"Why FFA?" by State Vice President Sydni Walker

January Blog

Imagine this: You're at the 2017 Louisiana State FFA Convention and you walk into the session hall. The room is flooded with blue corduroy and hundreds of FFA members ready to experience your very first convention session. There, you meet THE Louisiana State FFA officers and watch them deliver their RAs, chair sessions, and give & receive multiple awards to highlight the hard work and dedication members have exhibited. While at state convention, you see the inauguration of area officers, roam endlessly through the expo, and meet countless members from places you didn't even know existed. Now, let's stop imagining and step back into reality. In 2017 I attended the Louisiana FFA State Convention and it was one of the most life changing experiences I’ve ever had. I attended this convention with dread as I was not excited to spend the week with people from my chapter I barely knew. I walked into the session with a sour attitude and a frown on my face and sat in my chair with my chapter. As this long and dreadful session went on, I recognized someone on the stage. To my delight, I saw State Secretary Caroline Hardy on stage and watched her as she delivered her retiring address. In that moment I realized that I wanted to be up on that stage just as she was. Fast forward to June 4th, 2020 and I was named the 2020-2021 State Vice President representing Area III. The goal I had set for myself as a freshman was finally met and I could check one more thing off my bucket list. But one thing my freshman self didn't realize was that the work needed to be done in order to accomplish this goal was hard and took much dedication. 
 
Let's take a step back to where it all began. My grandfather and father both exhibited livestock and were Ag teachers so for me, exhibiting livestock and being in FFA was a given. However, being involved in these activities wasn't a driving force for me but it was taking the first step, the first plunge to do something out of my comfort zone to be able to carry on my family's tradition. For me, this first step was competing in Creed. During my freshman year, my Ag teacher asked me to compete in the Creed Speaking contest and seeing how I knew my dad would be disappointed if I ignored this opportunity, I reluctantly agreed. I soon became obsessed with saying the creed and practiced its five paragraphs every day for hours at a time. Finally, the time to compete in my first FFA contest was here. I walked into the room with my head held high and I was so confident my hard work was going to pay off. However, as they read the results, I realized I had not placed within the top four. This was very disheartening to me because I worked so hard just to be let down. But this one downfall did not define my future in the FFA. Since that day, I dedicated my time and energy into being the best I could be, and in time my hard work paid off. I went on to place in the top three in State Livestock Judging, received my first blue banner when I placed 4th at the Area Speaking contest, named Area III Vice President, and finally State Vice President. Even though my first step did not resolve in a successful manner, I refused to give up. My persistence and dedication to this organization paved the way for many more successes down the road. 
 
As I am approaching the end of my senior year, I think back on all my accomplishments and successes I have had while in high school. The year 2020 was one of the most challenging yet rewarding years of my life, challenging in the sense of being spared the experience of in-person events as a State officer. However, throughout my not so normal year, I have been given the amazing opportunity to meet with legislators, agribusiness leaders, and state officers from all 52 states and territories from the comfort and safety of my own home. In addition, my team and I have conducted over 50 business and industry tours, held the first ever virtual leadership camp, visited colleges all over Louisiana, and advocated for an industry that means so much to all of us. While this past year has in no way been normal, I truly feel as if I gained the ultimate FFA State Officer experience. 
 
Why FFA? This is a question I have been asked often throughout my FFA experience. Why go through the long strenuous hours of studying for a contest or having to swallow the anxiety that comes with being a leader? No matter where you go within the FFA, there is always something for everyone. Whether you're the football star, the 4.0 high school scholar, or even the student that was “forced” into their agriculture class because there was no other open elective. These leadership and vocational ag classes offer so much, whether it be learning about row crop production or perfecting your job interview skills. A common misconception associated with the FFA is that only farmers or those with an agriculture background can participate and be successful within this organization. However, this couldn't be farther from the truth. FFA is a place for believers, achievers, and leaders. For example, while I’ve met tons of amazing people throughout my journey in FFA, one specific individual stuck out to me. She came from a difficult background and thought she would never amount to anything. However, she developed many vital skills while being an active member such as public speaking and self-confidence. This individual went on to be very successful within her contests despite not coming from an agriculture background. This is only one of the thousands of stories that have been created in FFA. 
 
