How Full is Your Glass?

I think we can all agree that we have had moments where we have thought, “This hasn’t been a very good day”, or maybe you have said, “This week could be over already”, or my favorite line, “Could this get any worse”. Everyone has had these moments, but I think of these moments as a personal perspective.

When I was in fifth grade, there was one day during class that comes to mind whenever I have a not so good day. My teacher, Mrs. Moore stood up in the front of the class and said to us all, “Is the glass half empty or half full”? For a second I was confused on why she was saying this to all of us. Then once again she said, “Is the glass half empty or half full”?

As we discussed as a class what this might mean, we slowly came to the conclusion that this wasn’t a trick question or a project for science, it was a question about life in general. She was asking us if we were only going to focus on the bad, or are we going to pay more attention to the good.

A few summers ago, I had an idea for a photograph that involved a puddle of water, and three mason jars. Once again the words that Mrs. Moore said came to mind. I filled up my three jars all with different amounts of water and headed outside with my camera.

As I was taking this picture I started thinking about what jar people would consider being half empty or half full. As I thought about it some more, I came back to the conclusion that it is about a person's individual perspective. Just like every day when you wake up, you have the decision to decide if today is going to be a good day or a bad day.

You have the choice to decide if the day is going to get worse, or you can look at the positives that have come out of the day. It is your perspective. As I leave you with this final question, “Is your glass half empty or half full”?

Smile for the camera,

Jodie Mausser

2018-2019 Iowa FFA State Reporter

Family Traditions

Chandler- My Mom’s side of the family all gather at my Grandparents on the day of Thanksgiving. Although it may feel like it’s over 90 degrees inside with everyone and the stoves cooking, it’s a favorite of mine. We really don’t do anything too special, we just enjoy an afternoon of food, fellowship and discussing where my aunts and grandmothers are going on Black Friday. As we roll into later fall and winter, I hope you get an opportunity similar to mine with your family!

CD- In November it's always football time, and with thanksgiving brings the hub of all the good college football games on TV. Usually, we have all of the harvests for the year complete and all the calves weaned. We all enjoy a break so that we can gather, eat, and give thanks for another successful year. We like to take the time to catch up on sleep and catch up from the busy fall harvest. But starting on Thursday after we eat the excitement starts, being a Dallas Cowboys fan it's always fun to watch a little football then the real excitement begins, the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Iowa Hawkeyes. Growing up in a Husker home it’s the most sacred holiday in the football world. We all gathered around to watch the end of the regular season and enjoy the Big Red win another game. Go Big Red and happy Thanksgiving.

Lexi- Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, and not just because of the great food! Each year, my uncles, cousins, my brother, and I go pheasant hunting. We have been doing so for as long as I can remember. We usually go in the morning and spend most of the afternoon out hunting. Once we are finished for the day, we go to my grandparent's house and enjoy a tasty dinner! After we have cleaned everything up from dinner, we sit around and of course watch football to end our day together. Each year, I look forward to the time I get to spend with my family, and all of the blessings we each have to be thankful for on this special day!

Gwen- Thanksgiving is a favorite holiday of mine for many reasons, and it’s not just the food! Our Thanksgiving day starts with the annual Gobble Gobble 5K! The race doubles as a canned food drive for our local food pantry, and nothing beats the feeling of a run in the morning and helping those in need. Next, we come home and the final preparations begin, as our family Thanksgiving is held at my home. Soon it is time for dinner, and the family has arrived. We sit around enjoying the company of one another, as we haven’t seen some of our cousins in a while. After naps have been taken to sleep off the turkey we, of course, watch a little football! I have always been so grateful for this day to see my family gather together to celebrate another year health, hope, and faith!

Jodie- When it comes to Thanksgiving my family has a few traditions that are not quite like the others. When it comes to the Williams family dinner, we all come a little bit early to finish putting food together, and sometimes we can even get a sample before everyone else does. Grandpa makes sure to have the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade on for all of us grandkids. After everyone has arrived and a prayer has been said, all of kids race grandpa to finish with “Now we can eat”! After the meal is done we all sit around talking, playing card games, or looking at the ads in the newspaper, so when Black Friday shopping starts the next day, everyone has a Christmas list idea. On the Lindsay side, everyone gathers into the kitchen to say a prayer and one thing we are thankful for. Soon everyone is at the table talking and enjoying a good meal. Once dinner is done, the kids lay down for naps, and when you walk into the living room, all the chairs are full with the guys, because they too are taking naps. Once the guys are up, the go and do chores at the barn and come back to Nana and Papa’s house. Everyone jumps in line again to eat some of the leftover pizza dinners for supper. By the end of the night, the adults are playing games while talking, and all the kids are laying down and watching a movie together. Every family has a different tradition, which is why they are each unique. I wouldn’t change my family’s for the world.

