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

9 Things to do at the 2019 Iowa State Leadership Conference

The state officer team recently sat down and had a conversation about each of our favorite things to do at State Leadership Conference and this was what we said. 

CD- My favorite spot at the great Iowa FFA Leadership Conference is the career show. I enjoy walking through all of the booths in Sheman and visit with the industry people. It was always the highlight of my convention not to mention getting free stuff from all the booths. My favorite booth was always Kirkwood, they always are very friendly and more than willing to explain all the programs that they have to offer and I can say visiting with the colleges helped me make my decision to go to Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids. Another favorite has to always be the Hormel booth were you take a quiz on your knowledge of different meat products and what part of the animal they come from. I look forward to going to the career show this year and visiting with everyone there.

Lexi- Who doesn’t love getting new FFA gear?! Every year that I attended State Convention, I always stocked up on t-shirts, sweatshirts, and the occasional pair of suspenders for the year. The Iowa FFA Alumni will once again be having their Supply Service next to the career show this year. You can grab the conference themed t-shirt and any other new gear that you will need for the upcoming year! This has always been one of my personal favorites about convention. I can’t wait to see y'all there!

Jake- Hands down my favorite part of state convention is the BBQ and dance on Monday night! These are both excellent ways to meet members from all over the state and run into the state officer team! At the BBQ you will enjoy some great food from various Iowa State University Clubs and while here you can see some of what Iowa State has to offer. Later on Monday night, you can attend the fun night and dance! A night full of swing and line dancing is also a great way to meet people! If dancing isn’t your thing, no need to worry, BINGO is also going on during this time. The BBQ is held at the Hansen Center and fun night is at the Memorial Union on Iowa State’s Campus. See you all there!

Cole- Being the energetic person I am, seeing old friends is my favorite part of convention. Whether you met them through state fair ushering or at your sub-district convention, you are sure to see some familiar faces at state convention. I absolutely love to reinforce positive relationships with my fellow members through exploring the wonders of convention. So while you’re out exploring all of the parts of convention that my teammates love, bring your friends along for the ride! Create some new memories!

Jodie- If you love ice cream, Clone Cones are for sure one of the BEST parts of convention! Whether you are a cyclone fan or a Hawkeye fan, I think we can all agree that the Cyclones have the best ice cream! When you are sitting in sessions, walking around with your new FFA friends, or going to the career fair, you can take your Clone Cone to go! They are also perfect to share! One can grab the spoon and eat from the bowl, and then the other can eat the cone! You can also grab some cookies to finish off the ice cream! I can’t wait to see you at the 91st convention! Don’t forget to grab your Clone Cone!

Gwen- My favorite part about convention is definitely the workshops. So many awesome people donate their time to provide awesome information for FFA members. I have learned anything from how to become a better communicator, FFA Trivia, and how to better advocate for the agriculture industry. This year there dozens of fantastic workshops being provided that I’m jealous I can’t attend. FFA members will get to hear from our National FFA President, Luke O’Leary, learn about leadership and kindness form dozens of visiting State Officers, and hear from industry experts. The workshop I am most excited for is the Women in Agriculture Panel. You will get the opportunity to hear from some of the most influential women in the Iowa Agriculture industry, and ask them questions In attendance will be Julie Kenny, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, Billie Hunt, Executive Director of Cultivation Corridor, Kelsey Tyrrell, of the World Food Prize Foundation, and Marji Guyler- Alainz, Founder of Farmher.

Lane- My favorite part about convention has to be all of the fun sessions throughout the two days! Seeing all of the young members that competed in CDE’s getting recognized on stage for their talents makes me happy to be involved in Iowa FFA. From state officer retiring addresses to FFA talent competitors, the energy-filled general sessions are where it’s at. Not to mention all of the pyrotechnics such as the fire and laser light shows for all of the great entertainment throughout the sessions!

Laken- My favorite part of State Convention is the Talent Show. It’s so awesome to see everything Iowa FFA members has to offer, whether it be singing, dancing, or a funny act. I’ve always loved seeing the unique things that are brought to the table. I also enjoy getting to see the winners one more time during the sessions to be reminded of the great winners from the contests! They provide a nice break from all the awards and are always great to watch!

Chandler- Convention is always a blast! Getting a chance to leave school for a few days, take over Ames, and see so many amazing people is the best! I love the sessions! Being able to see the hard work that members from all over the state have put in and have them be recognized is spectacular. The session give someone from the Southeast corner of the state a chance to connect with someone from the Northwest corner. It makes the “Sea of Blue” a united front, which is an incredible feeling.

In Blue and Gold, 

2018-2019 

Iowa FFA State Officer Team

Nothing Compares to the Yellow Shirt at the Iowa State Fair

“Dani, I know you want to show at the state fair, but we just can’t make it happen this year,” my mom told me in April of 2016. Why in the world would she do this? I love the state fair! I begged her to let me show my Gelbvieh cattle, but she wouldn’t budge. So, I had to come up with another plan to somehow spend time at the infamous Iowa State Fair.

