Commit to the Climb

Pretty soon, everyone's New Year's Resolutions will be all over social media, maybe even yours. These resolutions can be anywhere from “I’m going to the gym twice a week, I’m saving money, I’m going to bed earlier this year” and many others. However, only about 25% of people actually stick to their New Year’s Resolutions after 30 days and only 8% accomplish their resolutions.

Now I have to admit, I am one of the 75% of people who never stuck to their New Year's Resolutions. Why? Well I suppose it’s because I was never committed enough to make myself drive the 10 minutes to the gym twice a week, to not buy that delicious looking slice of Casey’s pizza staring back at me, or to shut off my phone at a decent time at night. I always had the mindset of “I can do it tomorrow,” or “what’s another 30 minutes of Netflix going to hurt?” I could never hold myself accountable and do what I promised myself I would do.

I have become comfortable with being where I am. It’s where I feel safe, it has everything I need or want, and it’s where I'm comfortable with those around me.

I recently read something that really hit me hard. When climbers set out to climb the mountain, they can't wait to get started on their journey. Trekking up the slope to the top. About halfway up the mountain, there is a resort that has everything you could ever dream of. It’s warm and out of the freezing wind you’ve endured climbing up the first half of the mountain, it has hot coco, a fireplace, and much much more. Sometimes the climbers become comfortable at this resort and don’t finish what they started, climbing the mountain. They never get to the last half of their journey which is usually the hardest. There, you might struggle with high altitudes, falling ice, blizzards, and avalanches. The part of the reading that I found most interesting is that “no one has ever reached the top of the mountain on accident.”

What I am trying to say is, don’t get too comfortable with where you’re at. Keep climbing and reaching for the goals you’ve always wanted to achieve. I challenge all of you to be that 8% and accomplish your New Year’s Resolutions for 2020. Start the new decade the right way!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Commit to your Climb,

Lukas Bucknell

North Central State Vice President

Celebrating 50 years of Women in the FFA

Why do you think it is important for women to be in FFA/agriculture?

Shelby- The FFA is a home to many members from every walk of life. We each have a special part to play in this organization. Our involvement may happen on the stage, in the classroom, or on the farm but each person gains confidence and skills from their experience. This organization would not be where it is today without the unity of men and women in 1969. From that time on FFA has changed many members lives. Having the opportunity to travel across the state this year I have met many women impacted by the opportunities FFA presents. They all share that their inspiration in FFA starts with the feeling of a home and a sense of family. As the organization grows our hope is to always provide a place of growth for all that seek to engage.

Grace - As I have traveled around the state so far during my year of service, I have encountered a great deal of female students who are deeply invested and involved in our organization. It has been inspiring to see and hear about all the ways that they have contributed to their communities and chapters. They have a unique perspective that has moved our organization forward in tremendous ways since they were given full official membership 50 years ago in 1969. From serving as chapter officers to starting projects in their schools and serving their communities, our organization would not be the same today without these key contributions of female FFA members. The acceptance of female members made our organization stronger as students are now able to collaborate and invest in the future of agriculture no matter their gender or background.

Mickayla- I believe that it is important for women to be involved in agriculture and FFA because they offer a new perspective. A perspective in which no one else can truly portray. One that shows the deepest and purest compassion for an industry and livelihood that knows no inequality. Women have been changing the way we view agriculture and leadership within agriculture ever since they were allowed into FFA. Back in 1928, FFA was founded to promote the next generation of farmers, which at the time, was composed mostly of men. As the years went on, FFA began to change. In 1969, it opened its doors to women to match the equal opportunities that agriculture presented to both men and women. Ever since then women have been leaving their mark within the blue jacket. Showing that no matter who you are, where you live, or what gender you are, you can have an impact not only in the FFA organization, but in the agriculture industry as a whole. Today, women hold the majority of leadership positions within the FFA organization and have the opportunity to share their unique perspective with everyone around them. As more women continue to get involved in FFA, I believe that more of us will realize the significance of equal opportunities and the value of a women perspective in different industries.

Natalie- Agriculture is an industry that I never saw myself being a part of. This semester, I began studying to become an agricultural education teacher. I cannot believe the impact the industry has had on my life. Agriculture is so important to the survival of our world. I believe that it’s important for women to be involved in agriculture for the same reasons I believe men should be involved. Sustaining our population isn’t just a male or female issue. It’s a human issue. We’ve all heard the statistics. By 2050, our world will have a record number of people to feed and clothe. It’s our job as agriculturists to make it happen. We have to join together not just as men and women, but as people. If we work together and share the knowledge that we all have we will have a better chance of sustaining such a large population. It’s important for people of all backgrounds to be part of the industry, so that we can all make a difference by sharing our unique experiences.

Hope- In just 50 years, representation of women in FFA has grown dramatically. Today nearly half of all FFA members are female, and on top of that, just over 50% of leadership positions in FFA are held by women. Of course this is an amazing feat, but it would not have been possible without the unity of both men and women. This anniversary celebrates much more than women in agriculture overcoming a barrier. This also celebrates the unity that was created in 1969. This unity is what accomplished this milestone. This unity is what helps us to accomplish even more. Agriculture is the foundation of civilization. Without agriculture there is no food, no homes, no life. Just as any good agriculturalist would point out, the world population is expected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050. That is 2 billion more mouths to feed in a short 21 years. Now this may seem like a daunting task, but it is one that can be achieved by the unity of both men and women in agriculture. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter your gender, race, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or any other factor. We are all fighting the same fight, and united as one, we can win.

In Blue and Gold,

The 2019-2020 Female State Officers

Living in the Moment

When I was a kid, I loved baseball, in fact, I still do. Anything everything that involved the sport of baseball, I was all ears. When I brought home the sign-up sheet to play T-Ball after school one day, I didn’t leave my mom alone until she finally, filled it out. As I watched her sign the line to allow me to play baseball, I shouted in excitement and got all sorts of obnoxious. I finally got to play baseball.

Fast forward to the night of the first practice, I was more than eager to start. I hopped out of the car and took off running to meet my friends on the ball diamond for some fun. We practiced the basics, fielding a ground ball, hitting off the tee, and actually running the bases correctly. Now if you haven’t ever seen a T-Ball practice, it’s the farthest thing from exciting and is one of the most brain-melting experiences. Every once in a while one of the kids actually did what they were supposed to do, and it was the most exciting thing all night. Those of you who have attended a T-Ball practice, know the pain. Now everything I just said, I realized when I was five years old. I thought T-Ball practice was THE MOST BORING thing in the world. I often found myself kicking and playing in the dirt, chasing butterflies, or picking a dandelion or two. I also spent a lot of time being a space cadet and paying attention to everything BUT practice.

There was one occasion at practice, where I was off in my own little world doing my own thing. It was my turn for one of the drills and I wasn’t paying attention. My couch shouted “Nole! Your turn!” and hit the ball in my direction. Don’t worry, it didn’t hit me, but it did fly right over my head. After finally realizing the ball was behind me, I took off and fielded the ball to throw it back. Of course, the throw was right on the right on the money, I mean come on, I’ve always had a cannon of an arm.

In that moment, I didn’t realize the magnitude of what that experience meant. You see, we get so caught up with whatever is going on in our lives and miss some of the biggest things that are right in front of us. I’m at a point in my life where I just finished my first semester of college, I’m in the thick of state office, and I’m 2 hours and 45 minutes from home. I’ve been so caught up in what I have going on, I fail to take time for the little things that I have the blessing to be able to do. Going home now means a little bit more than it had before. Spending time with friends and family are opportunities that come few and far in between. I will be the first to admit, that I don’t make the most of the time I spend with the ones close to me because, but I now realize that those chances won’t come as easily as they do now in the future.

