Hannah's Happenings - FFA Week

Hey there! I've been waiting to tell you all about my FFA Week experiences until I could get my pictures downloaded, but technology doesn't seem to want to go my way so I'll have to make you wait a little longer ;)

I spent this past week in the great state of Mississippi to celebrate how FFA members there are Stepping Up and Standing Out. I owe a big thanks to Mr. Wilbur Chancellor for allowing me to visit MS. My week began with a little bit of traveling trouble, which meant that I arrived in Jackson, MS about 6 hours later than I was supposed to, but I still got to spend Monday night with the Jr. & Sr. State Officer teams. Over dinner they introduced me to FABULOUS southern sweet tea. It was so good that it pretty much sold me on living in the south. We just don't do tea right way in the north!

Early the next morning we made our way to the Jackson Convention Center for their annual Legislative Breakfast, where over 600 legislators, sponsors, university staff, advisors and FFA members came to celebrate National FFA Week and the success of the Mississippi FFA. The state officers did a wonderful job recognizing those that make their programs and activities possible and General Fields gave a wonderful speech as well addressing the importance of the FFA and what it does for students. After the breakfast we made our way to the capital to bring greetings to both the House and Senate while they were in session and took off for Starkville after lunch.
Once we hit Starkville, the proud home of Mississippi State University, I ate dinner with Kristy Mayo and Jason Camp, my wonderful hosts. Both Kristy and Jason work for the Mississippi FFA Association and they made my visit in the Magnolia State very amazing :)

Wednesday morning started with a visit to Millsaps Technology Center where I got to visit with two of the classes and learned about "posting" which is another way to say "hanging out". Pretty cool! Following lunch with some of the administrators at Mississippi State, Kristy and I conducted an interview with Farm Week and I spoke with the MSU youth development class. It was neat to talk about the benefits of being involved in student leadership organizations, though I found it was hard to explain all of them! There's just too many! Afterwards Mr. Chancellor, Kristy, Jason and I took a brief tour of campus and visited their very own clock museum with over 400 clocks! Lots and lots of ticking! Later that evening I spent time with the MSU Collegiate FFA Chapter who has some very cool activities planned for their year including volunteering at the local nursing home and bowling.

On Thursday Mr. Chancellor and I made our way to visit the Neshoba FFA Chapter where I got to hang out with Mr. Suttle and their chapter officer team. Unfortunately, I didn't get to spend too much with them before we were off to catch up with the Forest Agricultural High School of Brooklyn for their federation contests. The campus at Brooklyn is really cool and they were actually recipient of the National FFA's Seeds of Hope.

Following that visit, we made our way down to the coast to Gulfport and Biloxi so I could view the damage still left from Hurricane Katrina. I can't even tell you how devasting it was, even four years later. We drove by miles upon miles of bare house foundations where literally the only thing left was the cement the house used the stand on or the brick front steps. (The pictures will help me explain a lot better. I'll probably do a whole new post about it once I get them downloaded.) It was unbelievable and truly life-changing for me to finally get to see it.

For my last night is MS, we went out to dinner with some of the Brooklyn FFA Chapter: Mr. Ross, Tori, Ethan, Jonathon, Joel, Sean, Zac and a few of their parents. I added a few more firsts to my trip by trying fried crawfish, fried alligator and fried catfish (notice a theme here?) plus some spectacular sweet potato fries. Can't beat that! By the way - If you ever run into Joel, make sure you ask him about his "horse wreck" on the highway. You'll be sure to have a good laugh!

I flew out of Mississippi early Friday morning and made my way back to Indy and then to Texas yesterday. On the road again! Haha. I'll be sure to get pictures up as soon as possible. Promise! Until then...

God Bless,

Hannah

FFA Week-Wed. evening and Thursday

Possibly one of the highlights of my trip was Dave. Dave works at Capital Tractor a great sponsor for Greenwich FFA Chapter. Dave knows all about tractors, but he also knows all about FFA. He was the Star American Farmer in the 1960's! Congrats Dave!













