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