Life doesn’t last forever. As dark as that sounds, it’s the truth. If we live blinded by worrying about what we’re going to do tomorrow or focusing our time on affecting the future, you’ll miss out on the biggest moments of your life. Live life in the present, the future isn’t going anywhere. There are so many important things that are going on in our lives that we just let go right over our heads, just like that fly ball. If we don’t take time to cherish the moments we have now, life is going to pass us right by. So sit and take time to remember the little things that happen and stop letting them continually be overshadowed by the big picture.

Those of you that are reading this, take time to cherish the moment, quit letting those little things pass you by, and start living in the moment.

Keep Your Stick on the Ice,

Nole Bochmann

2019-2020 Northwest State Vice President

Give It Your Best

Give it your best. I’m sure that at some point in our lives, we’ve all heard this phrase. We’ve been told to do our best in school, in sports, and in everything we do. Yet, sometimes our best just doesn’t feel good enough.

I had just spent the past three days studying for my Economics test. I had written down all the notes from class twice. The practice problems were carefully copied and solved in my notebook. Every spare second I had was devoted to studying the topics I knew would be on the test. When the day came to take the exam I felt more ready than I ever had before.

I sat down to take the test, and I was pretty confident in myself. I flew the questions faster than I ever had before. I triple checked my answers before I finally submitted it. I was ready to get the results and see the best score I had gotten all semester. When I got my grade back though, I was shocked. A 53%. How was that possible?

I texted my mom right away. She knew I had been studying relentlessly. She responded with the phrase we all know too well. You did your best. I was frustrated. Yes, I had done my best, but it wasn’t enough.

I have spent my whole life trying to give everything my best. When that doesn’t feel like enough, I just push harder. I have always given the things I’m passionate about 110%. But, this year I realized something. I am exhausted. Never accepting my best has worn me out.

Sometimes we may feel like others expect more of us. We find ourselves worrying that we are letting them down. No matter how much we try, we can’t reach their expectations. Even when we’re giving it our all, we still may feel like we aren’t satisfying those around us. I know I’ve felt like that before. At the end of the day though, it doesn’t matter.


We have to know what our best is. I know that I gave that Economics test by best shot. I may not have gotten the grade I wanted, but I did my best. We may feel like we aren’t reaching the expectations of those around us, but they don’t always know the battles we’re facing in our personal lives. Life can make it hard for us to keep pushing, and to keep going above and beyond. But, as long as we are giving it our best we are doing ourselves justice. It doesn’t matter what other people ask of you and what they expect out of you as long as you give it an honest try. Give it your best, and I promise you it will be enough.

Run With Your Challenges,

Natalie Jefson

State Secretary

Hometown Proud

Throughout high school, I never noticed the differences between school districts. I always assumed that every school was ran the same way that Knoxville was, and that all students had the same opportunities and experiences. However, this belief was quickly put to rest once I started traveling this year for chapter visits. Every school I have gone to has had a different atmosphere, belief system, and type of student interaction. While these differences may seem subtle, they have a huge effect on who we are.

South Central State Vice-President Mickayla McGill (middle, center) poses with some of her fellow Knoxville FFA members post COLT this Summer.

Looking back, I never appreciated the atmosphere or the support that my school system provided. There was never a sporting event or other extracurricular activity that my teachers did not attempt to attend. I was always excited to see a black and gold shirt in the crowd no matter where we were at. No matter how far away from home we were or what the weather was like, the community was always there to support us. From cheering at basketball games, yelling time splits at track meets, to even running across that course to encourage every cross-country runner; my coaches, teachers, family, and community did it all. The support that we as students were given helped us to be successful.

While you can’t really cheer for an FFA contest like you can a sporting event, Knoxville sure tried. From running through mock interview questions, watching CDE practices, to helping select our chapter’s future leaders, my other teachers always tried to lend a helping hand. Their support combined with the ag room atmosphere created by my advisor gave me the confidence to pursue my goals. Without the support of my school district and the Knoxville community, I would not be where I am today.

The support that my school and community have shown me throughout the past 13 years, makes me proud to call Knoxville my hometown. Since no two towns or schools are the same, each one has its own qualities that make it unique. Some of us come from a small town where everyone knows everyone, and others of us come from big towns in which we don’t even know everyone in our grade. Some of our schools specialize in athletics, while others focus on the arts. Either way, we each have something that makes us proud of our roots. What makes you hometown proud?

Be Proud, 

Mickayla McGill 

2019-2020 South Central State Vice President

Won't Back Down

“It wasn’t easy, but we did it.” A quote from a conversation with my grandpa about the ’80s. He and my grandmother did the seemingly impossible by keeping the family farm afloat and sending three kids through college. Others weren't that lucky. The “Farm Crisis”, as many refer to it, struck families all over. It collapsed strong agriculture companies, forced the hands of local banks, and attacked family farms alike, the crisis took no prisoners leaving some feeling powerless.

February 5, 1979—Thousands of economically struggling farmers arrive in Washington D.C. to draw public attention to rising farm debt and unfair federal ag policies. (Photo: USDA / National Archives and Records Administration / Iowa Public Radio)

Regardless if you come from a family whose farm survived the ‘80s or not, we all have our demons. For some of us, it’s a small business that’s floundering, a loved one’s illness or struggling to get out of bed in the morning, we all have a crisis we face. People face challenges monthly, weekly, daily if not hourly, but yet they hold on. They refuse to quit. Sometimes I am fortunate enough to hear of someone’s fight and their victories. Someone’s small victory can be the thing we need to keep going.

I was recently facing adversity with different aspects of my life. Things, as I perceived them, were spiraling out of control and there was nothing I could do. I had no grasp and no answer to what was going on around me. I called home one night I was pretty down and vented to my mom about what was going on. Post our conversation, I was laying in bed processing everything we had talked about while trying to go to sleep. I put in my headphones, closed my eyes and let a playlist distract my troubled mind. As I started to drift off, a song began to play:

No, I'll stand my ground

Won't be turned around

And I'll keep this world from draggin' me down

Gonna stand my ground

And I won't back down 

Tom Petty made me feel like I could run through a brick wall! Yeah, times were grim but even amidst all the chaos, I realized I was still standing. I hadn't given up.

I don’t know where you are or what you’re going through. I do know that you are reading this and that means you have a chance. A chance to overcome, a chance to survive, a chance to stand your ground. It’s no mystery the world is a tough place, life isn’t going to give you a fair shake and as soon as one storm ends, others brew. We don’t get to control those aspects of life, no matter how hard we try. We do get to control how we respond. Like those during the Farm Crisis, we can fight and we can win. Don't be afraid to be brave and say: “I Won’t Back Down!”

Let’s Go Get Em,

Chandler Jahner

State President

Mia's Delegate Experience

“Life is hard, everyone is tired, so let’s get to work.” The words of Ridge Hughbanks in his retiring address. His message and words affected me deeply along with hundreds of other FFA members. As I reflect on my experience as serving as a national delegate for the state of Iowa, I would say that most of us were tired but we also got a lot of work done.

Doing into national convention I didn’t know what to expect completely. I had been to convention twice before, once competing and once as an attendant, but I had never experienced any delegate process at any level before. So I was a little skeptical of what to expect and how the process worked. However, I soon realized the importance and impact a delegate has on the National FFA Organization.

