"I'm new! I don't know what to do!" -Joe Dirt #Blogging
Every time I go back to the National FFA Convention it breathes new breath into my passion for agricultural education and the National FFA Organization. It also gives me different perspectives each and every time I visit the convention. Starting back when I was a slightly smaller freshman, attending convention blew me away with the shear size of the organization and opened my eyes to my future that I was going to pursue in the FFA. A few years later, I had the opportunity to experience the convention by competing in a National FFA CDE and as a State Officer! Whoa!!! However, I am now an old college student without the blue jacket. Instead, I have replaced it with an Penn State and National FFA polo!
Just a small taste of the almost 69,000 FFA members at convention!
Being involved in the National FFA Convention on the collegiate level opened my eyes to different opportunities. Reflecting back to my first Penn State National FFA Convention, I remember working the Penn State expo booth and assisting with the Food Science CDE. However, this time my experience was different. I was working briefly with the Novice Parliamentary Procedure CDE! Assisting with the novice event gave me insight to how students across the country take pride in their knowledge of parli-pro and are not afraid to show their talent off! Their demonstrations, personally motivated me to become better in our own AEE297 parli-pro class! Not only was it astonishing to see the students excited but it was also rather interesting to see Dr. Daniel Foster in full parli-pro nerd mode!
The most of my time was spent volunteering with the National FFA Organization at the Educational Resource booth. This is were Michala Kuhlman, Miranda Kane, and I educated teachers, student teachers, State Officers, and FFA members about several new initiatives that the National FFA is offering. The first item we promoted was the new Habitudes book by Dr. Tim Elmore. The new Habitudes book is specifically directed and designed towards FFA members to develop their leadership, communication, and personal growth through stories that relate to students and pictures that captivate them. We provided teachers over 600 copies of these books when they signed up for the pilot program to implement the book into their lessons!
During the expo, we also gave everyone insight to the tools available through National FFA's "My Journey." The best experience during the convention is the interaction we had with FFA members! Each day, we would get a cameraman and go out and interview FFA members and Advisors about their experience in the FFA! Hearing their stories were diverse and illustrated how passionate FFA members are for their organization! It also gave me an opportunity to take a MEGA SELFIE!
From Left to Right: Tyler Claypool, Miranda Kane, Nathan Briggs, and Nathan Repetz.
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