St. Johnsville hooked us up with a traditional New York style breakfast! They even made the applesauce from scratch.







































Before I could leave, they told me I had to check out the snowmobile. Since we don't get snow at home, I had the chance to sit on one and see what it would be like to try it out. ...too bad it wasn't cold enough because these machines go over 100 mph!


(don't you just love the horns???)












Check out some more from FFA Week in New York!!!































Around Lunch on Thursday, I got to stop by the Unadilla Valley FFA Chapter and have a traditional school lunch! Man, how I miss those days!
























































































































































So, you think you can do it? That's what Sharon Springs FFA chapter was asked........I think they can....



































































































































Here are some members from the Otselic Valley FFA Chapter. We had a quick tour of some maple taps that they have right in front of their school!

Here is Mrs. Robinson and her family. They have their own Dairy operation! Brown Swiss are their thing! Oh, they do have some holsteins too. : )

FFA Week!!!!

FFA Week is HERE!!!! How exciting is that? Hope you are enjoying in the celebrations of this exciting week. This week I have the opportunity to travel to New York to join in their celebrations. Here are a few pics from my visits so far (and it's only Tuesday!)

Visits started off bright and early Monday morning with the Canastota FFA Chapter.
FFA members shared some about their chapter and showed off their skills!















Check out those pretty sweet T's! These guys rock!











A quick drive down the road landed us at the VVS High FFA. Let me tell you, this chapter has it going on! They showed the pride of their chapter, their maple! VVS taps out the sap from maple trees and takes it through all the processes necessary to make syrup. The cool part is, they do it all! Once the final product is reached, they sell it in their school store!






Check out those smiling faces! You are looking at some of the "maple minds" They spend time lobbying and also taking a mobile maple trailor to educate others about maple!











At the end of day, we went over the river and through the woods to Camp Oswegatchie! Kicking back by the fire, meeting new friends, and making smores are some of the highlights of the evening! Oh, and snow shoeing rocks too!

Yes, we are going to adopt this as new official dress.....just kidding....as a visit to Kraft Foods, we had to get all dressed up in our coats, hairnets, and safety gear. Here we visited the largest cream cheese factory in the world! Did you know they make flavors of cream cheese like salmon flavored, garden veggie, and blueberry?

As we left Kraft, we found this GIGANTIC cow and had to stop and take a pic! I am finding out how important the dairy industry is to New York!

Stay tuned, more to come as the rest of the week unfolds!

Until next time,

Do what you love and love what you do!

~Regina

YAY National FFA Week!

How could we not love an entire WEEK of fun FFA activities and the opportunity to celebrate the organization that has made a difference in the lives of millions? I’ve been thinking of why I enjoyed FFA Week so much as a high school student in Shandon FFA. What I appreciate most is that FFA Week brings people together. The 83 students (ok so it doesn’t sound like a lot, but picture the whole small town appeal :) in my high school, those in our middle and elementary schools and our community to create many experiences and memories to be enjoyed by all. From Barnyard Olympics, and a petting zoo, to a staff appreciation lunch and elementary school visits everyone in our chapter was involved in the preparation and fun!

This week I look forward to learning the long lasting traditions and innovative new ideas that are part of FFA Week in… ARKANSAS!! Throughout the week I will join Arkansas FFA members as they Step Up and Stand Out by coordinating events in their own chapters and attend banquets to announce the funds they’ve raised for Arkansas FFA Foundation! I should also note that this is my first adventure to the South-I’m more than excited really!!!!! I’ve heard that I need to try fried catfish? … Alright!! Also I’ll be bringing my traveling gnome… he is fantastic and excited as well. Have a wonderful National FFA WEEK!!!!

-Nessie

Hannah's Happenings - It's Finally Here!