The delegate process starts with everyone getting placed into six different committees, with a topic and focus around each one. This year I served on the membership experience committee with Natalie. The goal of each committee is to work together to form three recommendations for the National FFA Board of Directors to look at. With that, our committee worked all day to come up with these three recommendations: alterations to the jacket for disabled people, lowering affiliation cost, and a relaunch of “We are FFA” to be more inclusive. Each report would then get brought up to all delegates in the business session the next morning. 

The delegate business session was very interesting to be part of and I learned a lot. It was interesting to see how other state associations go about the process and how people voice there opinions and thoughts. We started the session by adopting a set of rules for the delegate process and then went into voting on the constitutions and by-laws to aline with the new federal charter. Once that had passed we went into the six different committee reports. Where each one was read, amended and debated upon, and voted over. It was interesting to see the different opinions come out from states even when most of them had at least one delegate that worked on creating the report. After all, reports passed, the business session was over and we got to experience the rest of the convention. By going to the expo and attending all of the sessions.

One of my favorite parts was cheering on Iowa FFA members as they crossed the stage. The time and effort that each one of them put in to win or receive an award is outstanding and very well deserved. When I was a freshman in high school, I got the honor to be recognized on stage for an agriscience fair project a partner and I had completed. To this day I remember the screams and cheers that came from Iowa delegates and the impact that had on me. I only hope that I did the same for members on the stage.

This trip to the National FFA Convention is something that I am very grateful for and will never forgot. From the long car ride, to late nights, everything we did was fun, eventful, and we learned something and grew as people. I am honored to have gotten this opportunity and to see the passion and drive that the State Officers have for this organization and how they want to continuously help others!

Cheers,

Mia Gibson

Northwest Vice President

Northeast District

What to Look Forward to at National Convention

Chandler: I love the atmosphere! A sea of 70,000 blue jackets, some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet and a chance to hang out with friends across the country is a once in a lifetime feeling. There’s something special about unplugging from the rest of the world and being engulfed in all things FFA.

Tyler: Getting to see people from all around the U.S. is super cool. Going to the career fair, attending sessions, and going to the concert makes memories that will last a lifetime. National Convention was always one of my favorite things to go to.

Hope: I love spending time at the career fair! This is a great opportunity to build connections with industry professionals and learn about the possibilities there are for your future. I really enjoy the tours we go on as well. It’s neat to see agriculture in such a variety of forms!

Nole: I really enjoy the atmosphere! Setting foot into the convention center with a plethora of FFA jackets surrounding you all there for the same reason you are is a really cool experience. Entering Bankers Life Fieldhouse hearing the loud music blaring over the speakers and the buzz of excitement in the air makes National Convention my favorite FFA memory from high school!

Mickayla: I loved every part of national convention when I went my junior year! From spending over 14 total hours in a suburban with my classmates to attending the general sessions to even experiencing the amazing concerts. However, my favorite part of National Convention has to be the FFA Megastore! You can find anything and everything FFA related that you could ever want in there, and it’s a great chance to stock up on FFA apparel!

Grace: I’ve only been to National Convention once before, but when I went, I loved exploring Indianapolis. Growing up in a town of just 210 people, being in a city that size is rare for me. Although I could never live in a big city, spending a few days in Indy for convention feels like an exciting adventure. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that everywhere you turn you see blue corduroy jackets and have the opportunity to make connections and build friendships with people from around the country!

Natalie: My favorite part of convention is spending time with my chapter! I love being able to travel with chapter to different places all over Indianapolis. Being able to laugh and make memories with the people in my chapter is something that I still miss! My favorite memory is getting to go on a haunted hayride with my chapter the night before we left for home.

Shelby: My favorite part of National Convention is listening to our National Officer’s Retiring Address. I love hearing their words of wisdom after having the opportunity to travel the country. Another one of my favorites of convention is seeing friends from different states or meeting new ones by getting signature in the back of the convention book! In my chapter, we always play a game to see who can sign the most books throughout the week. Have a great convention!

Living to Serve,

The 2019-2020 Iowa FFA Officer Team

Slow Down, Stop, Take a Breath

It was last October and I was headed to the Northeast District Greenhand Fire-Up. My first stop was Vinton-Shellsburg High School where I met a friend who was also headed the way that I was. Seems like a good idea, right? There’s no way anything could go wrong. The drive there, I prodded my mom to drive faster because I didn’t want to be late. Eventually we got to the school with plenty of time to spare (of course). As I was moving my things from my mom’s car to my friend’s car, I noticed something. He had a huge garment bag in his backseat. Panic flooded through my body. I ran back to my mom’s car and searched it thouroughly. I was throwing things around frantically, trying my best to find this missing item. My confused and concerned mother eventually said, “Hope, what on earth are you doing?” “I FORGOT MY OFFICIAL DRESS!” I yelled back. 

I eventually got my official dress the next morning. But in that moment, I was overcome with anxiety. Nothing else mattered. It didn’t matter that my mom was helping me find a solution. It didn’t matter that I had everything else with me, because I was missing one thing. I was so focused on my mistake that I couldn’t think of anything else.

This isn’t an uncommon occurance. Sometimes we become so busy in our lives that it feels like everything is running at us at 1,000 mph and there’s nothing we can do about it. We feel lost. While I was packing, I was so worried about taking care of everything that was running at me that I forgot my official dress. Then when I noticed I forgot it, I was upset with myself. My mistake consumed me.

Something that I am still in the process of learning is that it is okay to make mistakes. It’s okay to step off the track and catch your breath every once in awhile. We don’t always have to run 1,000 mph after our tasks and duties. If you need to catch your breath, don’t hesitate to step off of that track for a minute, take a break, strategize, and hop right back on. Just last week after Greenhand Fire-Up ended, I stepped off of my track to go play with puppies. It’s as simple as that. Taking care of ourselves is vital to pursuing our successes. The next time you feel yourself being overcome by these emotions, remember to slow down, stop, and take a breath. 

Living to Serve,

Hope Brecht

2019-2020 Southeast State Vice President

SMILE: The SE District Officer team poses with the morning session of Greenhands. The Southeast Greenhand Fire-Up saw over 600 FFA members in attendance. 

Friends, Those Are Good to Have

We’ve all been there. You’re in the middle of doing a presentation or speech for class and everything’s going fine, but then, all of the sudden, you lose your train of thought and awkwardly end your sentence with, “So, um, yeah…”

A few years ago, one of my friends from my home chapter found himself in this situation while we were doing a recruitment presentation to a class of eighth-graders. He was doing a great job explaining that one of the benefits of joining FFA is all the friends you can make.

He went on and on, conveying his excitement about his FFA friends, but wasn’t quite sure how to end his slide so he said, “Ok yeah… so friends… those are good to have.”

Everyone burst out laughing (he laughed along with us), and we went on with the presentation. After that, his remark became a running inside joke in our chapter, not only because it was funny but because it was true.

Ask a room full of FFA members what their favorite part of FFA is and one answer you’ll be sure to hear over and over again is the people you meet and the friends you make. At this point in my FFA career, this couldn’t be more true for me. I’ve met some of my closest friends through FFA that I know will be an important part of my life long after I take off the blue corduroy for the last time.

However, I didn’t always have this great experience with connections in FFA. During my freshman year of high school, I joined FFA not really knowing what I was getting myself into. At all my chapter’s recruitment activities, the upperclassmen told me about all the friends they had made in FFA. This sounded great, but a few months into my FFA membership, I was skeptical. I didn’t feel like I had made any new friends. That all changed when my advisor convinced me to attend Greenhand Fire Up.

