Beginning the End

My friends,

I am sitting in the Indiana FFA Fellowship Center in Trafalgar, Indiana, in gym shorts and an FFA chapter T-shirt. My teammates and I are preparing for our upcoming convention.

The past few months of National Leadership Conferences for State Officers, State Presidents’ Conference, National FFA Convention preparation and visiting FFA partners are unforgettable aspects in this FFA member’s journey. We are blessed to experience all we have while wearing the corduroy, and for just over six years I have proudly worn my jacket. In taking off the blue and gold for the final time at the 81st National FFA Convention, the places, the experiences and the people will forever remain—not only in my jacket on a hanger, but within me.

Who knew that by joining FFA, this small-town farm-kid would get to travel to state competitions, national conventions, agricultural businesses, other countries, meet some of his best friends, fail, succeed and grow? Who knew a jacket could instill power? Who knew I would see the potential within others to do their best? Who knew that an organization could change a life? Who knew that you would be reading this, right now, also thinking about what you can and will become? Who knew?

Most amazing, it is not the FFA jacket that makes young people excel in what they are passionate about and learn in ways paramount to growing as servant-leaders. The authenticity, discovery, character, excellence and heart valued by each FFA member are what make an impact in another’s life. Each of us choose what we do when wearing our FFA jackets, and when we retire from our experience in FFA, we will have chosen what we gave, what we leave behind in our jackets and in others.

I smile as I cannot wait to wear it again. After more than six years of putting it on, I know what’s in store. I open up my closet and put on my black slacks, black socks, black shoes, white shirt and FFA tie. I reach for the only missing piece—my FFA jacket. To complete my official dress, it is all I have left. When I return it to my closet on October 25, 2008, I hope I will have left all I have.

Thank you, supporters and fellow members alike, for making the past six years the best of my life.


Gold and blue… forever for you,

Tyler

Check it Out!

Hey!

Morgan posted a new video on his blog, on Facebook and on YouTube. All of my teammates and I are incredibly excited for the coming weeks, and we wanted to give you all a SHOUT OUT before we see you in Indy.

Check it out!

Adventures in September

I am sitting in a hotel in Chicago, Illinois. Morgan Parker, my teammate and I are preparing to visit Kraft and Brunswick with the National FFA Foundation. The two partnership visits mark our final sponsor interaction for our year as national FFA officers. Looking ahead, preparing for convention continues as we conclude our adventures in a matter of weeks.

Our team enjoyed two weeks in Indianapolis writing scripts, practicing events and committing presentations to memory. Following our time in Indianapolis, we moved right into some of our final FFA events. I spent a week in Missouri with 1,809 students in 21 high schools within five days. We talked about character and developed plans to grow as individuals.

Kansas was next. These four days in high schools rank as one of the most fulfilling. With 1,727 eager students between four high schools, we discovered how attitude affects our progress and our ability to simply have fun. With two families, we played football in a church parking lot. With former Kansas state FFA officers, we relaxed and had a blast at Kansas State University. It was an incredible week, and I hope to visit Kansas again.

I flew out of Kansas City, Missouri on September 25, my last day with Kansas FFA, and the next morning visited the Shenandoah FFA Chapter. I could not have asked for a more fitting final event with FFA members prior to our National FFA Convention. I spent some time training with our Marketing and Communications Specialist Team, FFA Alumni and FFA Foundation for our time in New York City.

Monday morning, September 29, I joined Grammy nominee Jewel and Martha Stewart for a taping of “Martha”. Campbell Soup Company has partnered with FFA to reconnect people to their food. Martha Stewart and Jewel prepared a meal of butternut squash—provided by agriculture students from the Queens. I spoke with Martha about her growing up on and currently living on a farm. Cool! The taping aired October 3, 2008. Check out HelpGrowYourSoup.com for more information on how you can initiate a free donation from Campbell to FFA.

After also stopping at Pfizer and Lincoln Educational Services, I departed for Becky Sullivan’s, another teammate, home in Kansas. We finalized our addresses and scripts and realized how excited we are to begin convention on October 22, 2008! If you are interested in what convention entails, watch RFDTV for live coverage.

From here on out, basically, we will be engaged solely in convention rehearsals. If you are near Indianapolis, Indiana from October 22 through 25, please venture downtown to see for yourself what 54,000 FFA jackets look like!

In Photos

This is one of the flip charts used in Missouri while visiting nearly 2,000 students in 21 schools and enjoying leadership conferences in the evenings... "I didn't know ELEPHANTS drove DODGE TRACTORS!"
Um... Kansas and Missouri pretty much ROCKED the human push up. Every person could only touch the floor with their hands, and we peaked in Missouri with 16, Kansas with 48 and Indiana with 56!
Scott received his FFA jacket while I was in Missouri. This was the first time he wore it, and I even got to help him learn to tie a tie!
Kansas Greenhand Conferences. KANSAS WAS ENERGETIC AND INCREDIBLY ACTIVE!
The Big Apple taping of a Martha Stewart show... along with Jewel and a couple of FFA members from John Bowne High School in NYC. Check out HelpGrowYourSoup.com for more info.