So, why FFA? That's up to you. At the end of the day, you're the author of your own story. Go out and create one. 
 
Remember to treat people with kindness,
Sydni

"You Are Not Alone" by State Reporter Megan Chiasson

December Blog

80,000
525,600
8,000,000

These numbers represent aspects of our lives, figures that define the world as we know it. We meet 80,000 people in our lifetime. There are 525,600 minutes in a year. 8,000,000, or 1 in 6, youth aged 6 to 17 suffer with mental illness in daily life, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Without a doubt, 2020 has not helped in lowering this number. The CDC recently conducted a study that found that almost half of the American adults have experienced deteriorating mental health as a result of the ongoing pandemic, increased natural disasters, and the presidential election. With such a life-changing year, how do we keep in touch with our mental health? How do we keep our sanity and stay in touch with normality? It may be difficult to search for the answers of these questions, but we all must remember: we are not alone.

Louisiana FFA, you are not alone. Through the depression, the anxieties, and the darkest times, you are not alone. This organization not only stands for the advocacy of agriculture but for advocacy of each other. Our connection through this great organization brings us a web of support and understanding. Also, don’t hesitate to reach out for help from professionals. Trust me, it can be scary, but sometimes that one push can help for a lifetime.

Lastly, I want to remind everyone to take a deep breath and relax as we move into the wonderful holiday season. Enjoy time away from the stress of school with your friends and family. Make time for yourself and do your favorite things, whether it be reading, binging television shows, or baking your favorite Christmas cookies. Take some time to truly listen to yourself and your mental health. I’m here, your fellow FFA members, officers, and teachers, and your friends and family are all here for you.

Soon, we will be out of 2020, and the clock will reset to 525,600 minutes. Until then, always remember: you are not alone.

Happy Holidays,
Megan Chiasson
State Reporter

 

"Anger to Advocacy" by State President, Kaleb LeMoine 

November  Blog

As a little kid I was absolutely obsessed with the Titanic. This ship was a gateway to a time that I’d never known. Books and magazines about it littered my bedroom floor. I memorized facts, read articles, and became as passionate about a ship as any 8 year old could be. I would recite everything I learned if someone gave me the opportunity, but get easily frustrated if no one wanted to listen. Each of us cares deeply for something we feel is important. Whether we believe in the future of agriculture or the Black Lives Matter movement, our voices can create real and lasting change. However, it’s easy to get angry when someone shows no interest in our cause. Here’s the solution to this: turn your anger into advocacy. 

First, we need to define what an advocate is. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, an advocate is one who supports or promotes the interests of a cause or group. I think of Malala Yousafzai, the young Pakistani girl passionate about girls receiving an education. To this day she is still an ardent advocate, even after being shot by the Taliban for speaking out. She famously said, “I don’t want revenge on the Taliban, I want education for the sons and daughters of the Taliban.” Imagine if we were all like Malala in this way—not feeling any anger towards those who don’t agree with our cause but still striving to improve the world for everyone. Her experiences in Pakistan laid the foundation for her passion: giving everyone access to a quality 12-year education.

Next on our path to becoming an advocate, what’s the reason behind advocacy? Why do we advocate? Malala said, “I tell my story, not because it is unique, but because it’s not. It is the story of many girls.” Advocacy makes people aware of important issues and lets people have their voices heard.  Having the opportunity to attend school up until the Taliban took over home in the Swat Valley of Pakistan, Malala stood up to the injustices she and many other girls faced. Her courage helps millions of girls go to school. 

Lastly, how do we advocate? Advocacy can come in many different forms. Malala started advocating on the streets of her hometown. At the age of 16, she founded a global non-profit called The Malala Fund. This organization supports education activists and promotes policy changes in education. That’s pretty spectacular, right? It’s understandable that most of us may not have the means to start our own international organization, but we can practice other forms of advocacy. This could be initiating important conversations in our communities, beginning a social media project, or even serving as a State FFA Officer. It’s also important to educate yourself as much as possible on whatever you’d like to advocate for. Find your passion and share with other people. If it’s art, agriculture, education, or campaigning for human rights, you can be a true advocate.