While participating in the different sessions that night, I experienced my first real connection with FFA. I was so impressed by the facilitators’ energy, but I was also a little overwhelmed. As a freshman, I was very shy and awkward, so I sat quietly in workshops and observed what was happening around me. When everyone made their way to the cafeteria, I made a beeline for the other members of my chapter, relieved to be around familiar faces. My advisor, however, had other plans for us.

She gathered us around a table as we ate our post-workshop pizza and told us, “I’ve got a challenge for you all. The person from our chapter to make the most new friends and take selfies with them will get a prize from me at the end of the night.”

Upon hearing this, my first reaction was that she was crazy.

“There is NO way I’m going to run around taking selfies with completely random people!!!” I thought, “I’m just an awkward freshman, this is so out of my element…”

As I stood by our table, panicking a little bit inside, I watched the other members from my chapter begin taking selfies with everyone in sight. The more I watched, the more I realized: it didn’t look scary; it looked fun! Members from across the district and officers from across the state began to join in, so I decided I could too. For the next few minutes, I ran around the cafeteria, laughing, snapping an absurd amount of selfies and making friends with a room full of strangers.

Now, I understand that every FFA event doesn’t end in a giant selfie war, but the opportunities to make connections are endless! It can be as simple as personally inviting younger members or potential members to chapter meetings and events and making the effort to get to include them. Or it could look like attending events above the chapter level. Greenhand Fire Ups, National Convention, and the Ignite, Amplify and Transform conferences are all coming up soon. Talk to your advisor to register and when you attend challenge yourself to meet five new friends at each event.

You never know when you could make a new friend that will turn into a best friend, encounter an officer or older member that will inspire you to explore new levels of leadership or meet an adult that could introduce you to an internship or job opportunity. FFA offers us countless opportunities to connect. Take advantage of them. And when all else fails, just remind yourself: friends, those are good to have.

Your Friend,

Grace Long

2019-2020 State Reporter

The Race of a Lifetime

“And down the home stretch they go…” chances are, every one of us has heard this at least one point in our life. For me, its when I watched the Chuckwagon races back home. During the Chuckwagon race, the wagons get set, the starter fires the gun, “BANG” and off they go, through the barrel patterns the wagons race and out onto the dirt track. The wagons are flying around the track, trying to get out front to get the lead. And down the home stretch, they go, racing to get first place to take home the trophy.

In a way, we are like the chuckwagons. Racing to get out in front of everyone to be the best that can be. Trying to take home first place. But for us, time flies by too fast and our race will be over before we know it.

In our lives, we go through a barrel pattern just like the chuckwagons do. We go through the chaos and stress of trying not to hit a barrel so we don’t get a penalty, but in life, we have to learn how to deal with chaos and the struggles of trying not to knock over a barrel in fear of being set behind everyone else, in order to succeed. We all think that it’s a race to see who can get ahead in life that we don’t think to stop and take in the good moments that make the best memories. The moments of spending time with those we love and cherish the most.

For me, my barrel pattern happened during highschool. I couldn’t wait to graduate and go to college. I wanted to be done. But as the years passed and graduation got closer, I wanted everything to slow down. I realized I hadn’t spent as much time with my friends as I would like to have. I never took in the great moments as they were happening. The last few years of high school really hit hard for my class and I. We went through things no class should ever have to go through more times than what any 16,17, and 18-year-olds should have to. I started to spend more time with my friends and taking in the moment. I stopped rushing to get out of the barrel pattern and trying to get out ahead. I’m just racing the race at a pace that I am comfortable at.

When it’s our time to race out onto the track, we will know and we will be ready. But until then, soak up every moment of every day because, until that moment, we don’t know when it will be our time to race down the homestretch. Be the tortoise, not the hair. Take your time and cherish what you have, nothing ever lasts.

Focus on your race,

Lukas Bucknell

North Central State Vice President

Make Time For Fun

Ah yes, yet another school year has begun, and the work is starting to pile up. There are due dates to be met, chapters to read, essays to write, and an endless amount of vocab to study. Before you get too lost in your to-do list, take a moment to enjoy yourself and have some fun.

Throughout high school, I usually found myself sitting at home reading a textbook or writing another lengthy paper for one of my online classes. Instead of spending my weekends with friends or going on adventures, I spent my time in my room doing schoolwork. At first, it didn’t seem like such a bad thing and I actually enjoyed it; however, as the weeks went on, it began to get old and boring. Even though I was burned out from school, I was dedicated to my studies and my grades for all of high school.

As college started up, I dreaded spending another ten months doing nothing but homework. This impending dread caused me to try something new by taking more time for fun. Instead of spending every weekend studying, I decided to dedicate some of them to trying new things and traveling to different places.

One of my favorite memories comes from two hour period I spent with some of my favorite people. After a district meeting, I went down to a broken boat ramp at Lake Red Rock with my teammates. We walked across the broken concrete of the ramp until we hit the very edge of the water. We paused to take pictures, watched the sunset, and laughed until a couple of us cried. As I watched the waves crash into the side of the ramp, the last thing on my mind was the stress of school and the worry of homework. I was simply enjoying myself and the people around me.

At this moment, I realized the importance of making time for fun. Yes, schoolwork and grades are important, but they don’t have to be your constant focus. Don’t be afraid to take a break from your busy schedule to enjoy yourself. Go for a walk, try something new, go on an adventure, hang out with the people who make you laugh, and most importantly, do something you enjoy. Life’s too short to work 24/7: make time for fun!

You Deserve It, 

Mickayla McGill 

South Central State Vice-President

Oh The Places You'll Go

As FFA members, we are always told there are so many opportunities for us, but maybe we find ourselves wondering what those are. I always found myself doing the same, looking for new places to go and activities to complete! Here are a few that I discovered to be my favorite!


National FFA Convention & Expo- From contests, to speakers, to expos, oh my! There is definitely something for everyone at the National Convention! My favorite part of Convention was meeting people from all 50 states and getting their signatures in the back of my convention booklet and of course the agriscience fair! Some other highlighted events are Sessions hosted by our National Officers or a visit to the Blue Room to experience the future of agriculture. This year National Convention will also be hosting motivational speakers Bob Goff and Michelle Poler. You also can’t forget about the entertainment at night! Old Dominion and Brett Young will be rocking in Bankers Life Fieldhouse, there will also be Rodeos and Hypnotist shows!


Greenhand Fire-up- Are you a new member that wants to learn more about FFA? Then this is the perfect event for you! As a freshman, I was a little nervous to go because this was my first FFA event but it was the best choice I could have made! This event allows members to interact while completing fun activities learning about various leadership skills. Make sure to talk to your advisor about registering!


Ignite, Amplify and Transform Conferences- Here is another great opportunity to get involved in a large conference! While attending members will have the chance to meet new people and learn from fun activities. This conference splits up students into three different conferences Ignite 7th-9th grades, Amplify 10th-11th grades, and Transform for seniors. These conferences are held on November 10 and January 5th, but registration is filling up fast!


Legislative Symposium- This is one of my personal favorite events! At this event, members have the chance to visit the capitol, meet with congress, and hear from our state officials! We have the chance to discuss agricultural issues and advocate for our industry. It is very cool to see the capitol filled with blue jackets! This event takes place on February 14, 2019.


Be sure to check out these and all the other opportunities FFA has to offer.

Aspire to Inspire,

Shelby Westhoff

Northeast State Vice President

It'll Fly By

When you start your first year of high school, everyone tells you that those four years will fly by. However, when you find yourself sitting in the high school classroom or walking down the crowded hallway, it’s hard to think about anything other than leaving high school behind.

