FFA National Officers' Blog

Bethany's Blessing- A New Beginning

2010-10-20T20:21:00.002-04:00

So this is it...the final blog post. It seems only right to starts at where our team began-with our team mission RHTEB. (Yes, in fact it is a word that we made up.) Made-Up word or not, it has taken on more than just a purpose for our team, but it has created a lifestyle for this year. Roots. Heart. Trust. Empower. Blessed.

Roots

Coming from the Labette County FFA chapter in a small town in Southeast Kansas.

Never before have I been so proud to call this home--because you all have taught me the value of a belief in where we come from. Whether California, Georigia, Maine, or Idaho--be proud.

Heart

The human heart know no boundaries. We were created to Love and to Love deeply. I would also like to thank my family, friends, and teammates for showing me that love stretches beyond distance, no matter how far-- always.

Trust

Serving with 5 of the most incredible people that I've ever met in my life has taught me the value of trusting people and trusting in a bigger plan than we can imagine.

Empower

As much as it was suppose to be our team who were to empower the people we met this year. You've inspired us. This year I've met people who have overcome more than I could ever even imagine, people who are making a difference that few can even dream of, and you have pushed me to believe in dreams bigger than I ever have before.

Blessed

Future plans include returning back to Kansas State University where I'm studying Ag Communications & Journalism and Ag Economics. Graduating in May 2012, I plan to follow wherever God leads and forever be reminded of how blessed we are.

Thank you for blessing me with the greatest year of my life thus far!

I know that in my heart man is good. That what is right will always eventually triumph. And there's purpose and worth to each and every life. ~Ronald Reagen

The Adventures of Alex: The Big E and Missouri

2010-10-11T11:19:00.004-04:00

Gosh, this is a crazy, weird, exciting, sad, satisfied feeling… I just wrapped up my last two weeks with FFA members before convention and it seems like everything has flown by in a blur.

First, I spent three days with some outstanding Eastern Region FFA members at the Big E – The Eastern States Exposition. It’s a multistate fair that showcases livestock and agricultural literacy while sprinkling in a HUGE midway, carnival shows and a circus. One of the coolest parts of the fairgrounds is that each New England state has a “house” jam-packed with tons of stuff from that state – food, crafts and products. Like, the Maine house sells 80,000 potatoes over the course of the three-week fair. Vermont has a Ben and Jerry’s booth and Massachusetts has fresh cider and donuts. Needless to say, I ate my way through the fair.

But the crowning jewel of the Big E is that FFA members from Maine to Virginia, Delaware to Ohio come together to compete in 20 Career Development Events. Over the course of two days, students tested their knowledge and demonstrated their skills.

The three best parts of the week?

•One, hanging out with the State President interns and our late night, cross-country trip to Olive Garden.
•Two, getting to meet tons of Eastern Region FFA members who were so excited to be at the Big E.
•Three, seeing the look on the Ohio Agriculture Mechanics team when they were announced as the winners of the contest. They were sitting right in front of my table and I’ll never forget the way their eyes lit up and smiles spilled off their faces when their names were called. That excitement, passion and success is what FFA is all about.

My first trip to the Big E was nothing short of AMAZING and I can’t wait to go back! I highly recommend it to everyone interested in agriculture, FFA and a fun time.

I spent the second week traveling with the nicest, most compassionate, service-driven woman I’ve ever met, Mrs. Nancy Alford in the Missouri Corn Board’s corn van. We visited three or four schools a day, and then headed to an Area Leadership Conference each evening.

On Monday, we visited Bourbon, Cuba, Owensville and Hermann. I loved hanging out with the Owensville officer team and taking some crazy pictures. It was really exciting to hear that Cuba won the Area Rituals Contest too!

On Tuesday, we were off to Norwood, Thayer, Koshkonong and Houston. The Thayer FFA cookout was a hit and I loved getting to know their officers and members over some delicious hamburgers.

On Wednesday, Mrs. Alford and I hit up Puxico, Naylor, Neelyville, Twin Rivers and Holcomb. I ate WAY too many donuts in Puxico and even got to participate in their “Meet Me at the Pole” morning. The Area Leadership Conference in Holcomb was especially fun and dinner at Strawberry’s BBQ was amazing.

Thursday was my last day of visits and we traveled to Fredericktown, Woodland, Meadow Heights and Sikeston. The trip up the twisty roads to Woodland almost did me in, but lunch was well worth it. Meadow Heights was a great last visit and their officers cracked me up!

My week in Missouri was one of my favorites of the entire year because I got to spend time with chapter members, watch them shine and have fun with some of the most passionate, driven people this country has to offer. It captured the spirit of FFA and has fueled me through the stressful craziness of convention preparation.

Thank you to everyone I met at the Big E and in Missouri!! You’ve reminded me what this year and this organization are all about.

Chelsea's Travels: All Good Things Must Come to an End or Do They?

2010-10-10T15:18:00.004-04:00

This has been the best year of my life! Serving as a National FFA Officer has been a dream of mine since I was a junior in high school. Just the other day, I was organizing my papers and stumbled upon my application for chapter office that was completed while I was a junior at Eagleville High School. I explained that I wanted to become a chapter officer, a state officer, and a national officer. It seems like just yesterday that I was eagerly awaiting the results of the 2006 chapter elections and now I'm preparing to hang up my corduroy jacket for good.

They say, "All good things must come to an end." But when it comes to FFA I have to disagree. In fact, there is still much to do once our active membership ends. We may become Collegiate FFA members or Alumni members. As Collegiate FFA members we may attend National and State FFA Convention, compete in competitions, and recruit college classmates to assist in reaching out to prospective agriculture students. As Alumni members we may also attend National and State FFA Convention as well as the Alumni FFA Convention. We can coach and mentor FFA members and compete at the Alumni level as well.