That's right folks! It is finally here! FFA WEEK! My teammates have all put it best - this is a week of celebration. Not only for each of us in the blue jackets, but also for those who make what we do possible. I'm talking about your teachers, advisors, parents, alumni, state staff, national FFA staff, volunteers and the list goes on and on. Although we should thank all of these people each and every day for what they do, we can use this week to give them an extra big THANK YOU for all of their hard work and dedication. So as you go throughout this week, make sure to give a heartfelt thank you to those who make your FFA experience possible. It's just one more way we can Step Up and Stand Out in our celebration of National FFA Week!



I am lucky enough to be spending this coming week in the great state of Mississippi! Over the course of my trip, I will visit with local FFA chapters, speak with legislators about the importance of FFA and agricultural education, hang out with some folks in the Collegiate FFA at Mississippi State University and spend my last afternoon touring the coast, where farmers are still cleaning up after Hurricane Katrina.

I am really excited to spend the week there and share it with you. And I hope that you'll do the same! Let me know what your chapter is doing this week via e-mail, Facebook, or FFA Nation. I look forward to hearing from you! :)

God Bless,

Hannah

FFA Week

Hey everybody!

I hope all is going well. The team and I are just finishing up an exciting week in Nashville, Indiana where we were preparing for state FFA conventions, and FFA Week! Now, I do not know about each of you, but I am super excited that FFA week is here! When I think about FFA week, I think about some of the wonderful activities I saw go on for the event. Breakfast for the administrators, fundraisers, community service, and everyone driving their tractors to school!

FFA Week represents a time for all FFA members to join together in one week of celebration, and recognize the success of our members for the year. It is also a chance for us to share the message of FFA, and the positive difference it is having in the lives of members across the country. Each one of us has a unique story in this organization, which is what makes the FFA so special. The fact that one organization can take students from different backgrounds and passions, and unify us around a common message and goal of Premiere Leadership, Personal Growth, and Career Success.

What is your story in FFA? What is your passion, and what have you accomplished through this organization? These are the messages that I encourage you to share this week. Already graduated high school? Then share your story of what the FFA did in your life, and the benefit that you have seen because of it.

FFA week is a wonderful time for all of us. I encourage you to share your story of FFA with those around you, and to take part in all of the activities your chapter may be hosting this week. I wish you all a fun time!

Take Care,
Riley Branch

National FFA Week 2009

Friends!
In 1928, thirty three farm boys from 18 states came together to start an organization to celebrate excellence in agriculture. Over 80 years later, as we look back on that year, it’s amazing to see all that has changed in our organization since then. Yet, at the same time it’s rewarding to see all that remains the same - the purpose, the pride, and most importantly the service.

As agriculturalists we clothe the world. We develop medicines that will save lives and feed hungry mouths all over the world. We change the world every day through all of our actions. As leaders we have stepped up to a greater purpose, and because of that we have a greater impact in our schools, our communities, and our world.

As we celebrate National FFA Week, be proud of the fact that you are in FFA and be proud of the difference that we, as 507,763 of our nation’s greatest leaders, are making. Let us celebrate the many great things this organization has done for millions this week. Yet, most importantly let’s fix our eyes on the horizon and know that tomorrow is a new day filled with opportunity!

Step Up. Stand Out.

Paul Moya

Only 3 more days…

Only 3 more days…

It comes around once a year and all of your friends and family know that it is coming. You get really excited and anxiously wait for it to come. You count down the days even. What is it? It’s your birthday! In three day it will be my 21st birthday, and I am so excited for it to come!

I am very excited to get to spend my birthday with my team! Right now, the team is in Nashville, IN at a team retreat. At this retreat we are planning conferences like NLCSO, National Leadership Conference for State Officers and SPC, State President’s Conference.
In school, I could always tie my birthday to a couple of things. In junior high, I knew that we would be off for Presidents Day and parent teacher conferences. However, the basketball team would always have practice, so I would have to still wake up early! On my birthday at that! As an FFA member, I could always count on my birthday being around or during National FFA Week.