I felt the exact same way. I went into high school thinking all I wanted to do was finish those four years and head off to college. I joined different activities like speech and marching band. These events were fun, I liked getting to be with friends and participating in extracurriculars. During my sophomore year, I got involved in FFA. Everything I was involved in was a great time, but still a part of me that was just waiting to graduate and move on.

Once I got my license, I attended every football game my junior and senior years. I would trade off driving with a group of friends. Every Friday night we would pile into someone’s car and follow the football team to wherever they were playing that night. Looking back, those two falls went too fast.

When senior year came, many of my classmates started to feel the inevitable “Senioritis.” As our graduation approached, they couldn’t wait to move on to bigger plans. As ready as I had been to leave high school, now I was terrified. I wasn’t ready to leave my little high school that I had grown to love over the last four years. Suddenly, I wanted everything to slow down.

Obviously, I graduated anyway. I now attend Iowa State University. As I started college two weeks ago, a part of me wanted to be back in my high school hallways. When my high school played their first football game, I would have done just about anything to be back in the stands cheering them on. College is a new experience, but don’t let it keep you from enjoying the four years you get to spend in high school.

I’ve been there. High school isn’t always fun. Some days you wish you could graduate right then and there. And you definitely don’t want to hear anyone tell you that those years fly by. I know it seems like the time in high school drags on, but don’t let the time you spend there go uncherished. Take time to enjoy volleyball practice with your teammates. When you march in the halftime show with your band, listen to the cheering crowd. Laugh with your friends at the cheesy school assemblies and sing along to the radio on the way to state convention with your FFA chapter. Make sure to cheer loudly and soak it all in at the Friday night football games. I know it doesn’t always seem like it in the moment, but someday you may miss the times you got to be a student at your high school.

I never thought I would miss my high school. But as senior year wound down, and as I find myself a college student, my heart aches for the times I spent on my school grounds. I miss the people and the activities. I wish I would’ve spent a little more time enjoying the moment as I lived it. It really will fly by, so enjoy making memories as they happen.

Run with your Challenges,

Natalie Jefson

State Secretary

Dreaming Big

Growing up, I was that stereotypical kid that wanted to be a professional baseball player. I was going to be a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, while simultaneously hitting 500 Home Runs throughout my career. I was going to win all of the awards, I was going to be famous, and I was going to make a lot of money. This at the time, seemed like a foolproof plan, but now looking back? Yikes. I don’t think I could name a pitcher that hit five home runs. I would tell everyone I met that I was going to be a baseball player, and nobody told me no.

In my later years, after I wisened up and realized that the dream I had, was a little farfetched. So I did some hard thinking as a normal 10-year-old would and I settled on being a sports broadcaster. I was going to work for ESPN and be that recognizable voice, that called every baseball game. I had my college picked out, bought some gear to prepare, and I was set. I knew what I was going to do. When I told people about it, they told me I could do it.

In life, you have to dream big. You have to give yourself the goals that will give you that sense of satisfaction. You’ll have naysayers, you’ll have people that will want to hold you back. As I am writing this blog, I’m living my biggest dream. There were a plethora of people that told me I wasn’t capable of getting to where I am today. I tuned them out and worked towards my dream. Nothing in life comes easy and you work for everything you earn. So what’s stopping you from achieving your biggest dream?

Walt Disney once said, “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to achieve them.” Imagine yourself achieving your biggest dream. You finally becoming that baseball player, passing that test, or getting that job you’ve always wanted. No dream is too big or small. They are all capable of being reached, you just have to work towards them. So start taking those steps towards achieving your dreams, block out the people who tell you and believe in yourself. Because I know you are capable of doing whatever you wish.

Members of the Iowa FFA and those who are reading this, think back to a time where you came up short of a dream you’ve always had. How did that feel? How did you respond? If your dream doesn’t come true, don’t give up, just take the loss on the chin and move forward. You can do anything you set your mind to, it is in your control, not anyone else's. Dream big, because you are capable of achieving anything.

Yours in blue,

Nole Bochmann

2019-2020 NW State Vice President

Iowa FFA Association

What Box?

We’ve all heard it, “For this, I want you to think outside the box!”. If you’re anything like me, it's an exhausting and confusing phrase. Throughout this school year, we’re all going to be challenged to put a new spin on a concept that has already been done before. Believe it or not, we’re not the first ones to try and raise perennials in a greenhouse or write a research paper on Abraham Lincoln. That’s alright though, it’s how we accomplish them that matters.

One of the best analogies I’ve heard is that personalities are like snowflakes, no two are exactly alike. Our personalities have a hand in the way we do even the smallest of things. Whether it’s putting milk in before the cereal or not cooking a Hot Pocket to the recommended length, personality governs part of those decisions.

With that being said, it’s easy for one to get caught in the rut of doing things the way they’ve always done them. But what if it didn’t have to be that way? What if this year was a clean slate?

I’m challenging you to think like there isn’t a box, not just outside it. When we allow our imaginations to go from “What If?” to “Let’s Try This” we open the door for our personality to leave its mark.

Here are a couple of ideas to get you started:
1. What if you tried a CDE/LDE you’ve never done before?

2. If you’re a chapter officer, what if a group of freshman did opening ceremonies at a fall get together?

3. What if you had a fall get together other than a meeting?

4. What if you tried out different sales tactics (social media/made an announcement at a place of worship/worked with a friend) this year selling fruit?

5. What if the chapter worked with a business in town to give members volunteer opportunities?

6. What if you offered to help other students after school with classes they’re struggling with?

A lot of these ideas have been done before, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t worth doing. The creativity doesn’t have to stop here! How are you going to leave your mark on these concepts/ideas? If you are able to start to master this skill now, it has the potential to help you farther along in life. Who knows, maybe someday someone will hire you for this talent?!

But for now, the next time you go to hand in your assignment, paper, report, etc. and the person in charge says “Wow, you really thought outside the box.!” I hope you grin and think to yourself: 

“What Box?”

Go Get Em,

Chandler Jahner

State President

Back to School

There’s no feeling quite like the one we get on the first day of a new school year. A few of us may feel excited, while others may feel anxious, sad or just plain annoyed. Realizing this in the past week made me reflect on a very memorable first day of school: my first day of kindergarten.

My mom had helped me pick out the perfect back to school outfit that morning and helped pull my hair into my favorite style: cute little pigtails. I had selected what I thought was the best backpack of all time (a hot pink bag, prominently featuring my favorite Care Bears, of course), and all of my brand new school supplies were carefully stored inside. I was ready to take on kindergarten! When my mom pulled our family minivan into the school parking lot, I couldn’t have been more excited to see all my friends. I hopped out of the van and expectantly waited for my mom to walk me up to the front doors of the elementary with me, just like she had done everyday of preschool.

Except she didn’t. I impatiently marched over to her door and knocked on it as hard as I could.

She rolled down her window and I said, “Mom, come on. I’m ready for you to walk me to school.”

Instead of climbing out of the van like I wanted her to, she said, “Grace, you’re in kindergarten this year. That means you get to walk into school all by yourself.”

Five-year-old me had never considered the possibility that my mom wouldn’t be walking up to the front doors of my elementary that morning. It wasn’t in my plan for how my first day of kindergarten would go, and my response was to throw a full-blown tantrum. However, my mom bravely stood her ground and, after a lot of crying, complaining and coaxing, I walked into school on my own that day.