Cole - While my favorite tradition of all happens during the summer months, Thanksgiving is a very important time for my family. Growing up, my parents worked quite a bit so family dinners didn’t happen as much as we would have liked. Thanksgiving was a time that my family and I cherished. It was a time when we knew we would sit down and talk with each other no matter what. In our family, when we are all together we know it is an important time. We grew up with the knowledge that the time we have on this earth is limited, so we should spend it with the people we love Our family. Around that table we know we are in a safe place because the people with us wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. It is these values in our family that make this holiday so special. From our humble beginnings as aspiring agriculturalists to a proud family of farmers, we have continued to grow together. Use this holiday to set aside all of the stress you have and take a moment to really live in the moment with the ones you love.

Jake- I have always loved the traditions that my family partakes in. Our Thanksgiving traditions are no different. Every year we make the trip to my Aunt Jeanie’s house in southern Iowa. We enjoy alarming amounts of food and sit down to watch the NFL football games every year. Though I do love this tradition, my favorite traditions comes that night. This tradition is two words and one of my favorite things to do. Those words are “Black Friday.” Now I do not usually partake in the spending of all my savings, but I do enjoy a good deal here and there. My cousins and I leave after the football games to get in lines at stores. On the way there we would circle the deals and make a game plan. Even though I usually didn’t buy a lot it was always an experience to spend the night and Friday watching people go crazy for deals. This was a great time to spend with family and why Thanksgiving is always one of my most favorite times of the year because of the time spent with family. Happy Thanksgiving!

Lane- Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite times of the year. This is because I get to see all of my family in one place and eat some amazing food. Our tradition has always been gathering at my grandma's house early in the morning and spending the day with all of our family. My grandma makes a big breakfast which includes giant cinnamon rolls, omelets, and many other goodies. Throughout the day our parents cook the food while us kids play games and watch tv. Now that I am older, my tradition has changed a bit because instead of playing games with my cousins, I watch the football games that are being played that day or catch the NASCAR race. I wouldn’t trade this holiday for anything because it’s always full of good food, family, and lots of naps. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Laken- My favorite family tradition is waking up early in the morning and helping my family get the food ready. We spend the morning making appetizer-style foods including pickle wraps, little weenies, meatballs, and anything that will fill us up until the big meal. Once the food is done, my family gathers around the table and fills up on all the Thanksgiving favorites. We always time our meals around the Dallas Cowboys football game and all crowd in the living room after the meal to enjoy the game. After the Cowboys are done and a good post-meal nap is taken, we make the pies and eat them as a pre-bedtime snack. I always love spending time around the table with my family, eating food and finally being all together when working around our always busy schedules.

Living to Serve,

2018-2019

Iowa FFA State Officer Team

Long Live Cowboys

Long Live Cowboys, Wrangler’s marketing is all over the television in the first week of December during a tradition that takes place for the 10 nights that has lasted for 60 years. The toughest cowboys and cowgirls all make their way to Las Vegas, Nevada for the National Finals Rodeo, a tradition that most of the western world takes part of and Brinegar family loves to watch every year. Each round the entire family stays up to marvel at how the bulls get stronger, and the horses get faster and more powerful, or how the athletes learn new ways to help give them a competitive edge.

In the western world tradition is rich and deep, take Saddle Bronc riding, first done by the cowboys of the west to see who could ride and tame the wildest horses. Even roping, it’s not done just for fun, since the beginning of time there is always that one calf that needs to be caught and roping is the fastest way that the Cowboys could get the job done.

Cowboys have been around for hundreds of years and every day they feel the pressure of new advancements that seem to threaten the way of life that the Cowboys love. In the late 1800’s barbed wire closed the prairie making the once king cattle drives come to an end. The squeeze shoot ended the old days of roping and dragging calves for treatment. Ear tags and freeze branding have begun to take over the hot iron branding. Now I don’t see all of these things as bad, but a tradition was or is being broken when times change and like anything people don’t always like that.

