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With national convention fast approaching, it’s the perfect time to learn why nearly everywhere you look you’ll see the same recurring words: I Can. We Will.
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Monday, February 20, 2017
TENNESSEE – Nicole Beckley
We started the first day with a hearty Southern style breakfast at the famous Loveless Café in Nashville before meeting the Tennessee FFA state officers (currently on their Goodwill Tour of the state) and East Tennesee regional officers in Knoxville.
While there, we took a brief driving tour around the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and saw their agriculture department plus a tribute to legendary women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt who recently passed away. Of course, no tour to UT is complete without a look around the famous Neyland Stadium – home of the UT Volunteers football team.
The Tennessee regional officers and Trey then participated in a team building activity with Breakout Knoxville – an escape room type of game. They were able to “get out” of the kidnapping-themed game with time to spare.
NEW MEXICO – Rebecca Carter
Cliff High School in Cliff, New Mexico, opened with an assembly for the whole school – a K-12 building that holds 250 students. Then the chapter officers led students in kindergarten through fourth grade in animal crafts so they could turn the gym into a “farm”.
For lunch, we were joined by Silver FFA and Reserve FFA Chapters as they participated in AG Olympics. Ashley Willits, our National FFA Eastern Region Vice President, learned how to rope and Kynzi Creighton, New Mexico State President, and Jake Devine, New Mexico State Secretary, all led the way in games, preparations and service.
ALASKA – Ben Meyer
Day one of FFA Week in Alaska saw numerous “firsts” for the Land of the Midnight Sun. Alaska held their first regional level CDEs/LDEs, hosted their first National FFA Officer during FFA Week, and received their largest ever single monetary donation.
AK State Officers organized a full day of LDE workshops followed by the LDE contests themselves. Alaska has grown from six chapters just three years ago to 15 chapters today. This growth has precipitated the need to have regional/district level contests to winnow and better prepare students for state convention. National FFA President David Townsend helped with each event and workshop and wrapped up the day conducting a workshop at Palmer High School for the student attendees, several local parents, and invited guests of the state association.
After the workshop, local supporter and former state senator Bill Stoltze took the stage to announce his donation of $28,000 to the Alaska FFA Association. Stoltze was the main legislative sponsor that established a formal state FFA office and salary in 2012. Now retired, Stoltze focuses his energy on supporting worthy causes and organizations in his native Mat-Su valley. The day ended with a community potluck centered on lots of baked salmon and numerous local jams and jellies with homemade bread.
NEW HAMPSHIRE – Kristen Self
We started yesterday with the Winnisquam Chapter. We had the BEST breakfast EVER at Heritage Farm. The parents of a chapter member (pictured) hosted us there. We then went back to the school and Valerie met with some of the chapter members and officers and answered their questions, especially about running for office.
At lunch time, we joined the Lakes Region FFA for a pizza party and tour of their facility. There, Valerie also did a workshop with the members.
We finished out our day (where we are again today) with a dinner hosted by the members and families of the Paradice chapter. We had sugar on snow (hot maple syrup on packed snow). They also made maple candies, which is maple syrup heated to 240 degrees and poured into molds. A delicious way to end the day too!
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