Now, I realize that we aren’t kindergarteners crying about walking into school by themselves, but this was the first of many times in my life that I can remember things not going according to plan. That’s because life doesn’t happen according to our plans, as much as we may want it to.

Sometimes this can be difficult to accept, but when we encounter changes in our plans, it is important that we don’t let them derail us from working towards our goals. Instead of being afraid of change, we have to embrace it. Maybe you don’t get elected to that officer position you were hoping for, your best friend moves to another state or your day just isn’t playing out how you thought it would. Change can come in all forms and it can make our lives difficult, but just like 5-year-old me on my first day of kindergarten, we have to remember to work through our fears to embrace the changes in our lives and whatever they may bring.

Smile for the Camera,

Grace Long

State Reporter

Stick out the Course

Having 200 cow-calf pairs is never fun during the winter months to maintain. Getting up at 7:00 in the morning to feed cattle, tagging calves, eating lunch, then tagging more calves turns cattle producers into creatures of habit. Add a four letter word to their schedule and they will become upset. Snow and snow and more snow. This winter we saw record snowfall amounts and record cold temperatures.

Just when we thought the winter was awful, mother nature continued to pile on precipitation with excessive amounts of rain that flooded parts of the state. Farmers all over Iowa are still dealing with flooded acres with complete loss in some areas.

If there is one thing that agriculturalists know better than anyone else, it’s that things don’t always work their way. So many factors all working against one person, yet they stay the course. They know things will get better and refuse to abandon ship when things get tough.

Something my dad always told me was that if farming was easy, everybody would be doing it. As young agriculturalists, we get the opportunity to feed people and have fun while doing it. One thing I’ve learned from working on a farm my entire life, is that change may be hard, but is necessary when things can never be the same. Be willing to change, but never be afraid to stand up for what you believe in and stick the course.

In life we will be handed obstacles and challenges that we may not be prepared for or we don’t want. They may deter us from completing our objectives, or even help us. When times get tough, and we think we can’t go anymore, persevere and keep fighting. If you don’t get elected to chapter office, get more involved in FFA. Go to a new conference and redeem yourself so next year you can get better. Always remember to stick the course.

In Blue and Gold,

Tyler Comes

2019-2020 SW State Vice President 

Help

“I have to write a paper for class, feed my livestock, schedule a meeting, finish a scholarship, wash the dishes, and it all has to be done in the next hour.”

A list that goes on and on, it seems that we are always incapable of completing every task. So they pile onto the next day and we go through the same process. A mere look at our to-do list ignites stress and anxiety. How will it be possible to live a life of joy if we are always experiencing this?

Let’s take a look back at an experience in our lives when we felt we had so much to do and no time to do it. For me, this was last year at the county fair. I had 2 cows and 3 heifers that all had to be ready to show by 8 o’clock in the morning. That meant getting up extra early that morning to wash, care, and prepare 5 animals all by myself. It didn’t take long before I was completely stressed out. I was not able to get all the animals washed in time and I wasn’t sure what to do next. The day that I had looked forward to for the last few months had turned for the worst.

As I was frantically trying to complete tasks, one of my FFA peers asked what I needed help with. I stood there shocked for a moment. I had never thought to ask for help. I thought that I had to complete every single task. I sat in a world of my own struggle when there were people all around me waiting to help me. I thanked my friends and they all began to assist me. The stress was lifted off of my shoulders and the rest of the day was filled with joy.

This day taught me an important lesson, ask for help. In life, we get so caught up in completing every task by ourselves. If I would have continued to try prepping all 5 animals by myself, I would have failed. My goals were completed because somebody reached out and helped. As we enter into the second half of summer, how could you be a helping hand for someone? Maybe you could ask your advisor if they need assistance at the county fair, helping out your parents with chores, or lend a hand to a friend. I want to challenge you to ask for help in your own life and ask others what they need help with!

Living to Serve,

Shelby Westhoff 

Northeast State Vice-President 

State Officers Reflect on COLT

Chandler: I had a chance to visit 3 COLTs this year and was amazed at the level of leadership that chapter officers brought to the table. Those I had a chance to interact with brought to the table a level of genuineness and determination that encouraged me to be a better leader! Hats off to the facilitators who volunteered their time to not only learn the curriculum but connect with members on a personal level. I am positive it left a bigger impact than they will ever realize! I cannot wait to see what our chapters tackle this year!

Tyler: Getting the opportunity to meet members across 3 districts was amazing. Getting to see so many new faces and interacting with all of you was something I genuinely enjoyed! I can’t wait to meet even more of you throughout the year makes me excited beyond belief! Continue to do great things in you chapter, district, and the entire state of Iowa!

Natalie: I loved getting to be a part of COLTs this year! We have so many incredible chapter officers this year. I can’t wait to see the awesome things Iowa FFA can accomplish this year through the service of leaders all across the state. I am so glad I had the opportunity to facilitate at these events and learn from the members who are leading their chapters. I am looking forward to seeing the impact our chapter officers make throughout their year of service!

Shelby: One word comes to mind after interacting with chapter officers this week, blessed. Our chapters are in great hands for this upcoming year. One of my favorite parts of COLT is having the chance to hear members share what makes there chapter unique. I also love seeing officers network and find skills to bring back home. I am very excited to watch as our chapter officers make a difference in their communities this year!

Mickayla: Over the past two weeks, I have attended 4 COLT Conferences, traveled nearly 1,000 miles, made tons of memories, and met some of Iowa’s most influential leaders. I absolutely loved being able to get to know all of our amazing chapter officers from all across the state! The amount of potential, determination, and leadership ability that our officers possess is extremely inspiring! I am super excited to witness all of the incredible things that our talented officer teams accomplish throughout the next year!

Grace: The thing I love most about our amazing organization is the people that comprise it, and attending three COLTs in the past two weeks showed me just how exceptional our members are! My favorite part of COLT season was definitely meeting all the different chapter officers from across the state. It was incredible to hear their thoughts, stories and ideas as we went through workshops together; we had lots of laughs and learned a lot along the way too! I have no doubt that these dedicated leaders will put what they learned to use in the upcoming year to better their chapters, schools and communities.

Nole: By far my favorite part of COLT is interacting with members and connecting with them. That’s something I really enjoy doing and COLT is a perfect opportunity to do so. Having the opportunity to attend three different COLTs really opened my eyes and showed once again, that this year's chapter officers can accomplish big things. Getting to know all of you throughout the year is the thing I’m looking forward to the most! Another big part of why I enjoy COLT so much are the road trip jam sessions, spontaneous Walmart runs, and all of the other memories made the nights before, are ones that I will hold on to for the rest of my life.

Hope: What I enjoy most about COLT was all of the behind the scenes work that goes into it to insure that the members had a successful experience. It was a wonderful feeling to witness all of that work get put into action. I was beyond excited to see all of the chapter officers taking full advantage of this opportunity. I have so much pride in the outstanding leaders within this organization. Iowa FFA, we are in great hands!

Lukas: The part that I enjoyed the most was bonding with chapter and district officers over the past two weeks. From driving 15 hours looking at all the new scenes and cool places while singing all the new songs and meeting members that made an impact on my life. I cannot wait to see the transformation in members lives from all of these amazing officers. You’ll all do great things this year!

Living to Serve,

The 2019-2020 State Officer Team

The Little Things

I’m sure most of us have heard a coach blame a bad loss on the little things that happen in a game. They huddle us up in the locker room at the end of the game and let us know what we did wrong. More often than not, the coach tells us the little things is what got us. “You guys didn’t hustle up the court” “You didn’t hold your blocks long enough” “You didn’t finish that move when you had the chance” You guys get the gist. On those long rides home from away games or meets, I had time to reflect on what I did and didn’t do. Did I do those extra little things that could have impacted the outcome? Was I giving my best effort?