An alumnus from our chapter (Little Switzerland at Waukon) and I had a conversation about her favorite FFA memories and ushering at the state fair was brought up. I immediately dove into doing research on how I could potentially become an usher and found the application. I applied and before I knew it, it was time to head south to Des Moines.

When I got to the state fairgrounds, I met with other students who were also ushers and toured the facilities. They explained how the next two weeks were going to roll out, and then we called it a day.

I never knew hard work could be so much fun. During the fair, the ushers are asked to assist with many activities. Highlights of these include gate duty, the sheep shearing contest, the dairy show, selling tractors in the FFA building, and of course, assisting people to find their seats in the grandstands. Although this can sound intimidating, the two weeks are full of fun. Toga parties, the FFA usher dance, swimming in display pools and eating lots of Leimon’s Pizza are some of the many benefits we have as serving as an usher (trust me – there are many, MANY more).

One of my most favorite activities I have signed up to help with has been the Parade of Champions. On the first Saturday of the state fair, FFA members from across our great state show off their projects by walking through the Parade of Champions. From cattle to photography, to horticulture and remodeled tractors, the hard work that FFA members have put into their projects that did exceptionally well is displayed to massive crowds. FFA ushers become involved by bringing in flags, singing the National Anthem, and assisting members as they bring their projects in.

Our name is The FFA ushers. After mentioning all these activities that we participate in, you’re probably wondering to yourself, “Dani, why in the world are you called the FFA Ushers if you aren’t really ushering?” Well – let me tell you – we do a lot of ushering. Those big names that come to the state fair – Day + Shay, Luke Bryan, The Chainsmokers, Slipknot, Pentatonix, the Zac Brown Band, Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, for King & Country, Foreigner, and Hootie & the Blowfish – are a crucial part of our job. Each night, thousands of people come to see the names listed above to perform. It’s our duty to make sure that they find their seats. And the best part? WE GET TO WATCH THE CONCERTS!

A few of the key pieces and perks of important info I want to make sure to mention are that you live on the fairgrounds for 12 days during the fair. All meals are provided, and you have free entry to the fair.

Ladies and gentlemen, when I convinced my mom to let me sign up for this opportunity, I didn’t realize how much it would change my life. You live, eat, and work with your fellow ushers. They become your family. The 12 days of the Iowa State Fair are long, contain a lot of work, but are full of laughter and you make memories that will last a lifetime. The first year and every year after that, I have walked out of the fairgrounds crying because I love working each year. Once you are “bitten by the FFA bug” to work as an usher, it makes you want to continue to participate year after year. Take the initiative and chat with your advisor today about how you can serve as an usher. You won’t regret it.

Nothing Compares to the Yellow Shirt at the Iowa State Fair,

Dani Stock

Little Switzerland FFA Chapter at Waukon

Unplug

“Alright, okay. I’ve got this, right? Right. Geez, it’s loud in here. I wish I could just… oh yeah! I have my headphones in my bag. Good deal. Alright… and there we go! Now we’re up and running, a little AC/DC to kick things off. Let’s do this!”

The above dialogue is an accurate representation of me, my sophomore year of high school in study hall. Like most study halls, as many students as possible are shoved into a library and are expected to study with their closest friends mere inches away. Let’s be real here, we’re doing more messing around than we are working. Well, everyone except me, especially during one of high schools busy weeks. Determined to get things crossed off my list, it was not uncommon for me to plug into my favorite bands and drown out the background noise. This is a little trick I would carry with me to college.

I am a type “A” person. If there is a plan, I stick to the plan. Freshmen year of college did not go according to plan.

I came to college very close to a few specific people. After close to two weeks of classes, my world as I knew it came tumbling down. With one of those specific people, I had a major falling out. To the point where I was uncomfortable and anxious seeing them in public.

Original Plan: Go to college, join three picked out clubs, spend quality time with specific people, explore campus.

“Plan“ after two weeks: Hide in my room in an empty house…

“I’m nowhere near home. I have hardly any friends up here. I have all of this homework to do that I know I am no good at. If I ask for help, I’m a failure. I can’t go to campus unless it’s for class. What if I stray off my path and see “them”?! That’s going to put me in an awful mood, I might freak out. AND WHY IS IT SO LOUD IN HERE?! I need something to quick… I… my headphones. I have my headphones…finally! Relief.”

If I could get plugged into my headphones, then all of the bad stuff went away. I could work in peace, distracted from the world around me. Nothing would bother me until I unplugged again.

Eight months, two pairs of headphones, and countless hours of music played later, I reached my wit's end. Every time I started to get panicky or stressed, I would plug in. And every time I did that, I needed to find a new song or a new sound to district my racing thoughts. Soon I ran out of genres that would work, so I turned to volume.

Cut to me wearing a pair of headphones fraying at the seams, volume at one hundred percent, blaring a song talking about the end of the world. All because I had a “rough day”, consisting of me running into a specific person I hadn’t seen in a while.

Something had to give. I was losing friends and my family began to worry. I was finally honest with myself. I wasn’t solving any problems plugging into music, I was running from them. Instead of standing up and addressing my situation, I cowered away. Through Faith, I decided to face my fears.

What are you running from? What lies are you telling yourself to make it through your current situation? Are you like me, using something to distract you from all of the bad stuff?

