The National FFA Organization, Three Words that Change My Life:
The National FFA Organization, which originally stood for Future Farmers of America, has truly had a large impact on my life. There are several posts in my passion blog for agriculture on the FFA, feel free to look at the site and scroll through more of my blogs. https://sites.psu.edu/sroyerpassionblog/author/scr5168/
1) What is the National FFA Organization?
2) My Year as a State Officer
3) Pictures and Memories
4) The Significance of the FFA Emblem
1) What is the National FFA Organization?
A little bit of history, the FFA started in 1928, with 33 farm-boys from Virginia. Little did they know that this club they started, called the Future Farmers of America, would become the Nations’ leading youth development organization decades later. With over half a million members, the FFA boasts members from all 50 states, including Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Alaska, and Hawaii. The FFA strives to develop “premier leadership, personal growth, and career success,” in High Schoolers enrolled in agriculture education. This is through ag class, trips and conferences, competitions, and meeting new people. You do not have to live on a farm to be part of the FFA. In fact, some of the major cities like Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York City all have FFA Chapters. The name was officially changed from “Future Farmers of America,” to the National FFA Organization to demonstrate that anyone can join!
My love for the FFA started at the end of 9th grade, when my Agriculture Education teacher saw something in me I didn't see in myself. He urged me to write an essay to get an FFA jacket for free. I did, and was chosen as one of the recipients at the state level to receive that Blue and Gold jacket, which is an important part of the official dress for FFA members. The rest is history. I joined the FFA, made friends, started to become more confident in not only myself, but also my abilities. I became a lot more comfortable in meeting new people and trying new things. I even got the chance to go to Indianapolis for the FFA National Convention to compete in Dairy Foods Judging at the National Level! Through these experiences, I didn't just learn about milk, chickens, and fish, but also public speaking, teamwork, and most importantly leadership.
The FFA, to you might simply be three letters, strung together. To you, it might be just a bunch of “aggies” in a club. But to me, it is so much more. The FFA represents a change in my life, it represents me working towards goals, and achieving them. It represents all the times I didn’t want to step out of my comfort zone, but did and made a difference. To me, the FFA changed my life.
My love for the FFA started at the end of 9th grade, when my Agriculture Education teacher saw something in me I didn't see in myself. He urged me to write an essay to get an FFA jacket for free. I did, and was chosen as one of the recipients at the state level to receive that Blue and Gold jacket, which is an important part of the official dress for FFA members. The rest is history. I joined the FFA, made friends, started to become more confident in not only myself, but also my abilities. I became a lot more comfortable in meeting new people and trying new things. I even got the chance to go to Indianapolis for the FFA National Convention to compete in Dairy Foods Judging at the National Level! Through these experiences, I didn't just learn about milk, chickens, and fish, but also public speaking, teamwork, and most importantly leadership.
The FFA, to you might simply be three letters, strung together. To you, it might be just a bunch of “aggies” in a club. But to me, it is so much more. The FFA represents a change in my life, it represents me working towards goals, and achieving them. It represents all the times I didn’t want to step out of my comfort zone, but did and made a difference. To me, the FFA changed my life.
2) My Year as a State Officer:
I actually took a year off between high school and college to serve the Pennsylvania FFA Associaton. I had the honor of being elected to serve as the State Secretary, and my six teammates and I were able to truly give back to this organization that shaped us into who we are today. Our roles allowed us to give speeches, conduct official meetings of the FFA, visit High Schools and teach classes, visit agricultural businesses, go on industry tours, meet new people, and plan and run conferences for FFA members in Pennsylvania.
My year as a State Officer was a whirlwind of travel, practicing speeches, and constantly donning on and off my beloved Blue and Gold FFA Jacket, and I would not have traded a second for anything else!
My year as a State Officer was a whirlwind of travel, practicing speeches, and constantly donning on and off my beloved Blue and Gold FFA Jacket, and I would not have traded a second for anything else!
3) Pictures and Memories:
Here are some of my best memories from the FFA, please enjoy :)
You can click on the images below to see the enlarged version along with a short description.
You can click on the images below to see the enlarged version along with a short description.
4) The Significance of the FFA Emblem:
The FFA emblem has a lot of meaning behind it. The FFA colors are National Blue, and Corn Gold. The Eagle on the top, demonstrates how the FFA is a National Organization that reaches from the state of Hawaii to New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania to Puerto Rico. The cross section of corn (look back at the emblem, see the circle… it’s corn, neat right!) this represents the foundation of American agriculture, and because corn is grown in every state in the nation. The words “agriculture education” are on the emblem because students must be enrolled in Ag Ed to be involved in the FFA. The plow symbolizes labor and tillage of the soil, the backbone of agriculture and the historic foundation of our countries strength. The owl, sitting on the plow, is to symbolize the wisdom and knowledge of older agriculturists and FFA advisers (or teachers.) Finally, the rising sun represents progress, and holds the promise that tomorrow will bring a new day full of opportunities. (National FFA.)
Feel free to go to the National FFA Organization's website to learn more: https://www.ffa.org/Pages/default.aspx
Feel free to go to the National FFA Organization's website to learn more: https://www.ffa.org/Pages/default.aspx