In farming, ranching, and FFA the same thing is still happening today as the younger generation is beginning to take over GPS, new recordkeeping systems, or new thoughts on how to make our organization better are always being thought of. Grandparents are usually driven up a wall as these times change as they try to hold on to the tradition and doing something the way they did. Greenstar and new planters have helped make our job in the spring faster and more efficient even though its more complicated and can be hard to run the computers in the planters. Today we use the computer and Exel sheets to keep track of medical records keeping them neat and easy to read whenever there’s a sick animal but is a step that makes my father uncomfortable when he can easily just write it down. Even FFA has hit these new ways with an organization that is made of over 670,000 members from all over this nation we are always changing things to help make our organization more well-rounded for all students. But can we do this without losing the tradition that has built our organization?

Just like that advertisement, Long Live Cowboys, tradition is carried on through the group that works to keep it true and alive. In our changing times, of course, we don’t always want to move away from a tried and true method of doing something because of the benefits that we haven’t seen yet. We as FFA members hold the Future Farmers of America in us every time we zip up that iconic blue jacket with the letters FFA stitched on. We know that we began our organization 91 years ago because of Farming and if it wasn’t for farming, we wouldn’t have agriculture and our organization today. Like the times that change with the new technology we can keep the past alive just like the NFR has, we can use our traditions as a way to help teach the younger generation about the past and how we have gotten here today. Although it seems scary that our traditions are being threatened it's up to each of us to help pass those traditions on because through us they will be told, passed on and lived out just like the cowboy way from years ago.

Long Live Cowboys, Long Live Tradition,

2018-2019 Iowa FFA State President

Chase "CD" Brinegar

Tips and Tricks for Official Dress

Walking down the streets of Indianapolis at the 91st National FFA Convention and Expo, taking in the sights of the sea of blue jackets. Nothing could go wrong, that's until I trip and my heel runs across my shin as I stumble to regain my footing. Now I am completely fine, my pride maybe bruised a little, but one thing has not survived the trip. It is my pantyhose. They now have a huge run down the front, and I am embarrassed. Maybe we haven't found ourselves in this exact situation in Official Dress, but we may have had a mishap with it at some point in our FFA careers. That is why today I’m going to share with you my 6 Tips and Tricks to Official Dress.

1- Collars. I’m sure at some time we have had a problem with the collars of our white button downs. They can be too small, or maybe after a few washes no matter how many times they are ironed they don’t look nice. My tip for this would be to get a men’s button down. They collars on men's shirts stay crisp and tall for a long time and are great for keeping up scarves.

2- Pants/ Skirts. Pants and skirts are some of the easier parts to Official Dress, and really don’t give us too many problems. One thing is for certain after doing many hours of walking in them though is they will fall down. A little, very snazzy, trick for this is definitely suspenders. FFA suspenders keep pants and skirts up, and also super fun!

3- Black Shoes. Whether you wear black dress shoes, heels, or flats, after a long day In Official Dress your feet hurt. I combat having sore feet by wearing an insole in my shoe. The gel sole gives me just a little more cushion to keep the pep in my step! Also would recommend carrying around a bandaid or two just in case of blisters. 

4- Scarves. FFA scarves have a handy little adjustable strap on them to help them fit your neck properly, but for some, the scarf is still too big. Using a safety pin can help cinch it up the rest of the way.

5- Pantyhose. Let me say pantyhose are always a pain. They snag and run, and in the winter your legs get cold. So here is what I have learned from the many times I have worn them. If you don’t want to wear a skirt and pantyhose then you don’t have to, you can wear pants instead. If you do wear a skirt then I have more advise. Let's say you have a small snag that could turn into a run. Use clear nail polish, or hairspray to keep the hole from getting any bigger. Maybe you have a little hole and can see skin, use a pen or marker. Color in the hole. Also when putting on pantyhose make sure to remove rings or bracelets, also make sure you don’t have a hangnail that could catch. Trying to avoid snagging or running and just want a really good pair of pantyhose. I wear Hanes Silk Reflections and let me tell ya those are some good ones.

6- Jackets. Maybe you had a big mishap in your jacket and now have a stain. Do not wash it yourself! Have your jacket dry cleaned. Also if you haven’t discovered already, you have inside pockets in that blue corduroy. Use those to fill with little things that can help you through a long contest, or workshop. I split the use of my pockets. In my right inside pocket, I always have a few safety pins and bobby pins, a band-aid or two, chapstick, and a tide to go pen. On the left, I carry a pen, some business cards, and little sticky note with a happy little reminder to keep me going.