I spent my first birthday as an FFA member in the ag building all day long! We got released to participate in FFA Week events. We started the morning of my birthday serving breakfast to the faculty. That is such a special memory for me. I had great ag teachers to help us create awesome ideas to serve our school and community. FFA Week is a prime opportunity to showcase FFA.

What are some things that your chapter does to celebrate FFA Week?

-Laila

Hey FFA Members!

Hey FFA Members! I hope you are getting geared up for FFA Week 2009! We are super excited about hearing all about you and what you are doing to celebrate! With so many of you "Stepping Up, and Standing Out" this year is sure to be a blast. Keep us posted via email, facebook, or FFA Nation. We want to hear about YOU! Check back for blogs about our travels all around the US in celebration of this awesome week. Remember, FFA Week is Feb. 21-28! For more information check out ffa.org!!!!

Finishing up Japan

Our final days in Japan (Monday, February 2nd and Tuesday, February 3rd) have yet to be talked about and I'm excited to tell you about them!

On Monday we spent the day with our guide Chieko as she showed us the last remaining sightseeing spots she wanted us to experience in Kyoto. The first was the Golden Palace. Yes, the top two layers are covered with actual gold. Luckily, Chieko said that they have recently refinished the layer of gold so it was extra shiny. :)



From there we made our way to two different palaces/shrines (the names of which have been written down somewhere in all my scrapbooking keepsakes, which are already in a box at home) but I do remember that both of them had really cool history lessons within their walls. We literally looked at paintings that were over 500 years old! And learning about the ways of the Shogun and what they society was like in that part of history was fascinating. We especially liked the nightengale floors that squeaked on purpose when you walk. They were built that way so ninjas couldn't sneak into the palace. It was kind of creepy! But really cool.We even tried to be ninjas ourselves but that didn't turn out so hot, as you can see. We will have to work on that! Haha!



After touring we did some shopping, grabbed dinner and made our way to karaoke, a past time they take very seriously in Japan. You get your own private room and surround sound! Which was great for some of my teammates that could carry a tune, but bad for me!




Once we had sang until our hearts were content, we spent the night (literally) packing and preparing to head home on Tuesday. February 3rd became the longest day of our lives as we flew 12 hours back to the U.S. And I mean LONG as in a full 38 hour day! Talk about messing with your sleep pattern! But we arrived safe and sound and were greeted by the sunrise. :)



We couldn't have asked for a better trip and we are so excited to share all of these experiences with you (and MORE that we didn't have time to write about!) so always feel free to contact all of us via e-mail, FFA Nation, Facebook, etc. Until then...

God Bless!

Hannah

The 7th and 8th days of our international agriculture trip in Japan were certainly delightful! We spent time with FFJ members (they, like you, are tons of fun, full of life and excited about their future endeavors) we met and stayed with our host families, we were astounded by the agriculture facilities at the Anjo Norin high school, we took a walk from the past to the present in the mizo food industry and had a monster of a time bowling with our FFJ friends.

We first met our host brothers and sisters at Anjo Norin high school where they are each active in agricultural education and FFJ. When our van pulled up to the school students were waiving out windows yelling Konichiwa (hello)!! The excitement and friendly nature of the students who walk the halls of Anjo Norin High each day was practically tangible as soon as we arrived. An atmosphere of eagerness consumed my teammates and I, as the time we’d all been waiting for had nearly arrived- We were just about to meet our host siblings! Yayayya! As they read our names and revealed the names of our FFJ brothers and sisters we each stepped forward, waived and exchanged that often humorous mix between a hug and a hand shake. None of us could help but to smile. Personally I was thinking “yay you’re my person, I’m your person, were going to make great friends and memories, this is going to be GREAT!!” Based on factual reports from each of my teammates I have concluded that all of our families were FANTASTIC! They were a sincere highlight of our trip. I stayed with Mika, Hannah with Yui, Riley with Habiki, Regina with Manami, Paul with Takuma and Laila stayed with Yuri.