No, not all good things come to an end. We owe it to FFA to find every way possible to give back. This organization has given me more than I could have ever dreamed to receive. It is my pledge to invest in future generations of members in the same way that others have invested in me. I hope you'll do the same.

Randa's Journey- Wisconsin SLW's

2010-10-04T22:47:00.004-04:00

Hello Friends!!

Oh WISCONSIN!! What an incredible trip, complete with dairies, cheese, ice cream and little bit colder weather than that Texas heat. A special thank you to the Wisconsin FFA state officer team Alicia, Amy, Whitney, Noah, Anna, Ethan, Sam, Samantha, Cory, Julie and Laura for making last week an experience I will never forget!
Our first trip of the week started off with visits to Renk Seed and Landmark Co-op where I was able to learn more about what Wisconsin agriculture looks like. Followed with an awesome lunch, we were able to set out for our first Sectional Leadership Workshop of the week at Belleville High School. I must admit, I was pretty jazzed because my home chapter is Bellville, TX :) After meeting and working with some outstanding members, the spirit stick was awarded and we all got to enjoy some Subway sandwiches with Belleville FFA officers. That night I had the privilege of staying at a REAL dairy with the Brown family complete with a tour and all!
Tuesday morning we were in for a real treat as we were able to attend the World Dairy Expo in Madison, WI. I was able to present two leadership workshops as well as be a part of two radio interviews, but that can’t hold a candle to how much I learned about the dairy industry that day! Dairy cattle were brought in from all over and shown for their qualities. There were cheese exhibits and tons of FFA members to meet! After a fun filled day we also had the opportunity to receive some key messaging training from Andrea Bloom, a past Wisconsin state officer, on how to portray our messages on agriculture. I found it extremely informative, interactive and an awesome time as we worked on the best ways to convey agriculture! To top of a fun filled day we were able to wind down with team time by having a hot fire and some s’mores out at Noah’s house in Lake Mills.
Wednesday was just as fun-filled as we were able to tour Tyson Meats in Jefferson. Some of our group was able to take a tour of the facilities and we learned that most pepperonis that come on your frozen pizzas are made in that plant. This was then followed by a tour of United Cooperative in Beaver Dam and we quickly found ourselves headed to the second SLW of the week at Lake Mills High School! Just like earlier the theme was “setting up camp” as the state officers presented a skit followed by workshops for all the members in attendance. We had a great turnout and crowd as I loved getting to know all the members in Section 10!
When Thursday came around there was a very bittersweet feeling in the air. It was the last SLW for the state officer team and my last workshop as a national officer and honestly I could not have been more blessed to end in Wisconsin. Our morning started with a tour of Scoops Ice Cream where we watching how they mix the ice cream, followed by a tour of Stoelting/Polarware which is the company that makes the slushee and soft serve machines. With a morning like that, it could only mean that I had TWO ice cream cones before noon and it wasn’t even for lunch! How exciting! After learning so much on the tours we were greeted at Kiel High school for our last SLW. We couldn’t have asked for it go any better as we saw Section 9 FFA members in action, quite a talented group! The Kiel FFA was to kind as they hosted dinner for us and took care of us the entire evening. Thank you Kiel, y’all rock!
To all the Wisconsin FFA members and state officers, thank you for the experience of a lifetime! I loved getting to know each of you and see the remarkable group that you are! Keep being amazing and thank you for a wonderful end to my national officer year. Be Blessed!

The state officers prepping for SLWs!

Real dairy cattle at the World Dairy Expo!

Some awesome FFA members

The winners of the spirit stick!

Anna and Laura preparing our pints of ice cream :)

They had Bacon Ice Cream!

They gave me a real cheese hat, thank you guys!

Bethany's Blessing---Final Weeks of Travel

2010-10-04T21:24:00.000-04:00

These last few weeks of travel have been AWESOME!

Love Jesus

Quick Recap:

1 Week in Wisconsin= 11 AMAZING state officers, 4 SLWs, Hundreds of WI FFA members, and Thousands of Seconds of Laughter

Love Jesus.

Make Jesus More Famous each day.

Visited the Girard FFA chapter in Southeast Kansas for their Greenhand Orientation Night! This group is definitely one of my favorites!

Tractor Supply Company Vendors Meeting

Why they believe in Us: "TSC has been a proud partner with the FFA for 23 years. The efforts of the FFA help young people learn valuable life skills for the future. It's our honor to be an FFA silver sponsor and help advance the work of this important organization."

We spent our time helping at a Golf Tournament where all of the proceeds were donated to FFA. $50,000 was raised at this one event. Wow!

Love Jesus. Love Him. Glorify Him in ALL

Love Jesus.

Make Jesus more Famous every day of my life.

All in for Him

Crop Life America

Met Hundreds of business men and women down in Florida who believe in FFA and support us. This group of people have a focus on crop protection. FFA members look forward to meeting some of them at National FFA Convention.

They have this awesome new concept called

"Modern Agriculture." Check out their youtube video by clicking on it!

Catching up with Chase- Value of Time

2010-10-03T12:38:00.002-04:00

Hello all,

Wow, seriously where did time go, I can't believe it is already October! Our team is in the midst of preparing for National FFA Convention, I hope everyone is stoked to get to Indianapolis for the best week of the year.

Words cannot explain how incredibly blessed I feel to have had the opportunity to serve as an officer, and to have met so many incredible people. This will be my final blog as an officer and I would like to share with you a message that Levy and I found earlier this year about the value of time.