Whether we are at a contested, convention, or workshop, remember to lend a hand to someone if you can. Remind them to tuck their tallywacker, straighten their scarf or tie and wish them the best. I hope my time spent having some mishaps in Official Dress can help you avoid some of the mistakes I’ve had to combat.

As always in Blue and Gold, 

Your Southwest State Vice President,

Gwen Back

Jake and Megan's Story.

Each year the Iowa FFA takes the 9 state officers and 2 delegates to the National FFA Convention and Expo to serve as delegates for the state of Iowa and work to pass legislation within our organization to help keep it relevant for years to come. This year we were lucky to have Jake Stenzel the Southwest District Treasurer and Megan Decker the Northwest District Reporter as our two delegates. This is their story.

Jake-
Going to National Convention is always a great experience, but going with the state officer team as a delegate was even better. Being a delegate was a good experience because we got to interact closely with the National Officers and State Representatives from all over. We did a lot of fun activities besides the business side of it. We went to Garth Brooks, the expo, and many adventures around Indianapolis. This was all a great experience and I would recommend it to anyone that has the opportunity.

Megan-
I had the privilege to be able to serve amongst some of the nation’s best leaders at this year’s national FFA convention. From one experience/conversation to the next, I was eager to meet the next person in blue corduroy who had a unique story to share. It was eye opening to get to see the process in which we follow to make changes in our organization and who had say in doing so. I was humbled to gain a first-hand experience of how the blue jacket can bring such a variety of people with radically different backgrounds together for a common purpose. The most memorable part for me was meeting fellow passionate FFA members who have bright futures and a life of purpose ahead of them.

What is your favorite part of the National FFA Convention and Expo?

Lexi-
When I have attended National FFA Convention in the past, my favorite part has been going to the rodeo or concert one night. This gave me a chance to meet other FFA members from around the United States in a laid-back setting. Energy is always high, and everyone seems to be having fun. It also gave me a chance to spend time with everyone from my chapter. Since the convention is towards the beginning of the year, I was able to get to know first-year members who traveled with us during this time. Moments like these are the ones I will remember forever from my time attending three National Conventions in high school. National Convention has so many amazing aspects that it is hard to pick just one part!

Jodie-
When I was a freshman in high school, I had the opportunity to attend the National convention in Kentucky. During my senior year of high school, I had the opportunity to go to nationals again, but this time it was in Indiana. FFA members from across the country all come together and when you are in the sessions, at the career fair, just walking down the streets, there is an energy like none other. My favorite part of convention was seeing all of the blue jackets. There was even a chapter in Missouri that had the same name as my home chapter! National convention is such an amazing thing to experience and be a part of, and if you are ever offered the opportunity to go, I would definitely recommend it!

Jake-
I had the amazing opportunity to attend National Convention in Indianapolis and Louisville. Though there are differences and similarities amongst each, one thing stuck out to me more than anything about National Convention in both cities. Yes, the trade show and sessions are amazing, but still, something stuck out to me. That thing is the FFA members that attend. From coast to coast, coming from countless backgrounds, this is what makes convention so special. A moment that is still ingrained in my mind is the sight of jackets from countless states walking around. I have a challenge for those going this year. Find an individual from each state, make a list and add them on a social media platform. By doing this, not only do you get to meet people, but you now have a connection in each state. You never know when you may run across that person again or be in their neck of the woods!

Cole -
I had the opportunity to attend national convention my sophomore and senior year, because of this I was lucky enough to visit both convention sites. I’d have to say while I can never get enough of the conversations you have with new friends you make, my all time favorite thing to do was to make it a goal to have a conversation with one member from every state! I found that the best way to do this was to go to the section of nationals where every state has a display, this way I not only got to meet these people but I got to see just what made their state so unique. I remember my sophomore year I was running out of hope of meeting every state but just before convention ended I saw a glimmer of hope by seeing a jacket with the last state I needed: Alaska. This journey made my national convention experience so rewarding because I not only felt accomplished for finding each state but making meaningful connections while doing it!

Lane-
Unlike all of my teammates, I have never been to the National FFA Convention. I have always wanted to go but due to athletic events, I wasn’t able to attend. My perspective for this will be one from the outside looking in from my years of wanting to attend convention. The most impressive thing to me is that there are so many blue jackets that fill the streets of Indianapolis. Having FFA members from across the nation shows that the organization is thriving and growing rapidly. It also shows how these members have a passion for agriculture with the drive and determination to make a difference.