The rest of that first evening with our host siblings we enjoyed time together learning each other’s names, hobbies and how to make an oy-shi (delicious) little egg like snack. I would describe this snack to be somewhat like a little round ball of an omelet that you add say hotdog or octopus pieces into. Be wary, when the little snacks come out of the (waffle maker-like) cooker, they are hot! Speaking from personal experience I would allow them a cool down for longer than approximately four seconds. My taste buds are still on the road to recovery.

Speaking of being on the road, after some fun and mingling at their high school we each headed to our family’s homes! That first night with our families is one that my teammates and I will continue to cherish for years to come. We each had different kinds of meals and participated in many different activities such a tea ceremony, games or shopping. That night I had a home cooked meal made by my host mom and it was Ahhh mazing. I may not be able to pronounce or spell all exactly what I ate but I can tell you it was divine. It involved tofu and hotdogs in this amazing sauce and a fried roll with pork and asparagus plus some cool noodles. To top it off- the next morning for breakfast I had toast that I’m pretty sure was infused with sugar and topped with this oy-shi peanut butter/ jelly spread. Basically, brought together one of the most genius combinations of all time.

When we all came together again the next day we realized that no matter what the activity or menu each of us was positively impacted by the opportunity to learn about the lives and values of our Japanese families. We learned that valuing things such as quality time together or family traditions is not unique to our families in the US. In fact our families in Japan value many of the same things that you and I would grow up knowing in our own homes. For the rest of the afternoon all of us (teammates, teachers, host siblings and friends) toured their schools agriculture facilities, a place called Denpark and a miso factory. When I think about impressive agriculture facilities from now on, the ones we saw at Anjo Norin High will definitely be on the list. At least 30 greenhouses were filled with grapes, figs, hydroponic tomatoes and their annual best seller- orchids. Something unique about their orchid project is that the high school has an entire laboratory to grow their orchids from seedlings a process that takes about 2.5 years. Then students participate in the marketing and selling of their orchids to the local community members. The school also had chicken and dairy cattle facilities and a four step organic fertilizer making facility. It was very inspiring to see how much value agricultural programs in Japan, like those in the US, put into creating hands-on and applicable learning for their students both in and out of the walls of their classrooms. Talk about outstanding! Speaking of outstanding here’s a joke for you: Why did the farmer get a Noble Prize? …because he was outstanding in his field! Hahah aha… get it?!

After the high school tour we went to Denpark. A park made to represent what you might see in Denmark. There we had lunch, and of course ice cream! We also road in a bio-diesel fueled little tour train like those you might see at a county fair or amusement park. Then we went to a miso factory to learn the process of harvesting and preparing the soybeans that become miso. Much to our delight we now know that miso starts from humble soybeans (some from the US yay) and after many crushing processes (like sitting under thousands of pounds of rocks for 2 years… seriously) it becomes the miso that is used to flavor spreads, candies, snacks and perhaps most famous- soup!

After our tours we went bowling!! I was a little apprehensive at first to share with everyone my bowling skills (or lack of) but it was a blast and a very safe environment (except for when I held a bowling ball). However, I think I may stick to bowling in Japan because for what I think might be the first time I broke the 100 mark (usually I stick to the low 40’s). Something we found neat about bowling in Japan was that when you feel like you’re losing your streak you grab a Hello Kitty decorated bowling ball. I have to say I think our friends are on to something- it worked. I should also mention that not all of our host siblings spoke English, and none of us speak Japanese; however we were still able to communicate quite well. Mika and I used her translation book and many hand signals to help, others had handy translators on their phones to help as well.

