family farmers and ranchers and rural communities. The organization is actively supportive of the state’s agricultural industry and rural population with membership consisting of farmers actively involved in production agriculture and non-farmers adding their voice in support of AFR principles.