FFA Update
 | Author:
Mikayla Kraft, School Correspondent
MT43 News School Correspondent |
FFA Update Mikayla Kraft, School Correspondent The 2022-2023 State FFA Convention, titled No Limits, was a year to remember. Imagine walking into a convention hall to energizing music with a low bass, a career fair and trade show buzzing with FFA members, friends from all over the state that are so excited to meet up for the first time in a few months, state FFA officers milling around and making connections, and FFA members eager to advocate agriculture and make a difference in their home and community.
This feeling of accomplishment, elation, pride, joy, and thankfulness is what accentuated Broadwater FFA's experience when attending the State FFA Convention. Broadwater FFA competed in floriculture, creed speaking, the conduct of chapter meetings, ag sales, vet science, meat evaluation, and livestock judging. We also attended a few workshops, attended each of the Montana FFA sessions, participated in delegate meetings, and concluded our state experience with an amazing dance on Friday night.
Broadwater FFA worked hard and tried their best to give a high-quality performance. Each student had put in countless hours to prepare for the state CDE/LDE competitions. None of the teams placed top 10, however, Kaitlyn Noyes held 8th place in the Livestock Evaluation CDE and Broadwater FFA teams were at least in the top half! There is potential for an excess of success and we can obtain it if we continue to practice with enough gumption.
Throughout the sessions, many awards were given and speakers addressed the members. Our keynote speaker for this year was Dr. Layman Hicks. He is an inspirational speaker to encourage people to “Find [Their] Why” and has encouraged more than one million people in the United States and continues to travel to help those around the US. He had grown up with his grandmother and grandfather, and when he was just a little boy his grandmother and grandfather divorced, and she tried to kill her husband. He was terrified and couldn’t find his reason. After overcoming this obstacle he has helped many others in the United States, especially our FFA members this last week, find 'their why' and help in the fight for suicide prevention and giving others a chance to better their best.
FFA isn’t just about learning leadership and getting better at identifying a crop. We are also about “brotherhood and cooperation”. Through the FFA dance, members have the free time to connect with their peers through line dancing, swing dancing, and slow dancing. I have had personal experience expanding my network all over the state of Montana. Through swing dancing, line dancing, slow dancing, and even entering the mosh pit to jump I have made connections that will further additional life skills I have come to possess.
At the end of the state convention, everybody says their goodbyes and leaves for home. This is not the end, however. FFA will work hard throughout their chapter officer elections, and future obstacles to better themselves. We are FFA.
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PhotoCredit: Mikayla Kraft
Image 1 Caption: Pea samples at Columbia Grain after going to a Columbia Grain Tour
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