I hope that you feel empowered to make a difference in any way that you can. We must be the change we wish to see in the world. Thanks for reading, my friends.

Live long and prosper, 

Kaleb

 

"Optimism" by State Secretary Emmerson Lyons

October Blog

What are some of your strengths and weaknesses? I always find myself being asked this question, and every time I rattle off “optimistic”, but I’ve never thought about the true meaning of the word. I’ve always thought of myself as an optimistic person until this past year, and especially these past several months. In Webster’s Dictionary, being optimistic is defined by: “of, relating to, or characterized by optimism: feeling or showing hope for the future”. I know for a fact that I haven’t been a true embodiment of this word throughout these past several months.  

Let’s backtrack to March 13, 2020. I was in Alexandria at the Women in Agriculture Conference when a buzz of conversation began amongst the crowd that we would be going into a state-wide quarantine. At the time I didn’t mind it - two weeks off of school, I was ecstatic - but little did anyone know we would be entering into a new world of quarantining and social distancing. At the time FFA events were being postponed under the assumption that they would resume in-person...that clearly was not the reality of the case. Louisiana FFA and its state officers had to quickly adapt by converting many things to a virtual format, including state officer elections. Since being elected, my team knew we would have to adapt to hosting and participating in traditional events virtually; and I’m not going to lie, at first, I was so excited to serve this year and felt optimistic for what we could accomplish, not thinking that this pandemic would still be as big as it is right now, and slowly I began to lose hope. I began to lose hope and found myself not wanting to attend events because it was from behind a screen, and what was I going to get out of that? There were days that I didn’t want to get out of bed because just the thought of what my year of service looked like was so sad to even think about. I found myself sad, depressed, angry, and unsure of what the rest of this year would hold. It all felt so unreal. After a few weeks of talking to my advisors and family, I realized that while this is something I can be sad about, I need to acknowledge the many opportunities available to take advantage of. Slowly but surely I began to have little sparks of hope here and there, I began to get excited about participating in events from behind a screen. Little did I know that a global pandemic wasn’t the only thing I needed to worry with.

Then, Hurricane Laura hit, a category 4 hurricane that completely devastated a large amount of Southwest Louisiana. Things were finally starting to feel hopeful, but now everything is back to being put on hold. Events were being postponed and later canceled; again I started to feel like my old self, not wanting to even think about the rest of this year of service, wanting to give up because I saw no hope for the future. Again, I began to talk to my advisor about how I felt and they helped me come to the realization that clearly this year isn’t ideal and it isn’t normal, and I have every right to be upset about it, but being upset won’t change anything. If I wanted to make a change I had to get up and help, reach out to the community and support it. They made me realize that this year could be absolutely amazing, and we could make such an impact not only on Louisiana FFA but on the entire state.

Even though this year seems to be off to a rough start, I’ve just recently become more optimistic for the future, even though I have absolutely no idea what it holds seeing how 2020 seems to be full of surprises! It may have taken me a long time to realize that even though it’s not an ideal year, I still need to be optimistic and have trust in what’s in store for me. Louisiana FFA, this year is not normal, it’s not ideal, it’s not what we’re used to but we have to adapt to our current situations and have hope and trust that it will all settle itself out. Never stop being optimistic, because without optimism there’s no hope, and if there’s no hope, then how do expect ourselves to flourish this year? No matter who you are, if you’re a freshman or in junior high, make the most of it. If it’s your last year and you’re graduating, make the most of it. Take advantage of every single opportunity that arises because who knows, 2020 may just surprise us all.

"Live Everyday Like It's Friday" by State Vice President Sadie Foster

August Blog

 

“Governor John Bel Edwards announced plans to close all K-12 schools…” When these words spread around Louisiana in March of 2020, panic struck. Everyday supplies in grocery stores quickly disappeared from the shelves. Supply chains were disrupted and meat prices skyrocketed. Spring sports were cancelled and extracurriculars were put on hold. For months, both the state and nation was shut down. There is no doubt that this was, and still is, a challenging time. During this time, the words “cancelled”, “postponed”, and “virtual” were normalized. This made many feel as if their year had been robbed - stolen right out of their hands. Scrolling through social media or TV Channels without hearing about the latest cancellations was simply impossible. It’s all that was being discussed. 