To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade.

To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of ONE WEEK, ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of ONE HOUR, ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of ONE MINUTE, ask a person who missed the train.

To realize the value of ONE SECOND, ask a person who just avoided an accident.

To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND, ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Treasure every moment that you have! And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time.

And remember, time waits for no one.

Yesterday is history.

Tomorrow is a mystery.

Today is a gift. That's why it's called the present.

To each person that I have had the privilege to interact with this year THANK YOU! You have truly made an impact in my life and I cannot thank you enough for all the wonderful memories.

Chase Rose

Randa's journey- NW Missouri Visits!

2010-09-19T22:44:00.006-04:00

Hello Friends!!

As the year continues to wind down, there continues to be some outstanding members all across the nation! Recently I was able to attend the Northwest district of Missouri where I had the chance to travel chapter to chapter and see what incredible things they were up to. The week started off when I flew into Kansas City and was greeted by the Fairfax FFA chapter. They were incredible hosts as my evening consisted of crossing over to the Nebraska line (because I had not been there yet :) ) eating some good Missouri food and finishing up with some rockin ice cream at the Dairy Diner! The next morning started off at Tarkio high school where the Rockport, Fairfax, West Nodaway and Mound City FFA chapters met us. After a fun and eventful workshop the West Nodaway FFA chapter took me to experience my first Casey’s convenient store and eat lunch their cafeteria! Afterwards we were then on the way to Maryville FFA!
Tuesday was awesome as I met with South Nodaway, Nodaway Holt and Jefferson FFA chapters in the morning along with the Savannah, King City, North Andrew and DeKalb chapters. I enjoyed a ride with the DeKalb FFA as I journeyed over to Plattsburg for the evening. When in Plattsburg I was able to eat dinner with the advisor, Mr. Adam and his family. Not to mention the great Mexican food we got to eat!! As Wednesday rolled around, I had the chance to hang out with Plattsburg, Smithville, Lathrop, North Platte and Stewartsville FFA chapters who were oh so much fun to be around. On the way to Tina-Avalon High School we had the chance to stop by the Shatto Creamery and taste their milks which ranged from the Root Beer milk, Orange milk, Strawberry milk and Chocolate! But honestly probably the best milk I have ever had in my whole life!! As I had my chocolate milk in hand I got to roll into the Tina-Avalon where I met with the first class of freshmen. Whether we were rapping or running around they made the trip eventful! After meeting with chapter officers and sophomores the day continued to be outstanding. After school we got to eat more Mexican food (Mexican is my favorite which makes me happy) as we went on our to Greenhand initiation for all the greenhands in Area 2.
Thursday started off at the Chillicothe FFA! Now Chillicothe has an incredible agricultural education program as they facilities from the Litton Foundation which includes a 36 acre farm. Here students are given the ability to experience agriculture whether they are taking care of animals, learning about grasses or uses machinery this program puts a whole new meaning to learning by doing! I had a blast getting to meet them as we enjoyed wing night at Pink Oak shooting range that evening!! In the afternoon I was able to meet with Hale high school. Here I got to work everyone from the 7th and 8th graders all the way up to the seniors and oh did they make me feel welcomed! When Friday came about I had an incredible end to my week. I got to hang out with the Hamilton FFA Chapter in the morning and finish up with the Cameron FFA chapter in the afternoon. I was able to hang out with the freshmen and sophomores and we had a blast!
This was one of the highlights of my year and I could never say thank you enough to all the chapters and advisors for such a great experience. Whether it was eating wonderful food, presenting workshops or just getting to know some Missourians this week was one I will never forget!

Just a few of the chapters from the week!

My first time at a Casey's convenient store!

Fairfax!

We ate lunch at the school cafeteria and it was really good!

Courtney and Taylor from Tina-Avalon as we went to eat Mexican food!

Greenhand initiation

Area 2 officers right after greenhand initiation, they rocked!

the 7th and 8th graders of Hale FFA.

Wing night at Pine Oak Shooting range with Chillicothe FFA.

Chillicothe FFA officers at dinner

Oh they are fun!

Chelsea's Travels: It's all Business in Virginia, D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and The Big Apple

2010-09-10T15:51:00.005-04:00

EXPRESS YOURSELF!

(photo taken on the set of Saturday Night Live in NYC)

In the hot August sun, I got to go on a week long business and industry tour. This year I have visited with 71 companies who either sponsor, sponsored, or might sponsor FFA. These companies range from Mitsui in Japan to NBC in New York City. There were a lot of agriculture companies, but plenty of others who only wanted to invest in America's youth. Despite the differences between them, each of these companies had one thing in common, they LOVE what FFA is all about!

I wondered why this was true. Being an FFA member it's not always easy to see what makes this organization so special. So with a little effort, I looked at FFA from a broader stand point and it's clear - WE CAN EXPRESS OURSELVES. We express ourselves through our speeches, our supervised agricultural experiences, and our service. In today's world, most people our age seek to express themselves through odd piercings, obscure tattoos, rebellious acts, and sometimes violence. Why? Because it makes them different.

Well, FFA members - NEWS ALERT - we're different from nearly every teenager or early twenties kid. We know how to express ourselves without turning to the counterculture. Take pride in what FFA has done for you and in your own abilities to express yourself as a confident, talented, well-behaved contributor to the world around us.

Take a look at some of these pictures from my trip that started in Virginia, went through D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. These businesses are outstanding and they believe in us. They believe in FFA.

Chelsea's Travels: Where did summer go?

