Annie:
This year’s National FFA Week was just as great as always. From Rachel and I enjoying the Ag Olympics in Mount Ayr to letting the class turtle run around in Centerville, I am so thankful for this experience! It was a great week of meeting incredible people and watching them become even stronger leaders than they already were. I would also like to say thank you to everyone that participated in our photo challenge. It was so cool to see special moments that you have enjoyed throughout your time in the blue corduroy.
Caleb:
On Wednesday of National FFA Week, I had the opportunity to visit the Orient-Macksburg FFA Chapter! The chapter visit started off with a tour of the school; everything was all fine and dandy until we ventured to the third floor. When we got to the top of the stairs, I looked to the right and noticed a room filled with desks. It wasn’t your typical classroom with desks. I soon realized the third floor was vacant... and apparently haunted. After the tour, I got the opportunity to watch some heated games of bean bag toss. Seeing close games that could have gone either way and an unexpected journey to the third floor made me realize that in life there is no certainty only adventure and I thank you for that!
Rachel:
National FFA Week not only took me home to Northeast Iowa for the week but to Mount Ayr as well! Between all the fun and games of the day I couldn’t help but feel inspired by the dedication the students had to their agricultural studies. I also noticed their courage as they promoted FFA to the ENTIRE high school during a school assembly. Through sharing the FFA Creed to promoting the industry through Ag Olympics the students were full of laughter and life as they shared their passion for agriculture.
Cassie:
Throughout my high school years, FFA week was almost just as exciting as Christmas. I couldn’t wait every year to dress up like a farmer, see all of the tractors in the parking lot, and participate in all of the FFA week shenanigans. It was a time to celebrate what we did best, agriculture. Most years, subdistricts also fell during FFA week. Seeing so much excitement and enthusiasm from members from across the state was so inspiring. Now in college, I see the same enthusiasm for FFA week in past FFA members, too. The passion for belonging to such an amazing organization never fades, and it was so heartwarming to see blue jacket memories posted across all facets of social media. While sickness and bad weather put a damper on most of my FFA week plans this year, being able to see all of the great things to have come from this organization is still just as great at Christmas morning!
Ally:
While the ice made things a little bit complicated, my FFA week was a time full of opportunities to get to know the super cool members of the Iowa FFA. I got to visit the Nashua-Plainfield FFA Chapter and the Boone A&M FFA Chapter. While I was at these two schools, my favorite thing to do was interact with members on a very real level. Team building activities and communication exercises were a blast! Except, ask me about my FFA week and I’ll tell you about the cool conversations I got to have with some pretty awesome members. I heard about SAEs, future plans, passions, and answered questions regarding FFA and life in general. I even got to see the excitement members have when receiving their own FFA jacket. I’m so thankful for the chances I got to do these small, yet unforgettable things during FFA week.
CD:
FFA week was a blast, I got to travel to three schools and two sub districts all during the week. I started the week off at one of my favorite events all year, sub-districts in Keota and Calamus Wheatland. I got the opportunity to watch members compete in events from creed speaking to extemporaneous public speaking. I would like to give a shout out to everyone that competed, there was a great group of competitors at all three sub-districts. From there I got the chance to travel to the Muscatine High School where we got a tour of their aquaponic system in the green house. Aquaponics is a growing and amazing industry. Raising the fish right here in Iowa where we will consume them, along with taking the load off of the environment. Afterwards we headed west to the North Mahaska School where we toured the shop and saw the robotic laser cutters, custom welding booths, and powder coating booth. The shop was outstanding and really was the most updated school I have seen. Finally, on Friday I made my way west to Albia where they demonstrated their new water metal cutter for me, and we then got the chance to preview their Ag Impact project. This week was by far the best FFA week I have ever been a part of. I would like send a big thank you to Northeast and Northwest Sub-Districts, Muscatine, North Mahaska, and Albia for allowing to come and visit.
Carli:
FFA Week was full of adventure and fun for me. From traveling all across the Northwest
District to meeting with members and really getting to know their personal stories - I wouldn’t
trade the experiences I had for anything. To start the week off right, I spent time with the newly
chartered Storm Lake St. Mary’s and Cherokee chapters. We got together to watch the premier
of “Farmer’s for America,” got to meet the director of the movie - Graham Meriwether, and got
to discuss issues in agriculture that we viewed as relevant and relatable to the movie.