But, let’s address what wasn’t being discussed. We as leaders, teachers, students, and agriculturists have been able to persevere through these trying times and create new and innovative ways to communicate with each other. Through newly founded technology usage, we have been allowed to move forward in hosting virtual FFA events with members from across the entire nation. Members have been able to gain one-on-one experiences with National and State officers through virtual workshops and hangouts, which can be a challenge during a “normal” year. With newly available time in their schedules, stakeholders, national politicians, and state leaders have been able to truly connect with our organization and industry and realize its vital importance.

Albert Einstein once said, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” This quote directly relates to how FFA has been persevering through the hardships provided during 2020. On April 16th, 2020, National FFA Secretary Kourtney Lehman was still able to host one of many virtual workshops for FFA members across the nation. In the months of May and June, the Louisiana FFA Association was able to virtually elect nine State Officers to represent our state throughout the next year. Furthermore, the Louisiana FFA Association has adapted to new limitations and hosted the first of its kind, virtual Leadership Camp, virtual State Convention, and even virtual Career and Leadership Development Events. In the upcoming months, Louisiana FFA will continue to push through these uncertain times to be the best it can be for its members.

Although we have been provided with a plethora of reasons to give up, we overcame obstacles and adapted to our new normal. So, instead of focusing on the opportunities missed or the plans that have been changed, let’s focus on the opportunities being created and the plans being renewed. I bet some of you are asking how this is possible. Some examples of how Louisiana FFA has been doing this includes planning virtual chapter visits, virtual Area officer elections, and even some virtual business tours. Chapters across the state have been opening up their students to hundreds of newly-found internet resources. These range from educational videos, to PowerPoint presentations, to research articles - all of which were rarely used prior to COVID-19 due curriculums that focused on hands-on learning. 

There are tons of resources available to everyone on our website and social media. If your chapter needs help on getting virtual events started, you can always shoot an email to a state officer or state staff member. You could even check out the social media pages of chapters from around the state, where you’re guaranteed to find some pretty neat ideas. Our state officers are always eager to connect with local chapters, so we would love to help in coming up with new creative ideas and doing virtual chapter visits. 

To close this out, I want you to think about your first day of school this semester. When your alarm woke you up, what did you think? Did you think “ahh...I am so glad that it’s Monday”? Or did you think, “I’m so glad I'm awake and starting my week”? No? Now, think about your first Friday of the semester. When your alarm woke you up, I can guarantee that 9/10 of us thought “thank goodness it's FINALLY Friday! This week is finally over.” Now, let’s relate this back to a bigger picture. When you wake up in the morning, I want you to look forward to what is coming. Be excited about the new opportunities being offered, and be hopeful that the day will bring good. Instead of dreading what’s to come, be thankful for what has passed and the new opportunities arriving. Tackle everyday with a Friday mindset, where you are simply looking forward to what lies ahead, because who doesn’t love a good Friday?

"Sticking to Our Roots" by State Vice President Tristan Foret

April Blog

When people think of the agricultural industry across the United States, mental pictures of tractors cultivating an Iowa corn crop or a rancher riding through a herd of cattle across the plains of Oklahoma come to mind. This is the face of American agriculture and defines what stereotypical farming is made of, but oftentimes we forget about the smaller, more specialized operations that are embedded in the most unique corners of America. Here in Louisiana, we are blessed to house an industry developed for generations with rich ties to the Southern Louisiana Roots. Aquaculture is an industry producing essential Louisiana commodities comprising the production of shellfish, fish and aquatic plants.

Louisiana is home to the production of alligators, baitfish, catfish, crawfish, oysters, and shrimp. This is one of the many hidden gems that lie within the economic impact that agriculture has on the Louisiana economy. According to the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation’s Ag in the Classroom Program, the total gross farm value in the state of Louisiana for alligator, marine fisheries, crawfish, oysters and rice is $954,433,761! Our state proudly makes up twenty-five percent of the nation's production of shellfish. 