2010-08-31T15:15:00.003-04:00

Bethany's Blessings-New School Year

2010-08-26T07:54:00.006-04:00

i have always been delighted at a prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start with perhaps a big of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning. ~Joseph Priestly

(chase the cross,

love Jesus,

serve Him above all else)

A week ago our team got back from retreat which kicked off National Convention Prep. Yeah, no kidding! We can't believe it ourselves...convention is in t-minus 56 days! Over the last 10 months we have had too many laughs, inside jokes, and memories created with you---how we love reliving some of these stories! But we realize that as we're preparing for the BIG celebration of the year most of you are starting a new year of school with a new class schedule, new chapter officers, and maybe even a new advisor.

A good friend passed this on to me-i think it sums up some of the new freedom that we find each new school year. Most importantly, it holds the reminder to be 100% ourselves.

(Love yourself as He does)

Fresh Start

Here marks a fresh start

a new freedom for my heart

My chance at being me,

doing what I want, totally free.

And it won't be a big deal.

It's nothing like I thought,

I survived the battles I fought.

My thoughts are all gone,

like the night at down.

My soul is free of sorrow,

I'll do what I want tomorrow.

I can't be held or bound.

I will spread my wings and leave this ground.

Distraction has no control.

My life will no longer be dull.

I will have the power.

I'll pass the highest tower.

Don't try to stop me now,

'Cause you won't know how.

For I will be totally free.

And I'll be one hundred percent me!

by xOx

The Adventures of Alex: Toyota Visit to the Catholic Childrens Home

2010-08-09T06:21:00.002-04:00

It’s time for another leadership blog… YIPPEE! Hooray! OOOOHHHH Yeah!! Boom, boom, firepower!

But, this leadership lesson isn’t from me. It’s not about influence, character or SMART goals. This lesson isn’t an easy one. It’s from 12 Kentucky students who are at least two years younger than our freshman members. These students live at the Catholic Children’s Home near Toyota’s Erlanger offices and have had to deal with situations most of us can’t even imagine.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s start at the beginning.

Levy, Chase, Chelsea and I had the privilege of spending a day with these students per request of one of our dedicated sponsors, Toyota. When we met the students, they seemed pretty average. They had just dried off from the pool and almost all of them had multiple silly bands.

We jumped into some pretty regular workshops, completed some fun activities and attempted to teach some leadership lessons. But, they ended up teaching us more than we ever could have taught them.

One moment of the day that has really stuck with me was when Chase asked the students how their lives will change when they get a job. Expecting the typical, “Having money,” “Buying a house,” “Starting a savings account” answers, I didn’t think much of it.

I was blown away by what the students replied.
“Taxes.” “MORTGAGE.” “Getting fired.” “Quitting.”

One of the students even said, “Well you can keep your family and friends if you have a job.”

Timeout: What happened to the days when a kid’s biggest concern was whether Scooby-Doo came on before their bedtime? How could boys and girls be exposed to these big, scary adult words when some of them haven’t even learned to read a chapter book? Isn’t everyone’s childhood a lot like mine?!

It’s called “The Transitive Property of ME (TPOM)” – well, that’s what I just titled it. So many times, we assume that the privileges we were afforded, the family we have, the opportunities we’ve been given, the world that we know is the same as everyone else’s. I’ve had the realization that this ISN’T true on multiple occasions, but I always seem to slip into TPOM.

The day at the Children’s Home helped me snap back to reality once again.
It was evident from the job comments and our conversations the rest of the day that these students didn’t have the same home life that I did. In fact, these students were robbed of part of their childhood and have had to put up a wall to protect themselves from a harsh world they were thrown into WAY too early.

So many kids, like the ones we met at the Children’s Home, have to worry about things we can only dream of. Parents who do drugs. Families ripped apart. No role models to look up to.

Think about how blessed we are! We might not have a perfect life and we may have encountered difficult situations. But, our lives aren’t harder than anyone else’s.
Stop assuming that we are all the same. The TPOM doesn’t apply to our world whether you’ve had a past that looks a lot like the Brady Bunch or a childhood that mimics the beginning of “The Blind Side.” We are not all the same nor are our backgrounds. So stop treating everyone like they are on a level playing field.

We can make a change. We have the power and the opportunity to change those children from the home and other’s future. Be a Big Brother or Big Sister. Start a PALS program in the elementary school. Live a life others would be proud to model.

But until we quit generalizing people’s backgrounds and lumping others into pretty categories, we can’t genuinely care about people and respond with action according to their needs and wants.

Stop presuming that just because you don’t have a problem, that there isn’t a problem. Poverty can be found outside of Africa. Crime surpasses the city limits. Pain is in our backyard. TPOM isn’t realistic because no two lives are exactly the same.
Take responsibility. Seek to understand before telling or giving others what they “need.” Ignorance is not bliss; it’s a lack of ownership.

WE can make childhood sacred again. WE can stand against the ugly forces those kids at the Children’s Home had to experience and live with. WE can do better by taking out the ME.

Randa's Journey- Texas FFA Convention!!

2010-08-05T20:37:00.009-04:00

Hello Friends!!