Iowa FFA, stop running. Unplug your self created distraction. Turn around and take on your issue. The more you avoid it, the worse it gets. You are strong enough to get through it. You are! Face the music of your reality.

Go Get Em,

Chandler Jahner

2018-2019 South Central 

State Vice-President

Canvases

As the warmer weather is starting to arrive, it makes me anxious to go outside with my paints, brushes, and canvases. Now I might not be as good of an artist as my Grandma or my best friends, but nothing beats the sun beating down on you and your freshly painted canvas. When I paint, I like to use acrylics because it seems to go across the canvas well and is able to be used for tiny details. Every time you mix paint to make the perfect color, you have to be somewhat precise so that way you get close to the same color as before. When I paint, I feel as if I am able to create anything. Every brush stroke means you are closer to the final product. If you think that you put the wrong color in the wrong spot, you didn’t. That is just another reason that makes your painting unique.

Just like in all aspects of life, we are all unique in our very own way. We all have things we enjoy just like picking out the paints we want to put on our canvas. Like the brushes, we all have different goals and aspirations. Just like every brush is different, every goal or life aspiration is different. Like the canvas, we all have a finished product that has yet to be created. With every brush stroke, just like big life moments, we are closer to creating our finished canvas. What do you want your finished canvas to look like? We are all unique in our own way, so I encourage you to paint your canvas with your goals and aspirations, and with life’s greatest moments. You are as unique as your canvas.

Smile for the camera,

Jodie Mausser

Iowa FFA State Reporter

Make the Most!

Five months ago, I was sitting in a hotel ballroom as Mr. E.L. Caraway shared this advice. A seemingly simple slogan, putting these words into action have the ability to transform any situation.

When Mr. Caraway initially spoke these words, I was preparing to compete at the National FFA Public Speaking LDE. Sitting in that room was a reminder I only had a handful of times left to wear the blue jacket. Memories of ag class, participating in my first CDE and traveling to Washington D.C. with members from across the nation flooded my brain. “Making the most” had meant seizing these opportunities. Doing so allowed me to discover my interest in agriculture, overcome my fear of public speaking and make lasting friendships. While these big moments were important, I believe Mr. Caraway wanted us to understand making the most of the little moments as well.

I began to wonder… how would I carry on this mindset when I took off the blue jacket?

I am now halfway through my second semester of college. This means midterms. An econ exam, an animal science practical, and a variety of other deadlines are looming over my head. Between studying, club meetings and working, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. It can be even easier to forget about making the most. However, these seemingly mundane moments are when I find it even more important.

Making the most means truly being engaged in class. It’s so easy to pull out your phone or work on another assignment. By making the most of your learning, you’ll understand the content better and perhaps dread going to class less.

It means actively listening during a conversation. Whether it’s with your best friend or a new acquaintance, the people around us have unique insight. Hearing their perspective might cause you to look at the world through a different lens.

It means following your passion. It is so easy to say yes to everything. This can leave us drained and irritable. When we understand the value of our time and make decisions with our heart, our schedules will fill us up instead of breaking us down. Choose to try a new club (or don’t) and make time for your hobbies.

There are many ways to make the most. If I hadn’t gotten involved in FFA, I would not be the person I am today. From helping me find confidence in my speaking ability to meeting my college roommate, this organization has had a lasting impact. If I wasn’t striving to implement a make the most mindset into my everyday life, I would be less grateful for all that’s right in front of me. I encourage you to make the most of every moment — in and out of the blue jacket.

Go Make the Most of It,

Emily Saeugling

Let Your Garden Grow!

This week is finally looking as if the snow will melt, and spring will come. That means soon I’ll be able to participate in one of my favorite past times, gardening. I love to garden! I take so much satisfaction in watching my plants grow and produce fruit. Just as I take pride in watching FFA members grow. There is a little something we can all take from the changing of the seasons and that is growth.

As soon as late April arrives and the snow is gone, the sun shines warm, and the ground is cool, you can find me in my garden. The first thing to do when entering the garden, hoe the weeds. You have to get the weeds out of the way before you can start anywhere. Just like ingrown members, you have to get rid of your own weeds. When wanting to grow as a person you have to get rid of your own weeds. You have to let go of the thoughts in your mind that are preventing you from growing. The thoughts of “I can’t do this” “I can’t possibly get any better”. Once you get rid of the weeds, you can start on your path to growth. The next thing I do in the garden is hoe a row deep and straight. Same comes when growing ourselves. The path to growth is a straight line. We must follow our path forward to better things that lie ahead. The next step in my garden, planting the seed. Each seed has to be carefully placed in the ground and covered with care. With growth in ourselves, we too must plant the seed. We need to take the advice from others and care for it. Let it grow inside each of us. The final step in caring for my garden is just that, care. To give it time, and tenderness. To go back every day and continue to pull the weeds, to continue to care for the seeds. Our personal growth is just the same. We have to continue to care for our personal growth. Continue to pull our own weeds. Continue to care for our seeds. We have to continue to let our garden grow!

Take the Time,

Gwen Black

2018-2019

SW State Vice-President