One of the most versatile economic benefits of aquaculture is its ability to be grown as a secondary crop for supplemental income in large scale, commercial operations. Rice, a semi-aquatic commodity, can also be grown in conjunction with crawfish as a combined income for the local farmer. While the rice is harvested as a source of food for local consumers, its stems and by-products also create an essential food supply for the crustations also occupying the ponds. This allows our aquaculturist to work efficiently and create a healthy crop in both rice and crawfish when used within the same fields. Practices like these allow producers to create a higher financial yield per acre and use them in a dual-purpose setting. 

We are currently serving as the model for American aquaculture and strong representative of such a vital industry that has developed over generations, keeping the gulf-coast citizens employed. These practices were once used as the primary source of nutrition for the first Acadianians brought to south Louisiana in efforts to survive off of the land that they were given, due to the efforts to develop the lands of the recent Louisiana Purchase in the early 1800’s. These original Cajuns began to use the resources that were provided by the land in efforts to survive, and little did they know, the critters they would eat out of desperation would eventually become a staple in Louisiana cuisine and a delicacy across the nation. It is noted that approximately seventy-seven percent of the state’s visitors are drawn to the deep south in hopes to get the opportunity to try its world-renowned, locally produced seafood.   

When thinking about the scope of Louisiana agriculture and economy, it's essential to recognize the specialty markets that we are immersed in and leading. Our state has a special agricultural production layout and we have the ability to stand out among others. What we have in south Louisiana is a market completely unique to us that could not survive anywhere else. It has been developed through ancestral practices and is now the backbone of the state's largest tourist attractions. As FFA members, it's our time to advocate for our local industries and raise awareness that we are unique, we are proud, and we are sticking to our roots.

"Small Decisions, Big Impacts" by State Treasurer Victoria Higdon

March Blog

What is the best decision you ever made? For me, it’s usually the one with a grand accomplishment at the end of the story that shows exactly how successful I was. But in truth, my best decisions are not always ones that reach the grand spotlight.

For example, agreeing to do a public speaking contest was one such decision. In the beginning, I was absolutely terrified. At the first contest, I could barely even look the other competitors in the face because my nerves were getting to me. Yet I decided I was going to learn my speech, research the topic, and practice for hours until I got it down. Joining my school’s cross-country team was another. I wasn’t the fastest runner or the most motivated. However, I decided I was going to do all my workouts, run without stopping and beat my mile time. My next big decision was to put in my application to run for a state office, but my mind was filled with self-doubt. What experience or skill could I possibly bring to the table? Why would they choose me? But I had decided I was going to give my best long before I filled out that application.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get caught up in the other candidates’ accomplishments. They were area officers, state winners, and proficiency award finalists. How could I compare? I forgot the accomplishments I made because I didn’t believe them to be as grand as everyone else’s. I soon realized that no title would make my impacts any more or less meaningful, but instead the care and work I put into them. My best decision was never giving up on the small things, that in turn made up the big things.

If I had quit doing public speaking, I couldn’t expect myself to give great speeches. If I never finished a race, then I couldn’t expect myself to get up early in the mornings and give my all in everything I did that day. If I neglected the needs of my chapter, there was no way I would be able to be there for my state. If I ignored every opportunity for success because I “didn’t feel like it” or “didn’t want to”, what makes me think I would ever be there for myself or be successful in my future career? Since I gave my all at the small tasks, I don’t struggle for the big tasks.

Being a state officer does not mean you start making a difference. It means you continue making the difference that you’ve already started to make. For those of you considering running for an area or state office- if you have a genuine love, mindset, and work ethic for the FFA, our members, and agricultural education, you will always be enough to be a leader. Being a member now means you can make your own impacts that will serve you and your community regardless of what stage you’re at in your FFA career. In return, those impacts will positively follow you for a long time. Louisiana FFA, I encourage you to go out there and start making those best decisions!