Wednesday I made the trek up to Sioux Center where I got to see FFA members show
their appreciation for there teachers and parents by cooking them a delicious pancake, bacon,
and sausage breakfast. That same day I also got to spent time with the outstanding members
of the West Lyon FFA Chapter. We all celebrated FFA week together by learning about team
work and cooperation through a surplus of various activities. That night I really got to know a
few members when they took me out and treated me to supper and a few games of bowling.
Thursday I traveled over to Western Christian were I got the opportunity to talk about
how FFA is not just for the farmers to the entire high school student body. Afterwards,
members and I had a blast learning about each other, laughing our heads off, and learning
about working together. I ended my FFA week back at my alma-mater, Newell-Fonda. There I
got to see how my home chapter is truly “pigging out” over the opportunities FFA has to offer
and also got to see them prepare for Sub-Districts.
While FFA week may have technically ended on Saturday, I continued my adventures the
Monday after by traveling to Akron-Westfield and getting to work with members on their
communication and teamwork skills, while also having a laugh or too. Getting to go out to eat
with the chapters at Pizza Ranch was also a highlight of the day. Throughout my extended FFA
Week I learned a lot about our amazing members across the state of Iowa, got to have some
amazing laughs, and was reminded of all the amazing reasons why I choose to follow a career
in agricultural education. Chapters in the Northwest District and beyond are doing amazing
things with chapter being solely unique and amazing in their very own way. Thank you Iowa
FFA for one amazing week that I will never forget!
Peyton:
Wow, what a whirlwind of a week! While I wasn’t participating in dress up days and chapter activities all week, it was still full of excitement and activity. I got to go home to my neck of the woods, southeast Iowa, which I absolutely loved. I started off my week at the Southeast District’s South Sub-District contest at L-M High School. As always, I was so impressed by all of the hard-work and dedication that I saw there. On Tuesday, I visited Muscatine High School along with some of my teammates. We got to visit their Ag Learning Center where students help raise a variety of animals. What a cool place! Next, I headed to Northeast Goose Lake with Zach. We had a great time playing the Question Game and hearing what was new with their program. On Thursday, I was at North Scott, and got to hang out at both the High School and Junior High. In the morning, Zach and I got to help deliver breakfast all over the school to teachers and staff. It was awesome seeing students express their appreciation for these hard-working people. The middle school students had a TON of enthusiasm, and we definitely met lots of excited future FFA members. Thursday evening I headed to Iowa City where—after a brief stop at McDonalds for a sweet tea and some homework time—I got to attend the Johnson County Cattlemen’s Banquet. I was able to give a quick presentation about traveling to South Africa, and I also got to hang out with my home chapter as they helped out with serving the meal. While the unfortunate weather might have caused a couple bumps in the road, I still had an outstanding FFA week celebrating the organization that we all love! 
Zach:
National FFA Week is one of the most amazing
times of year. This past week was no exception. I got to start my time off in
Lone Tree, where I somehow became an adopted member of the chapter. I walked
into the ag room that Monday morning and was reminded of how nerve-racking the
morning of contest can be. Getting onto a school bus for the first time in
about two years was quite the experience, however I couldn’t have imagined a
more fun way to start off the day than hearing all the nerves and excitement
for the day around me. We got to Sub-Districts and my teammate Peyton and I got
to share a few words and then we got to spend time with everyone in the holding
room. This has to be one of my favorite experiences ever. I loved getting to be
there to (attempt to) calm down nerves and help us all have a fun day. Not to
mention the fact that there some pretty amazing ideas being shared and the hard
work everyone had been putting in. That afternoon I got to head back to Lone
Tree after sharing some happy and sad hugs at the end of the career development
events. When we got back, we got to make floral arrangements for all of the
teachers at Lone Tree. Who doesn’t love getting to pretend to be a florist for
a day, especially when it’s to appreciate teachers? I absolutely loved getting
to spend time with some awesome friends like Ashley, Kailee, Jaxon, Payton, and
so many more! From there, I got to travel around with my pal Peyton to visit
some rockin’ chapters around the Southeast District! Getting to go to
Muscatine, back home to Northeast Goose Lake, and finishing up with North Scott
was an amazing time! Overall, FFA Week was an amazing reminder of how amazing
students here in Iowa truly are and why we do what we do. I am so grateful that
my teammates and I get to serve such amazing and unique individuals. You all
truly are the future of agriculture and the world.
Annie, Caleb, Rachel, Cassie, CD, Carli, Peyton, and Zach
2017-2018 State Officer Team
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