Teach On

I had an absolute blast on my FFA Week travels through District VIII & VIX! I was able to attend 22 different events as well as facilitate 18 different classes. The memories and experiences I had will stay with me forever. Being able to see how so many different FFA Chapters both big and small, participate in various FFA Week activities was amazing. 

I saw members dressing up in crazy outfits for their FFA Week Dress-Up Days, ones constantly bugging their advisors, as well as ones that were ecstatic about literally anything and everything having to do with FFA. 

I saw advisors pushing their students to do the best they can to achieve their dreams, advisors dancing crazily on the dance floor, ones that can play a mean game of Kick-Ball, and ones that get a little teary eyed when they see their students understanding the true meaning behind FFA. 

I saw chapters rallying together to support scholarship funds, creating deeper friendships  with each other, as well as joining together for the greater good to help support each other. 

I also saw the community members and alumni supporting these chapters and members by attending pep sessions, coming to community breakfasts, and cheering on members in the stands at an intense Volleyball tournament.

Each of these individually are not that strong, however put together, all of these things are unstoppable. FFA Chapters are able to establish scholarships for their members, send members to National or State Convention, or even create new opportunities for members. Being able to put all of these together is what makes FFA such a great organization to be apart of. 

Before FFA Week, I was struggling if I really still wanted to be an Ag Teacher. You see I have always wanted to be a teacher since I was in the First Grade! When I was having second thoughts about being an Ag teacher I was honestly scared because I never had had any other thoughts. I went into FFA Week with an open mind as to what to do with my life. After facilitating a few classes and attending a few events, I remembered why I had wanted to be an Ag teacher. I wanted to be an Ag teacher because of the ag community and the members. At one event, a member showed up late but he explained to the advisor that feeding had taken longer than planned. Another thing would be all of the cowboy boots and mullets I saw during the week-true FFA members. Or when I was driving down the highway and stopped at a 4-way and witnessed a farmer holding muddy manure covered boots out the window while his wife drove. Or seeing a family shooting clay pigeons in their backyards and even the iconic two finger wave that almost everyone knows. Seeing those things remind me of why I love the ag industry and the FFA members involved in it. Not all FFA members are from an ag background but FFA makes sure they understand the ag industry. FFA and agriculture have become my way of life and after FFA Week, I want to help inspire that next generation by becoming what inspired me. Thank you to all of the advisors that have inspired me over the course of my FFA career and FFA Week. 

Teach On, 

Dillon Muhlenkamp