What a whirl wind this summer has been! After finishing up some rocking NLCSO’s with Bethany, we parted ways as I headed down to Texas and on to my home convention! Texas FFA rocked out in Corpus Christi, Texas with 12,000 members in attendance! There are simply not enough words to express how impressed I was as I watched state officers: Kaleb McLaurin, Miles Vann, Katie Heinrich, Allison Grainger, Kody Kale, Jeremiah Miller, Aron Hutchins, Layton Norwood, Tyler Bradfield and Dakotah Williams give retiring addresses that will forever have a lasting impact on my life. The week kicked off by recognizing all of our Lone Star degrees, watching a meaningful Vespers and having an awesome time with members at the Kyle Park Concert. As the week progressed we watched award winners receive scholarships, proficiency awards and even watched remarkable FFA talent. To cap off our week of convention the annual Fun Night was held with the theme of “Vegas” and we finally installed the 2010-2011 Texas FFA officer team. The overall theme of the convention was “It Starts with One” and I watched over and over again this start officer team sparked that one passion in lives of thousands. Texas FFA will always have a special place in my heart and I am just blessed to see so many familiar faces and feel right back at home. To overview my week I have the top 5 things you can learn at the Texas Convention :

1) No matter what kind of music is playing there will definitely be two stepping.
2) You can count on ALL the areas to yell loud and proud.
3) The state officer RA’s and Vespers will impact your life.
4) Fun night will always be a time to remember with awesome skits and videos.
5) That Texas heart for this organization truly starts with the members their ONE desire for success.

A special thank you to the Convention Chronicle, the Foundation Ambassadors, state staff and the 2010-2011 Texas FFA officer team for making this an experience of a lifetime. I’m extremely blessed to call Texas home :)

Only in Texas would the Official Kick-off dinner involve a skeet shoot!

Miles and Jeremiah during Vespers

Awesome members dancing in the hallway during the concert :)

My little brother, Trevor, showed up to convention! So nice to have family around.

Shannon from New Mexico and Kyle Park

Kody and Dakotah all dressed up during the fun night of convention.

Our extremely talented chorus

Some of the incoming state officers about to give their election speeches. They were incredible!

So proud of this team that just retired, all amazing individuals.

The new team tapping the gavel to end convention.

Bethany's Blessings- State Presidents Conference

2010-08-03T16:32:00.004-04:00

'ONE ELEMENT'

State Presidents Conference

Representatives from 49 states and Puerto Rico came to our Nation's Capitol July 27th thru 30th. We spent the week advocating on Capitol Hill, kicking off the Delegate Process, and making friends across the nation.
(love)

Coolest Things we Got to Do

*Cheering at the D.C. Nationals vs. Atlanta Braves Baseball Game
*Ride a tram through Arlington National Cemetery
*Tour the monuments at night
*Meet some of our sponsors from ADM and Dow Agrisciences
*Metro Surf
*Listen to Sen. Sam Brownback speak....Yahoo Kansas!
(love)

Delegate Issues Selected

*Vet Med CDE
*Using American Supplies for FFA Supply Service
*American Degree Components-Research
*SAE Standards in National FFA Awards
*Increase Student Voice on National Level
*At-Large National Officer Selection
(love)

For a little 101 on the Delegate Process: it's the primary way the student voice is heard in the National FFA Organization. State associations submit issues for consideration. Committees are created that gather at national convention and the 475 delegates, allotted by state membership numbers, vote on recommendations and proposed amendments to the constitution & bylaws. This process starts at SPC with issue proposal/selection and concludes at National Convention. For more information about your role, contact state staff.
(love)

Best Parts of SPC
*Our families got to join our officer team for the week.
*We got to spend time with some of the greatest FFA members ever!
*Reminded that we're all apart of the One Element (theme for the week) of the FFA!

Bethany's Blessing- Summer Travels

2010-07-23T09:40:00.012-04:00

South Dakota FFA Camp
The state officer team, state ambassadors, and staff held three camps around the state of South Dakota. I had the blessing of flying into Souix Falls, SD and spending a couple of days at Camp NeDosak in the North Central part of the state. The theme was "Beverly Hillbillies Find their Fortune."

Top 10 Memories

*Staying at Camp NeDoSak

*Being entertained by the Beverly Hillbillies (aka the state officers & ambassadors)

*Learned about the Great Games on the Green including Vegetable Bobbing

*Hearing about the herds of wild buffalo in Western South Dakota

*Eating some of the best camp food EVER! "Whoot, Whoot!" to all who agree

*Being amazed by the service projects your chapters do.

*Entertained at Variety Show Night- the impersonations were the BEST!

*'Bofie' is an actual word

*Listening to the incredible hearts that you all have.

*Spending 3 days with the greatest SD FFA members!

____________________________________

WLC Service Day

After FFA Retreats in South Dakota, it was off to Washington DC and join WLC for a day.

Here's what went down!

Who: "Lincoln Logs" and their fearless leader Miss Kirby O'Donoghue of the Rosslyn Hotel (Big shout out to them!!!)

When: Week 5 of Washington Leadership Conference---Service Day

Where: Capitol Food Bank

What: During a couple of hours we boxed and sorted over 40,000 pounds worth of goods (food, baby products, that will be distributed to food banks through the DC area.

Why: We MUST because we CAN!

Throw those signs Lincoln Logs! Be proud of what you did! It was such a gift for me to be able to witness so many FFA members do acts of service to help other people-most who we will never meet! A perfect morning, to remind us of why we believe in the FFA so much.

We Make a Living by what we get, i love Jesus. i love Jesus. i loveJesus but we make a life by what we give. ~Winston Churchill

Levy's Latest (The Summer)

2010-07-16T12:27:00.003-04:00

The Adventures of Alex: The National Leadership Conference for State Officers

2010-07-15T10:19:00.013-04:00

One of the highlights of my year so far… NLCSO – The National Leadership Conference for State Officers!!

I spent three weeks getting to know some phenomenal State Officers on a personal and team level. There were sessions and summits, food and fires (of the camp variety). But overall, the PEOPLE were my favorite part. Here are some of my top NLCSO moments from conferences in Wyoming, Washington and Illinois (in sequential order)!

