EDCOUCH — The chances weren’t great.

It fact, it was a long shot. Yet, Edgar Diaz felt it all along.

As the State Farm Youth Advisory going through its selection process, Diaz’ chances were only 1 in 20 from across the nation to be named a 2009-10 State Farm Youth Advisory Associate Board member.

 
To get a better perspective, only 17 out of 300 applicants were selected from across the country.

Still, Diaz had a hunch he would get the call.

Turns out the Edcouch-Elsa graduate was right.

“The truth is I got a letter through the mail saying, ‘I’m sorry and thank you for participating,’” Diaz said. “But I didn’t pay attention to that. Two weeks later Matthew Maloney (Youth Advisory Board) apologized.
“I told him not to worry because I knew I was supposed to be there.”

Diaz is now part a member of the board that will oversee a $5 million State Farm funded initiative to address issues important to State Farm and communities across the United States and Canada, according to a press release. Diaz has committed to a one-year term and is to serve 15 hours a month on the board. Diaz has an opportunity to serve a second term, during which he will be given a $3,000 scholarship the first year and $5,000 the next, should he stay on board.

Diaz became the first State Farm Youth Advisory Board member chosen from the Rio Grande Valley.

“I feel honored to be able to help people,” Diaz said. “It’s basically helping others to help others.”

A ceremony was held last week at the Llano Grande House in Elsa where friends and members of State Farm Agency attended, including Robert Elizalde, an agent from McAllen and Elsa native.

“It’s special to me because this area has been about opening doors,” Elizalde said. “(It’s about) Putting someone in the spotlight in an area that didn’t have a spotlight.”

Diaz has already gotten accustomed to making financial decisions within his community, helping his school and the Llano Grande Center write an application for their recently awarded $100,000 Youth Advisory Board grant. This summer, Diaz and a group of students are expected to participate in a financial literacy training seminar hosted by University of Texas-Pan American, where they will learn financial planning.

As for the opportunity at State Farm Youth Advisory Board, Diaz is the least bit intimidated with making big decisions at that level.

“I’m pretty sure I could do it,” Diaz said. “I just need to get experience.”