Our host families and our experiences interacting with them was truly an opportunity to be immersed in an entirely new culture. We learned that the harvesting of relationships between agriculturalists, students, and people across the globe is needed now more than ever. That is why the Japanese company Mitsui sponsors this international agriculture learning experience each year. With our host families we saw that the Japanese people are kind, smart, funny, caring and talented just like those of you in the blue jackets. In closing, we encourage you to continue to seek opportunities to learn about different cultures and ways of life in order to enrich your own life and this world.

Sayonara for now,
-Nessie

A few more days in Japan

This morning, we said good-bye to our host moms and dads, and headed out to the Toyota Museum. Here is a quick pic of my "mom" and I right before leaving. Oh, and get this, we couldn't take our big suitcases with us, so mom took my luggage to the 7-11 convience store to be shipped! 7-11 has everything!












So, when you think of Toyota, you automatically think of cars I bet.....well did you know that Toyota actually got it's start in the textile industry??? Here in the museum, we were able to watch production of fabrics from start to finish. The demonstrators were generous enough to show us step by step how they make the fabrics. They even had English translations!

Toyota is known for it's sleek design, economical cars that are always in style. Here is the first car ever produced by Toyota. It was very roomie with plenty of space for storage and comfort! :) Oh, and the squeeze horn was pretty sweet too!

Another pickup truck designed by you guessed it...Toyota!!!

After Toyota,we had to say a sad good by to our host brothers and sisters. While we were waiting on the , train to take us to Kyoto, Riley's host brother showed off his mad tap dancing skills. He is the #11 tap dancer in the world! Oh and his little sister is #8! You should see this guy go! He moves faster than lightning!!!

The infamous bullet train that goes at a whopping 180 miles per hour! We rode the train into Kyoto for our final stop of the trip.

Once we arrived in Kyoto, our baggage was waiting for us at the hotel. Cheiko was gracious enough to take us to a marketplace in downtown Kyoto to get some real world shopping experience!

Oh, Shaba Shaba, is the world's best meal ever! Here you sit down at a table, and they bring you trays of beef (all you can eat). You place the beef in a boiling pan of water with veggies and cook it right in front of you!!! When you are ready for more meat, you just ring a buzzer. Somehow, we managed to clear 20 trays of beef that night! How delicious it was!

On the road again...

On the Road Again…

The team has just spent the last week recovering from Japan. There is a 15 hour difference in time between Japan and the United States. So, the time difference combined with the 24 hours of travel time just about wipes you out! We spent last week doing a number of things. I have spent the week resting, working and hanging out with friends. I arrived on Tuesday at around 11p.m. Crystal and Brady picked me up from the airport, drove me home and then I was finally able to rest in a bed, rather than an airplane seat! On Thursday, I taught a lecture at the University of Florida to a Public Speaking Class that my friend Crystal, a PhD student at Univ. of Florida, teaches. Crystal and I are pictured below. I taught a lecture on engagement methods in public speaking. I taught the same lecture last semester and it is a blast to teach a college lecture!

One of the best things about the recovery time was that I was able to see so many friends that I had not seen in a long time! Our group of friends got together and had dinner.

This picture is of Rusty Hartline and me at dinner. Rusty and I met just about four years ago in Washington D.C. at Washington Leadership Conference. Rusty and I met at the beginning of the conference and from then on out we were friends! Rusty is still in my cell phone contact list as “Rusty WLC Florida”! Haha. Mine and Rusty’s friendship is a prime example of the friendships that FFA allows us to build. I was just a girl from Oklahoma, and Rusty was just a boy from Florida going to a conference in D.C. for a week. Little did we know that we would gain a lifelong friend!

The picture below is of one of my best friends Damaris Pierce, Rusty, me, and Katie Scott, who later became one of my state officer teammates and is one of my best friends! We had no idea at the time how connected we would be four years later!