After four years of playing sports, I realized that the little things that happen in games had the biggest influence on the outcome of the game. I realized this had a direct relation to things that go on in our everyday lives. I know all of us have had those days where the last thing we want to do is wake up to our alarms. We think to ourselves “Hitting the snooze one time won’t hurt” That snowballs into a big mess that leaves you late for school. Then you think back “Were those few extra minutes of sleep worth it?”

Even the little gestures that you display in the real world. Things such as waiting a little bit longer to hold the door for someone. Minding your manners by saying please and thank you to those who do things for you. In the moment you don’t think anything of it, you just think you’re being polite, but in all reality, you could have just made that person’s day. That, in my opinion, is the most satisfying reward a person can get.

One of the greatest American educators, Booker T. Washington once said: “Success in life is founded upon attention to the small things rather than to the large things; to the every day things nearest to us rather than to the things that are remote and uncommon.” Think about it. How are you going out of your way and making that extra effort to see a better outcome? Are you doing those little things in life that seem so meaningless?

I challenge you, the members of the Iowa FFA, to make those extra efforts in times where they might not seem relevant. Go out of your way during your everyday life, to see lasting the impacts it has on others. Don’t get caught up in the big picture trying to pull off big gestures and start focusing on the little things.

Yours in blue,

Nole Bochmann

Northwest State Vice President

A Calf and A Challenge

Growing up on a small cattle farm, calving season was always my absolute favorite time of the year! There was nothing like going outside during odd hours of the day and night to see if a new baby had made its way into the world. While calving season was an exciting time, it was also very stressful and challenging.

This year, on a sunny March day, my family farm welcomed a set of twins. One was a white-faced heifer, and the other a black bull. The little white-face calf picked up on nursing right away and took to wobbling around the pen; however, her brother wasn’t learning as fast. Shortly after, I noticed that he was unable to stand. Every time he got his back legs underneath him, his front legs would wobble forward and collapse. As it turned out, the calf who we called “Mo”, had weak ankles that made it very difficult for him to stand.

Since Mo was unable to stand on his own, he was brought into our basement where he could be taken care of. I held Mo up as he drank a bottle and struggled to stand in the basement. My brother and I worked together to hold Mo up as he wobbled across the basement floor. With a little bit of tender loving care and encouragement, Mo was able to build up enough leg strength to be able to stand on his own. He was able to run and jump just like all of the other calves, and you couldn’t even tell that he had been unable to walk.

Almost three months later, Mo enjoys running through the yard, chasing chickens, and going on long walks. All of these activities are things that seemed impossible at first. These were things that no one thought he would be able to do, but that didn’t stop him. Instead of giving up when presented with a challenge, Mo continued on with the help of those around him. While Mo may have just been a calf, it doesn’t mean that we can’t learn something from him.

Throughout our lives, we will have to face many challenges. These challenges range in capacity, but nevertheless, they are still challenges. Whether it’s stepping outside of your comfort zone, trying something new in FFA, a major life decision or a bad day that seems to be getting worse, take a moment to tell yourself you can. You are capable of way more than you ever expect, and no obstacle is ever to big if you are willing to give it your all. Just like it took Mo a little while to get his footing, it might take a little time to overcome your challenge; but with the help of those around you, any difficulty can be overcome. 

In Blue and Gold,

Mickayla McGill

South Central State Vice-President

Small Town Proud

At last, the time has come. Summer is right around the corner. The time to go swimming in the lake, driving 30 minutes to go to Walmart only to walk around, and driving around your small town looking for something to do. The late night talk sessions while driving around with the windows down are where we will spend most of our nights. We all have that one thing we look forward to each summer. Personally, mine is the time spent with my FFA chapter that has my towns name on the back of their jackets.

Although I love to go swimming with my friends, going to Walmart just for something to do, driving around Nashua, going down the same street over and over for hours, I look forward to getting together with my chapter and decorating our float for the annual Water Over the Dam Days parade. The meetings, the grill outs, the kickball tournaments, each summer, we have a lot to look forward to. However, sometimes things don’t go as planned. Sometimes our activities will get rained out, or being in Iowa, they could get snowed out. With our chapter being in a small town, activities can sometimes get doubled up. If our FFA monthly meeting is at 6:30 in the Ag room, you better bet there is probably a football meeting in the library at the same time!

Being from a small town, everybody knows everybody. When I go into the local Casey’s or Kwik Star, I am greeted with a “good afternoon Mr. Bucknell, how are you doing today” or a “How is FFA treating you.” The advantages of being from a small town is that everyone sees your accomplishments or failures. It is up to you to decide what you want to be known as. Everyone knows the athletes, drama stars, band/choir kids, art kids, Ag kids, they know everything you do.

Being from a small town, doesn’t mean that no one can/will be successful. It means that those that are, face harder challenges. If you fail, everyone will see you as the person that failed but not the person who refuses to give up, but if you do succeed, everyone knows your accomplishment, it is in the town’s newspaper, all over your social media timelines, and in many other places. The community rallies behind your success(s) and looks at you as a role model and for advice. I can personally say that I am proud to be from our small town where my friends have turned into family.

Create your Legacy,

Lukas Bucknell

North Central State Vice President

The Next Chapter

Graduation. The point in our lives that we either can’t wait for, or the point that we dread. Whichever perspective we hold depends a lot on our personal experiences. If you are like me, you are the person who can’t/couldn’t wait to leave high school in the past.

I’m sure we’ve all heard someone say, “high school is the best time of your life.” Maybe this is true for some of us, but not for all of us. And that’s okay. It’s okay to love high school and it’s okay to not. What’s important to remember is to respect each other’s feelings on this matter. There was nothing I couldn’t stand more than someone trying to change my mind whenever I said anything about being excited for graduation.

Most of us have attended a commencement ceremony. We’ve seen the graduates who can’t stop the tears from flowing, the ones who check on stage to see if their diploma is signed, and the ones who are yawning in the front row. Although there are widespread feelings and reactions among these graduates, they share one commonality. They have reached a new beginning.

There seems to be a common misconception around graduation. Some look at this time as one story ending and a different one beginning. Graduation instead signifies the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new chapter. Life is not separated into two different eras, “before graduation” and “after graduation.” Life is one story with several chapters.

It’s okay to be excited to start a new chapter. Think about how you feel when you’re reading a good book. Everything that has happened in the book has led you to this moment. You can’t wait to see what happens next. This can also be applied to our lives. Our years of school that seem to drag on forever lead us to our graduation. We don’t know exactly what lies ahead after our graduation, but we’re excited to find out.

Just because we have left one chapter, does not mean we have to dwell on it. As the cheesy Dr. Seuss quote goes, “don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” It’s okay to be ready to start your next chapter. The pages are blank. They are yours to fill in.

Living to Serve,

Hope Brecht

Southeast State Vice President

Iowa FFA Association

Finishing the Year Strong

As a student, the last month of school can be the hardest to complete. Summer is almost here and we’re ready to start all of the plans we have for our vacation. It can be difficult to stay focused and finish the year strong, even though we have many commitments to fulfill. It’s important to keep our energy up and finish the school year just as strong as it began.


In my FFA chapter in Forest City, we have an Ag Safety day for middle school students. We bring in different animals and farm equipment so that we can educate the students on different aspects of agriculture. It’s a fun event for both the high school students and the middle school students. Our biggest issue with this event is always the time of year. We have this event towards the end of May. Many times, Ag Safety Day falls on a date after the seniors have graduated. It can be challenging to have enough volunteers to put together a fun experience for the students.