1. Listening to Montana belt out tunes around the campfire (Yes, even Taylor Swift)

2. Having late night cabin conversations with Wyoming

3. Talking about Bullwinkle characters with North Dakota

4. Seeing TONS of buffalo, three bears, a snake and some chipmunks in Yellowstone

5. Making a personal story puzzle with Washington

6. Smearing everyone in volleyball with Oregon (And looking mighty foxy in the process)

7. Squirting everyone with water guns with the help of Idaho (My partners in crime)

8. Walking through Pikes Place Market in Seattle

9. Quoting funny movies with Kentucky (“She’s a nice lady!!”)

10. Learning to play Pitch with the Missouri crew (And “hanging out” with them by the pool)

11. Doing sand bottle reflections with the Wisconsinites

12. Getting caught in a monsoon-like rainstorm with the Illinois team on the 4th of July

13. Listening to Indiana's super creative songs during sessions ("Our Boy" is sure to be a hit)

14. Visiting the Abraham Lincoln Museum and arguing about whether the main character in the hologram theater was real

15. Making TONS of new friends and watching the leaders of our Organization grow over the course of their week

THIS is going to be tough to beat! But there’s still plenty of time left to try.

NLCSO Blessings- Randa & Bethany

2010-07-11T23:09:00.006-04:00

The last 3 weeks have been an absolute whirlwind. 3 states, 15 teams, endless memories--all with one of your greatest friends by your side adds up to the best experiences of our year. NLCSO (stands for National Leadership Conference for State Officers) is one of the trainings offered for state officers across the nation. It's generally a 4-5 day conference focused completely on helping teams grow into high-performing teams.

Team HIGH IMPACT was the theme this year. We got to witness FFA members who are planning, preparing, and changing lives of FFA members from across the nation.

TOP 6 BEST things we got to see:

One hundred and sixteen people grow as people and team players.
Bryce Canyon by horse back
Disney World including Jasmine and Snow White
Fireworks on Daytona Beach for 4th of July.
Mr. Fletcher's Wonder Emporium (aka Camp Couchdale, AR)
15 teams preparing to change students' lives.

These last 3 weeks were suppose to be about us teaching ya'll, but really the opposite happened. Each of you touched our lives in a way that we won't soon forget. The most incredible lessons that you taught us: be nothing except the amazing person you were created to be, trust your team-they love you too much not to, and don't ever be afraid to make a difference.

5 Inside Jokes We Simply Can't Forget

*Operation Nighthawk....enough said
*Yo' Mama Makes Good Pie
*You smell like bacon. It's a compliment!
*May the Spirit Stick live on!
*The other members of our team-Ernesto, Hector, and Felix

To all the High Impact teams out there, we miss you all already. And to those who will forever have their lives inspired by these people, prepare yourselves-they are nothing short of a blessing. Can't wait to see you all at convention.

High Impact on 3. 1----2----3----HIGH IMPACT!!!

Catching up with Chase- NLCSO's!!

2010-07-11T21:26:00.007-04:00

NLCSO! The best times ever.... A week long conference for every state officer team in the country. The conference focuses on building strong teams of officers. Everything from team development to commitment and accountability and workshop delivery. State officers play a huge roll in the conference delivering flag raising ceremonies and reflection programs and by the end of the week complete a workshop project for the year.

Week 3-New York NLCSO Camp "O" (NY, VT, NH, MA, CT, RI, ME)

Week 2- Iowa FFA Enrichment Center (KS, MN, SD, NE, IA)

Week 1- MS FFA Camp, Levy and I started the first of four weeks in Mississippi with two teams MS and LA.

The Adventures of Alex: Pennsylvania State Convention

2010-07-04T14:36:00.005-04:00

I had a BLAST in Pennsylvania!!! True, I was in Penn State country (a rival of Michigan State), but between the people, the FFA members and the Waffle Shop, I couldn’t have asked for more fun or excitement!

I loved getting to hang out with the AMAZING 2009-2010 Pennsylvania State Officers – Molly, Billy, Heather, Alex, Tyler, Allison, Sam, Brittany, Billy, Caleb, and Coty. They are some of the most dedicated, fun, cohesive teams I’ve ever seen. I was blessed to get to know each of them on a personal level during my trip.

I got to eat with some awesome chapters in the cafeteria, boogie down with some skilled dancers at the convention dance and watch some outstanding members being recognized on stage during the three convention sessions.

But what really stood out to me was something I heard from Molly, the State FFA President. She said that before convention began, one of her fellow officers had asked their State Executive Secretary, Mr. Brammer if he thought they were ready for convention.

Mr. Brammer responded, “It doesn’t really matter if you’re ready or not. You’ve spent time memorizing and preparing and that’s all you can do. Now, even if you walk out on stage and forget your lines, speak from your heart NOT your head. That’s what people really care about anyway.”

Mr. and Mrs. Brammer, Pennsylvania state staff, personify living with heart. For those of you who heard my keynote at a State Convention, you know that heart is something that I’m truly passionate about. Yet, I’m not sure if I’ve ever met people who live up to this message like the Brammers. They give everything they have to their “kids” (the State Officers) and care about them more as people than as State FFA Officers. They have served the Association with real heart, not just a job-like obligation. They BELIEVE in people and never let life get too serious.

What would the world look like if we all let our heart (not our head) be our guide? How much happier would we be if we channeled the “secret” the Brammers know? Why won’t we let ourselves believe in other people?

On this Fourth of July, let’s think about where our country would be without people who served and continue to serve with their heart, not their head. What language would we be speaking? What religion would we have to practice? What flag would we be forced to salute? What fear would we live with every day?