I did get to see friends; however, the week was filled with a ton of work. There were many emails and phone calls to return. I had flights to schedule, FFA Week to prepare for and many reports to be completed. I also wrote some FFA members some notes. : )

Tonight was my last night of the recovery week. I felt so special, because Brady cooked me my last supper. Yes, our former Southern Region Vice President Brady Revels can cook! And let me tell you, he is a very good cook! He cooked the the group roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, broccoli, asparagus with hollandaise sauce, and biscuits. It was all homemade! I was very impressed with his cooking skills. It was great to spend my last supper of the week with Randy, Tate, Crystal, Brady and Miss Erica Der!

I got the much needed rest. I saw friends whom I love, and met new friends who I love as well! I finished a to-do list the size of Mount Fuji. And now, I am on the road again...

Laila

Hannah's Happenings - My Background

Hello there! Since I've had the chance to spend some time at home upon our arrival back from Japan, I thought I'd pick it up from the beginning and fill in from there. :)

My hometown is Jeromesville, Ohio, which is about halfway in between Cleveland and Columbus. Don't look on a map, you won't find it - unless Google Earth can track our one stop light, gas station and general store. I love it here though and I wouldn't trade my small town for the world. I attended Hillsdale Schools from kindergarten through 12th grade. My graduating class was about 91 people and my school was the kind where everyone knows everyone else and their business! Haha! 

My family was not involved in agriculture until I started 4-H as a Cloverbud, just because all my friends were doing it. When I finally convinced my dad that he should let me take an animal to the fair, he brought home two market lambs; even though I had asked for rabbits. I loved showing lambs though and exhibited them at the county, state and national level. 

Showing livestock continues to be a way that my family spends time together, which is worth far more than any ribbons or premiums. Oh, I almost forgot, my immediate family consists of my mom Kathy, my dad Chris and my brother Reid (16). I'm so blessed to have them as my constant supporters and encouragers.

Once I got into high school, my guidance counselor suggested I enroll in agricultural science and actually placed me in the class without my knowing it. Turns out, she wasn't taking "my schedule is too busy already" as an excuse. And thank goodness she didn't! I loved ag science and FFA from the start, mostly because I felt like it was the only thing I was good at. I played sports in high school and was involved on many clubs and committees, but nothing compared to what I found in the FFA. With two very persistent advisors, I tried anything and everything from camps to conferences and CDE's to community service projects. Some of my favorite activities were parliamentary procedure, agricultural sales, FFA summer camp and national convention.


I was lucky enough to be chosen as an Ohio FFA state officer and in 2005-2006 I served as District 2 President and then as State President in 2006-2007. While serving as state president, I delayed my first year of college so I could visit as many chapters as possible. My SAE's ranged from market lambs to market hogs, and from job placement on our small family to working at a poultry processing plant. I'm proud to say that I earned my American FFA Degree in 2007. :) 

I began college at The Ohio State University in the fall of 2007 and have absolutely loved it. I am majoring in agricultural education and I hope to teach high school agriculture and become an FFA advisor someday. I can't really find words to explain why I want to teach so badly, I just know that my teachers and those teachers I came into contact with, had such an impact on my life and presented me with so many opportunities, and I desire to give that to my students someday.  Without the ag teachers in  my life, there's no way I would've ever discovered my potential to do, well...anything! And I can't wait to give that same gift to every student that enters my classroom. 

Throughout this year I will have countless opportunities to speak on behalf of agricultural education and the FFA, not to mention travel across the country to meet all of you! If I could pick a perfect job for me, this would definitely be it! I'm so excited to hit the road and begin traveling to chapters and state conventions. I'll keep you updated on my adventures here on the blog! :) 

Here's what's next on the agenda:

February 13th - 22nd - Foundation Kick-Off and Training

February 23rd - 28th - NATIONAL FFA WEEK!!!! (I'll be spend this fabulous week in the great state of Mississippi! Get excited!)  

Speaking of FFA Week, I'd love to know what your chapter has planned. You can e-mail me at hcrossen@ffa.org, send me a message on Facebook, or toss me a line on FFA Nation. 

God Bless!

Hannah