In order to make this day a success, we have to work together as a team. We each tackle a task that has to be done. We communicate to the other members of the team. When we meet to plan Ag Safety Day, we make it a fun experience by sharing snacks and telling jokes. Most importantly, we hold each other accountable for completing the responsibilities we each have. We’d remind each other to get our tasks done, so that we could create a fun Ag Safety day for our middle school students.


Once the day of the event arrives, new challenges arise. There’s always a student that decides not to show up, even if they have volunteered to help. A student always forgets to bring the supplies they need for their station. As these issues arise, we have to be adaptable enough to cover them quickly. We always come up with a solution, and the day usually goes pretty smoothly. However, it’s always a little disappointing when we find out a student has decided not to participate, even though they had previously signed up to help.


While we finish our school year, it can be easy to be the student who decides not to show up to our commitments. We get caught up in our plans for the summer, and forget how much our participation is needed. As we finish the year, I encourage you to keep your energy high. There are three things that always seem to keep me energized and I want to share them with you now.


The first thing I always do is keep my schedule as routine as possible. I do my best to go to bed at the same time, and I eat breakfast every morning. I study for tests the same way I do throughout the year, and I take notes in every class. These actions all seem like little details, but the routine keeps me focused on finishing the year.


I also volunteer for activities with friends. I’m a part of my high school Interact club. Through this group, I do community service projects with other students. In the month before school ends, I make sure to sign up for service projects that I can do with friends. Maybe it’s planting trees or helping at the humane society. This way, if I start to slack on my commitment, my friends are there to hold me accountable.


Lastly, I make sure to plan fun activities on the weekends. My family has always loved camping, but we don’t always have the time to do it. If the weather is really nice, we’ll set up our tent in the backyard. This is a fun chance for us to spend time outside together. Sometimes my sister and I will go to a local ice cream shop and spend the afternoon walking around a state park. These are fun activities that I can do during the school year, rather than waiting until summer.


Keeping a routine schedule, finding friends to hold me accountable, and doing fun activities on the weekends are all ways that I finish the year strong. By finding the strategies that keep you focused and energized, I hope you’ll find it’s much easier to finish your school year. I wish you all the best of luck with your last month of school!

Run with your Challenges,

Natalie Jefson

Iowa FFA State Secretary

Knockout

The crowd rumbled with a hundred conversations in the packed arena. The smell of popcorn, salted peanuts, and sweat mixed with the electricity in the air. Men in 3 piece suits with loosened ties, sat next to farmers and factory workers still in their work attire, conversing. Taking the center of the ring, a man in a suite lifted a microphone up to his lips and the lights dimmed. Over in the corner, a short, but built man stood, shaking his arms and bouncing up and down, waiting. The crowd hushed as the man with the microphone spoke in a deep and exhilarating tone.

“Welcome, to tonight’s Golden Glove lightweight bout!”

The man in the corner continued to shake his arms and move his legs. The crowd roared as a man in black trunks entered the ring and waved to the crowd. The suited man lowered his voice once again.

“And in this corner, standing 5’7’’, weighing 126 lbs, from Hankinson, North Dakota your lightweight champion, James Jahner!

The man in the corner stopped jumping, put up his gloves and took the ring as cameras flashed and the crowd roared.

My grandfather, James Jahner, wasn’t a perfect boxer. He was a persistent one.

Persistence, by definition, is “firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.”

Persistence can be found in all walks of life, not just boxing.

In the 1980s, the American Agriculturist had to do all they could to keep their operations afloat. Whether it was high-interest rates, low market prices, drought or all of the above, life was grim. Companies began to collapse and merge, families lost their homes, Christmas gifts were merely the free items the seed salesman handed out. But some held on. If you are looking for a real-world example of persistence after being knocked down, talk to a farmer who made it through the 80s.

But where is persistence today? In our throw-away culture, what happened?

“Something isn’t working? We’ll buy new!” “He/she and I just couldn’t work things out, so we broke up.” “It was too hard, took too much time, so I quit.”

It makes no sense. Where’s the grit? Where’s the can-do attitude? Where’s the passion?

Rocky, although fictional, is one of the most recognizable boxers in the history of the sport said, “It ain’t about how hard ya can hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” That goes for everyone, not just boxers. Life is difficult, and that’s ok. Life is about what you do in the face of that difficulty. Did you fight or did you let go? Did you plant one more year and pray for the Crisis to end? Were you persistent?

I ask you, whatever it is you care about, whether it’s faith, family, school, or work, don’t let it go easily. Stay after it. Put your gloves up and fight for it! When you get tired, or when you fail, think before you throw in the towel, because you never know if your next punch is going to be a Knockout.

Go Get Em,

Chandler Jahner

State President

Throw Back Thursday - Meaningful Service

I spent the first week of 2017 in the mountains of northern Haiti. I could take the next twenty pages just detailing the events of each day, but instead I want to share some interesting lessons I learned over the course of the trip.

Lesson One: A smile and a wave can break through any language barrier.
On the four hour drive from Port-au-Prince to the the university where we would be staying and working, I rode in the back of a van. Although this spot made the banging and bouncing of the trip a little more extreme, it gave me a unique vantage point on the trek. I can distinctly remember looking out the back window amazed at the beauty of the mountains and the contrast of the abject poverty butting up to the road’s edge. Along the side of the road were two little boys, probably about five and three years old, sitting on a big rock used to keep vehicles from driving off the road and rolling down the side of the mountain. As we drove by, I made eye contact with them. I don’t know why, but I continued to stare as we got farther and farther apart. As the van drove on, I raised my arm and waved at them. When they waved back it brought a huge smile to my face, and as my smile grew bigger, the two boys smiled back and waved even harder. Even though I had no idea who these two boys were, couldn’t say anything to them, and will never see them again, we connected, not through speech, but by a simple smile and a wave. It makes for a nice feel good story, but more importantly, it made three people’s day better.

Lesson Two: You may never know what your actions mean to the people around you.
I have to preface this by asking you to imagine what it looks like in a high school ag class or a science lab when you are conducting an experiment. This will make sense at the end. To start, I was working with a group of students at the university testing soil from their garden plots. I had about eight students who were working with me. I began by going through the soil test, explaining each part as I was testing it. When I was finished demonstrating and explaining to the students, then it was their turn. Now, to the moral of the story and why I asked what I did at the beginning. Unlike almost all of the classrooms in the U.S., this class was full of students who were completely quiet, taking notes on everything being said, and engaged and attentive the entire time. This taught me that the students and the people in Haiti are so hungry for knowledge and ideas that can help them. They are so grateful and appreciative for what we are doing to help them, they don’t want to miss any of it.

Lesson Three: Actually do something that matters. 

Far too often we work on projects or go on church or university sponsored trips, and by the time we are done we walk away saying to ourselves, “I came in thinking they needed me, but walked away thinking I was really the one needing them.” I am not saying this is a bad thing, but I want to encourage you to do something that has residual, something that will leave a lasting impact. Don’t go into a situation thinking you have all the answers or you know best. What I learned was, often times, you get the best results when you talk to the people living in the situation on a daily basis, listen to what they need, and work to solve the problems with shared understanding. Be open to what they have to say and willing to selflessly go and make meaningful change that will last longer than the time you are there.

Cole Moody

2016-2017

Northeast State Vice President

Originally Published- 1/26/2017