Let’s thank people like the Brammers and those who serve in the armed forces who let their hearts be their guide. Happy Fourth of July and God Bless America!

Check out Facebook for the pictures! My Internet connection won't handle them- sorry for the inconvenience!

The Adventures of Alex: Arizona SLC!

2010-07-01T16:32:00.006-04:00

If the Arizona State Leadership Conference (SLC) was a movie, it would be a mix of “Live Free or Die Hard,” “Dodgeball” and “Remember the Titans.” Ok, so there weren’t any terrorists trying to take over the world, machine guns, wrenches or Denzel Washington. But Arizona did capture a little part of each of these awesome flicks.

My three days in Arizona proved to be just as action-packed as Brice Willis’s adventures. From awesome pre-sessions to even cooler dances after the last gavel of the night tapped, Arizona’s SLC kept everyone in attendance entertained and motivated. The State Officers – Jared, Heather, Connor, Mariah, Ben, Josh, Cheyenne, Tricia, Kalea, Brandon, and Justin – inspired members with their heartfelt session themes. CDE winners were awarded, State Degrees were bestowed, Stars were named and new State Officers – Kelli, Kayla, Molly, Mariah, Wolfgang, Wyatt, Courtney, Seth, Allison, and Ross – were installed! One of my favorite parts was when Greenhand FFA members delivered their winning jacket essays to the convention assembly and were rewarded with a brand new FFA jacket.

There was a little bit of dodging, ducking, diving, dipping, ….. and dodging (a “Dodgeball” quote) at SLC during the first ever State FFA Dodgeball Tournament (which got a little fierce). For those of us interested in math, add this up: two dances, two dinners, three lunches, two breakfasts, numerous chants (advisor: “CAMP,” members: “OOO-o-o-o-o-o-o), one pre-session song, three days. It was a blast to say the least.

And finally, the Arizona FFA captured the drive, grace and friendship personified in “Remember the Titians.” In one of the first few sessions of SLC, Byron Ollerton was announced as the State Star Greenhand. Immediately after the announcement, state staff realized that there had been a mistake. Another member from the Casa Grande FFA Chapter, Preston Sipes, actually received the honor. After talking to both students, their parents and advisor, it was determined that there would be a correction ceremony later during SLC. During that ceremony, Preston addressed the convention assembly stating, “We will continue to be everlasting friends.” Preston accepted his plaque as the real State Star Greenhand, but then took off his medal and gave it to his friend and competitor Byron. Both boys showed everyone at SLC the heart of FFA and the essence of “Remember the Titians.”

My three days in one of the hottest states I’ve ever been to were AWESOME and I met tons of FFA members from some great chapters.

Take a look at some of my pictures from SLC! A big thanks goes out to the Antelope, Red Mountain, Buckeye, Wilcox, Basha, Camp Verde, Dobson and Gilbert FFA Chapters for hanging out with me!

Chelsea's Travels: Florida FFA Convention

2010-07-01T16:14:00.003-04:00

STATE FFA CONVENTION -- SWAMP STYLE

Florida!!!

The Florida convention boasted more 4,000 convention attendees. Each member present was pumped, excited, and turned an FFA convention into one BIG party! I loved every minute of the trip and every second spent with members in Orlando. The Caribe Royale Hotel was a great venue for a premier convention. The convention hall was different from any I had seen with a low ceiling, very large speakers, smoke, and the loudest music I've heard all year. Each of those features made for a close, intimate environment for a high energy week.

See the photos below, which highlight the convention. Also, pay close attention to the last photo. That man is D.H. Prichard and was state president in Mississippi before becoming National FFA President. Now, in his late 80's he's proud that his granddaughter, Caitlyn Prichard, served as the 2009-2010 Florida State President. Hearing the comments he made about his year as a national officer were some of the most impactful words I've heard all year. Thanks to all past FFA members who attend state convention and attend younger family members to pursue the next steps in FFA.

Chelsea's Travels: North Dakota State FFA Convention

2010-06-30T19:48:00.004-04:00

North Dakota....

WOO HOO!!!!! What a convention!

The North Dakota Convention left me excited, exhausted, and very pumped up about summer! These members know how to have a good time and the state officers did a great job leading the pack. Take a look below at photos from one of the dances (there were two), the state officer team during Hope's retiring address, some members with their new hardware, and one of my many new friends and I sitting down for a quick chat before a session.

This convention was a BLAST!!!!! We had an entire night dedicated to karaoke, during which five of us hopped on stage and belted out some N'Sync. There were two high octane dances with a great DJ. Tons of CDEs were taking place, of course. And there was even RibFest on campus at North Dakota State University while convention was in town. Ever wish you could wake up and start your day all over because it was that much fun? That's how I felt leaving North Dakota. Thanks for lots of fun North Dakota FFA!

Catching up with Chase- Illinois State Convention

2010-06-25T17:46:00.004-04:00

What's up guys!

Well levy and I just finished up our second NLCSO here in Iowa and things are going great, but today I wanted to give a shout out to my friends in Illinois. IL FFA Convention in Springfield had over 2,800 members during the week- I was so impressed by the scope of convention but also their process for electing state officers. Mr. Craft (Executive Secretary) and this years team tested a wireless clicker system that each delegate used to vote for which candidate they wanted to elect to each office. According to members who have attended convention before this saved a huge amount of time, and it was sure neat to see the votes come up on the screen right away!

I was also stoked to see some awesome FFA members that I had met previously in the year from Cissna Park FFA and Chicago Ag. Illinois has not only an incredible convention but some great people. I had the chance to catch up with those members (you know who you are!) and also the visiting state officers from Missouri, Nevada, Puerto Rico, and New York. IL FFA thanks for a great week!