Laken-
I was fortunate enough to experience National FFA Convention both in Louisville and Kentucky. Though both conventions were different, the atmosphere of Convention is always the same. There is no way to describe the feeling of being surrounded by 60,000+ people all dressed in the Blue Jacket. Instead of being back home where FFA is really only taken seriously by those involved, you’re surrounded by people who all share the same passion for leadership and agriculture. I have always loved going around the Expo, gathering signatures from different states and making friends. I also love sitting in sessions as they open with a laser show. The music is loud, the energy is high, and you know you are about to experience an FFA event like never before.

Chandler-
Being able to both attend and compete at Nationals is something that has highlighted my FFA career. The amount of passion, leadership, and love under one roof is breathtaking. What I would recommend to people going to National Convention is be up for anything. In my opinion, if you go with a mentality strictly of “ I’m going to do this, and then this.” then you’ll miss some of the great stuff. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and broaden your horizons. If you meet a member from another state, go hang out with them! Explore the career show, sit in on some sessions, dance, sing, and talk to people from all over. This convention is an opportunity like none other. It’s an adventure. If you’re competing, good luck! If you’re attending, safe travels!

Gwen-
I have always loved National Convention, and have also been given the amazing opportunity to experience it both in Louisville and Indianapolis! Though experiencing the sea of blue on FFA Way in Indianapolis is a sight that will take your breath away. Some of my favorite convention activities are of course the Expo and everything it has to offer. I have also loved the tours my chapter would go on, as we would always try and explore a different part of the agriculture industry. I have seen Thoroughbred horse farms in Kentucky to Fairlife Dairy in Indiana. Also given the chance at convention you can come home and say you met someone from every state! Not many people can say that! Convention is just one of the most life changing experiences I have ever been a part of. The people and the experiences you have here will stay with you for the rest of your life! Safe travels, and happy National FFA Convention.

CD-
At the FFA National Convention, I love to walk through the trade show, seeing the new equipment and ag technology along with speaking with the vendors. Two years ago I remember seeing the new Atonmus tractor by Case IH. the future of farming is here and GPS is another tool for producers to use. I also enjoy to walk through the college booths, all over the country there are some great schools and I enjoy to see what each of them have to bring to the national level and compare to other programs all around the country. Just remember there is “Just One’ national FFA Convention Expo and it is a great time.

Have Fun at Convention,

2018-2019 Iowa FFA State Officer Team

Definitions

Every day we put definitions and labels on various things. Whether they may be on words, projects, people, or anything we see during a day’s time. Merriam Webster states that a definition is, “the action or the power of describing, explaining, or making clear.” Though we may think of this when we hear the word definition, I think a much different approach can be taken.

2015, my sophomore year of high school, football season was in full swing, my team, The North Tama Redhawks were in another “rebuilding” season. The last game of the year was on a perfect football weather night, one I will never forget. As we take the field, I march out ready to play just one more game, before focusing on basketball. I line up behind the center, the play starts, I get the ball and run into the teeth of the defense. As I am getting tackled, my leg is pinned under me. In that moment I knew something wasn’t right. I get carried off the field and await the diagnosis. A sprained ACL is what the MRI showed, no physical activity for three months. This was an issue because the basketball season started in only a month. What was I going to do?

At this moment there was a decision to be made. Would I let this setback hinder me? Or would I make the best of the situation? The decision was mine.

Fast forward three years, Freshman year of college at the great Iowa State University, (go clones), it is my first test as a college student, biology 211. I go into this with high hopes, I had studied hard and had an alright understanding of the topics, but as I start taking the test I soon realize I had not studied enough. Let me just say my grade reflected this and was a little rough.

I had another decision to make, my first test at college had been a failure. Would I let this define my college career, or would I make the most of this experience and learn what I need to do to be successful?

Many times in our lives we go through hardships and challenges. I am a firm believer that the decisions that follow these events are what define us as a person. How will you define yourself after going through times like these? Will you allow it to consume you or will you prosper?

Think back to the different approach I referenced at the beginning of this, that approach is how we define ourselves. What actions do we take to be successful? Are we taking any steps to do just that or are we complacent? I challenge all of those who read this to be intentional. After one of the hardest moments in my life, a great mentor said something to me that I will never forget, “Do not let this define you as a person, instead, let it be the direction that will allow you to prosper in the next segment of your life.”

Today remember, we all go through times of despair, times of difficulties, but how we react to these is what defines us. How will you define yourself??

God Bless,

Jake Hlas

Northeast State Vice-President