Vote FFA in Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship Film Festival

Video is a stirring communication tool, and it’s one that the Boston College Center for Corportate Citizenship wants to recognize as a way to show the difference people can make around them. National FFA Foundation platinum sponsor CSX took that challenge to heart and produced a beautiful video featuring FFA members making a difference at last fall’s 86th National FFA Convention & Expo.

Watch here:

Now, CSX is hoping to spread the message of FFA members playing a pivotal role in supporting National Safe Place (with the assistance of City Year and Dignity U Wear) in the BCCCC Film Festival. You can help by voting for the video now: www.bcccc.net/FilmFestival2014

Voting ends February 7.

The project, held as part of National Days of Service at the 2013 convention, was not an easy one for the FFA volunteers.

Past National Officers Rekindle Friendship, Passion for FFA at Convention

By Abbey Nickel, National FFA Convention & Expo Newsroom Reporter

Richard Waybright may be the oldest living past national officer to serve for the National FFA Organization, but he still talks about it like it was yesterday.

Waybright served as the eastern region vice president in 1949. He’s had coffee with Eleanor Roosevelt, and he’s traveled to 41 countries in his lifetime.  It’s not a stretch to say that Waybright has been around the world ― but to this day, he still credits FFA for the opportunities he’s had.

“Being a national officer really opened the door for me.  I’ve had a lifelong commitment to agriculture, and it started right here,” he said.

New Competition Showcases FFA Members’ Talent

2013 National FFA Talent winner Bailey Wesberry performs on stage at the 86th National FFA Convention & Expo.

By Caroline Weihl, National Convention & Expo Newsroom Reporter

FFA members are talented. The organization seeks to spotlight the many ways the students are gifted through presentations and sessions. This year, students who chose to express their talents had a new challenge. They had to compete.

This friendly competition sought to name the most talented participant in the contest. On Friday night, Bailey Wesberry was named the winner of the first National FFA Talent Competition at the 86th National FFA Convention & Expo in the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky.

Wesberry is a member of the Waurika FFA Chapter in Terral, Okla. and presented beautiful vocal performances to earn first place. She was excited to be named the first official National FFA Talent winner. The other two finalists were Britton Pankratz from Mountain Lake FFA Chapter in Minnesota with a yoyo talent, and vocal duet EMazing Grace, with members Grace Kensigner and Emily Stolzsus from the Manheim FFA Chapter in Pennsylvania.

The competition began with state associations submitting applications and audition CDs to national FFA months in advance. After a review of the basic requirements, the applicants were notified of advancement and were invited to participate in the new competition.

From 1 Million to 9 Billion: FFA Members are Feeding the World

By Becca Harrison, National FFA Convention and Expo Newsroom Intern

Daniel Fields spent his senior year with Oklahoma’s Checotah FFA Chapter teaching kids in his community how to grow vegetables in gardens they had planted. They then distributed the produce among people in the community who were unable to plant gardens of their own.

Through the FFA: Food For All Grants program–now entering its third cycle–other FFA chapters around the nation like Fields’ are able to build similar hunger-fighting initiatives within their communities.

Case IH FFA Stage Paintings Sell for $1,000 Each

In recognition of the 80-year celebration of the official jacket, Case IH sponsored speed painter Dan Dunn to perform and donate his artwork for FFA monies at the 86th National FFA Convention & Expo.

By Caroline Weihl, National FFA Convention & Expo Newsroom Intern

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The agriculture industry is the foundation of FFA. Many contributors from the industry help increase this success with involvements like sponsorships. One sponsor helped paint a masterpiece for organization scholarships.

Case IH sponsored speed painter Dan Dunn to create canvas paintings commemorating the 80th birthday of the blue corduroy FFA jacket at the 86th National FFA Convention & Expo at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville, Ky.

FFA wanted to share the passion the members have for their official dress. Case IH became involved as a large sponsor already working with Dunn for a new product launch.

FFA Exhibitors Offer Tips for Career Success

The Beck’s Hybrids display in the National FFA Expo.

By Hannah Kleckner, Newsroom and Media Relations Intern

When it comes to career success, making yourself stand out from the rest of the crowd may not be as difficult as you may think. Adam Schmitt and Kelsey Shaw of Beck’s Hybrids Seed share some helpful tips to help you put on your best foot forward and chart your way to a successful future.

“Just as there are many different kinds of music, there are many different areas within agriculture,” says Shaw, an Education Intern for Beck’s from Madison, Ind. “Each sector of Ag is different, but they all have a common purpose.”

Regardless of whether you are interested in creating new breeds of seeds or educating a new generation of agriculturalists, there are a couple of things to keep in mind when looking for and applying to a job.

FFA Joins Other Organizations for Clothing Drive

As one of the ten National Days of Service sites at this year’s Convention, 360 FFA members joined National Safe Place, CSX Transportation, City Year, and Dignity U Wear to hold a clothing drive for kids around the country in need of brand-new clothes.

By Becca Harrison, Newsroom and Media Relations Intern

“You’ve clearly never been in the shoes of someone with only one pair of clothes, have you?” one young FFA member asked her peer, who was not taking their clothing drive volunteer opportunity seriously. “We’re gonna do this, and we’re gonna do it right,” she told him, as they began their assigned duty of sorting through boxes of men’s pants.

This attitude of determination and motivation echoed throughout the opening activity of the National Safe Place session of the National Days of Service celebration. A record high 1,500 FFA members will participate in this year’s National Days of Service, held at ten different sites throughout the 86th National FFA Convention & Expo.

Dierks Bentley Performs for Sold-Out FFA Crowd

By Abbey Nickel, newsroom and media relations intern

The words “Ignite FFA” have been falling on the eager ears of thousands of FFA members this week. On Wednesday night they were able to experience the theme from a slightly different perspective in the KFC Yum! Center as country singer Dierks Bentley ignited the sold-out crowd of 16,000 cheering FFA members through a packed set list of number one hits.

While he doesn’t have any direct ties to FFA, Bentley stated that he has witnessed the organization’s impact on today’s youth.

National FFA Delegates Have a Dynamic Experience

National FFA Delegates during the first Delegate Business Session on Thursday.

By Caroline Weihl, National FFA Convention & Expo Newsroom Intern

It is said you gain the most when you embrace an experience. One experience this week in Louisville included mingling over dinners with other state associations, engaging in leadership training and serving on committees to discuss pertinent proposals in the National FFA Organization. Who participates in these fun, energizing activities you might ask? Delegates, during the national convention and expo.

The 86th National FFA Convention & Expo welcomed 460 delegates from around the United States to serve in leadership roles focused on discussing and developing FFA proposals. The delegates arrived in Louisville on Tuesday of convention and expo week and began various activities.

FFA Members Find a Unique Way to Tell Their Story

By: Kelly Fager, National FFA Convention & Expo Newsroom Intern

Self-awareness is an important aspect for personal growth and expressing yourself through creativity allows growth to occur. “What’s Your Story?” was a student leadership workshop that explored these issues at the 86th National FFA Convention & Expo.

Interviewing an unfamiliar person can be frightening, but FFA members during this workshop were given the task. The workshop challenged FFA members to look into a stranger’s eyes and listen to their story.