FFA Chorus
Abe Lincoln's home
State Officer Candidates shortly before election of President
Cissna Park FFA!!

Workshop #1!

The Adventures of Alex: The FFA Circus

2010-06-19T21:07:00.003-04:00

This is a letter written to the Las Vegas FFA Chapter in New Mexico who lost a great teacher and friend a few days ago. Keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Even if you never knew him, let Mr. Leger's legacy live on in your chapter and in your life.

To Las Vegas FFA members, alumni, supporters and friends:

I have often heard agriculture education classrooms compared to the circus. Students are running in 500 different directions doing exciting, daring things, which typically involve big animals, fire, lots of sugar and some sort of performance.

I think ag teachers really fit into this model as well, each unique advisor resembling a different act. There are the lion tamers who use authority to control their students. There are tightrope walkers who are focused on one CDE, competition or subject and concentrate all their time and effort on that single event. There are even jugglers who use their hand-eye coordination to balance the many roles of an ag teacher trying their hardest not to drop anything.

But, Mr. Leger doesn’t fit into any of these classifications. He didn’t need to be a lion tamer because his students respected him for his character and willingness to spend hours working with parliamentary procedure teams and other students. He didn’t just focus on one goal like a tightrope walker; he had many ambitions for the chapter and its members and worked towards each of them. He may have balanced many students, events and subjects, but he spent quality time with each of them individually.

In the short time I knew Mr. Leger, he proved to be a lot like a circus clown. Before you raise an eyebrow, hear me out. I’m not talking about the kinds of clowns who do goofy things to make people laugh (although he did do that occasionally). I’m talking about the ones with real skill. The clowns who make balloon animals!

Mr. Leger spent each day of his life inflating students with confidence, knowledge, skill, affirmation and growth. Just like blowing up a balloon, he invested time, effort and breath into each student. But he didn’t stop there. After inflating students with the raw skill and attitude it takes to succeed, he shaped them into something amazing, unexpected and beautiful. He helped students discover what they truly wanted to become, achieve and be.

Situations like this are never easy. I know I’ve struggled the past few days trying to wrap my mind around the fact that he’s gone, and I don’t have a relationship near what each of you had with him. I can’t even imagine what you’re going through or how difficult all this must be for you.

But I do know that Mr. Leger considered YOU his children. He told me the night before my National FFA Week visit (after taking me to a special dinner at the Plaza) that he had the best job in the world and even though he has no biological children, that you bring him just as much pride and joy. He loved you more than you can fathom and was so incredibly proud of you. I saw him just last week in Arizona (he volunteered to help judge their parliamentary procedure contest) and he talked my ear off about how great you all performed and behaved at state convention.

I wish you could have seen his eyes light up when I asked about you and how excited he was reliving all your successes over the year. He thought the world of you and wouldn’t have traded his job for anything.

Right now, it’s easy to get sucked into grief and the “it’s not fair” mentality. But please, take a second to really reflect on how lucky you are to have had Mr. Leger in your life. Take time to be grateful for the late nights in the ag room, crazy lock-ins in the shop and early mornings working side-by-side with one of the nation’s greatest ag teachers.

That’s what you should remember! Not the tragedy that stings so sharply now, but all the great memories you have and how your life is different because Mr. Leger cared.
He was a teacher, a mentor, a friend, a parent, a guidance counselor, a life coach, a BFF of Robert and his Rules, and one of the most talented clowns in the circus of agriculture education that the National FFA Organization has ever seen.

Keep the faith, stay strong, and cling to the example that Mr. Leger left for us all.
You are all in my constant thoughts and prayers. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.

Warmest prayers,

Alex

Bethany's Blessings- Wisconsin State Convention

2010-06-16T23:37:00.017-04:00

Aspire. Act. Achieve.

Over 3,100 FFA members, advisors, and guests descended up on the city of Madison, WI to celebrate Wisconsin FFA! As you can see, the state's theme this year was all about setting goals and going after them.

Some Outstanding Changes WI State Officers Made
*There is now a metal emblem (like the one at the FFA center) hanging in the Alliant Energy Center home of their state FFA convention.

*The stage layout was H-U-G-E with more seating, more entertainment, and more excitement than ever before.

*Plus, they had a pre-convention kick-off complete with games, food, and blow-up games like a school's after-prom party.

Best Parts of Convention

Hearing Inspiration Moments from Andy, Adam, Alissa, Leah, Tyler, Jeanie, Caitlin, Kirstien, Kim, and Jessica. In addition to the Retiring Address of BJ.

Speakers including Jeff Yalden and the UofW head football coach

Meeting a past state officer who was wearing his original jacket from over 50 years ago.

They had cardboard cut-outs of themselves all over!

Meeting the INCREDIBLE Wisconsin FFA members.

Having milk at every single meal---only happens in Dairy country

Their reflections were GLEE style. (Yes as in my favorite t.v. show GLEE!!!!!!)

New Adventures in the Land of Happy Cows

Eating Culver's for the 1st time

Meeting some of the UofW cheerleaders and their mascot Bucky

Hearing about riding snowmobiles to school

Learning that Colby, WI is where Colby cheese came from

The Hypnotist Show (i think at one point we were exotic animals, on Dancing with the Stars, and in the Miss America pageant...haha)

Congrats to all of the Newly elected state officers from regions
1 thru 10. And to Alissa for the 2010-2011 State FFA President!

(Don't forget about your Adventure Books!)

(Many chapters including the West De Peer FFA and all attendees at the Leadership banquet helped make some videos for all the FFA members! They'll be coming soon!)