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NDIANA FFA NEWS INDIANA FFA NEWS INDIANA FFA NEWS INDIANA FFA NEWS INDIANA F
Contents
3 FFA Chapters Unite
A B C D E
to serve 50,000 Meals of Hope!
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meals of hope member spotlight Stationed by the owl State Officer Highlight Where are they now? Sponsor highlight sponsor visits We are FFA State Officer HIghlight state convention opportunities
Social
media
website: www.inffa.org Blog: www.indianaffa.blogspot.com Facebook: Indiana FFA Organization Twitter: @IndianaFFA Instagram: @IndianaFFA Snapchat: inffa
SPRING 2017
F
ood insecurity: the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.
Saturday, November 5, 2016 was a day that left a glimpse of hope in several District V communities. On this day, FFA members from Delphi, Clinton Prairie, and Rossville FFA chapters gathered to fight the battle of food insecurity in their communities through the Meals of Hope meal packing event. The idea for this project began during the summer of 2016 when FFA members from all three chapters attended the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) in Washington D.C. After participating in Meals of Hope at WLC, senior members FFA members from all three schools pose for a group photo during the packing event.
Clara Boles (Clinton Prairie) and Sarah Hendrickson (Rossville) based their Living to Serve plans around this project. Delphi FFA member Cole Pearson recalls, “our creed says ‘in less need for charity and more of it when needed,’ and Working to combine meal ingredients. this is a time when our community needed it.” The Meals of Hope food packing event began in 2007 when founder, Stephen Popper wanted to send meals to an underdeveloped area in Haiti and eventually other countries and the United States. The organization has packed 35,051,499 meals to date, 50,000 of which were from this FFA event. To prepare for the event, committees from all schools were formed and a date was set. Immediately after, letters were sent to businesses and the three FFA continued on pg. c
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indiana ffa - The impact
member spotlight Our members make us shine! - by Nathan Blume
Collin Tennant
Adam leising
Manchester FFA
rushville FFA
Grade: Senior
Grade: Junior
SAE: Diversified Agricultural Production (Club Lambs, Pumpkins and Fall Decorations)
SAE: Beef Production FAVORITE FFA ACTIVITY: Small Engines CDE
FAVORITE FFA ACTIVITY: District Leadership Events HOBBIES OUTSIDE OF FFA: Showing Sheep, Spending time with Family and Golfing
FUTURE PLANS: Major in Agricultural Sales or Animal Science at Purdue University and continue SAE
FUTURE PLANS: Attend Purdue University and major in Agricultural Economics
Nathan Fairchild
Grace Mccoy
South Decatur FFA
Northwood FFA
Grade: Sophomore
Grade: Junior
SAE: Forage Production
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HOBBIES OUTSIDE OF FFA: Soccer, Baseball, Choir, Spanish Club, Key Club, SADD, 4-H and Junior Leaders
SAE: Agricultural Communications
FAVORITE FFA ACTIVITY: Leadership Conferences at the Indiana FFA Leadership Center
FAVORITE FFA ACTIVITY: Volunteering to drive tractors for the Polk Auction Company
HOBBIES OUTSIDE OF FFA: Hunting, Fishing, Football and working
HOBBIES OUTSIDE OF FFA: Running, Showing Cattle and Riding 4-Wheelers
FUTURE PLANS: Major in Wildlife and become an Indiana Conservation Officer
FUTURE PLANS: Major in Agribusiness Management and raise cattle for 4-H members
indiana ffa - The impact
y b d e n o i t a st
L W O E H T Spotlight
Advisor Mrs. Pam Meyer
- BY EMILY DOUGHERTY
Southwestern Shelby FFA
Quick Facts 1. Spent 10 years raising swine and has been teaching for the last 29 years. 2. Bachelor’s from Purdue University and Master of Education from IUPUI. 3. Her favorite part of teaching is seeing how former members have grown to become hard-working citizens who pay their way. 4. Her favorite quote comes from William Jennings Bryan: “Burn down your cities and leave our farms, and your cities will spring up again as if by magic; but destroy our farms and grass will grow in the streets of every city in the country.”
Did you 20 percent of hoosier households with children struggle to afford food. - Feeding Indiana’s Hungry
Pam Meyer has built a successful program at Southwestern Shelby High School, which is a pillar in the community due to their various service projects and involvement. Meyer states her proudest achievements are raising two beautiful and successful daughters and being able to call many former students and FFA members her friends. She was even honored as a torchbearer for her county during the Bicentennial Torch Relay this Fall. “She helps me when I don’t understand something and she is always there for you when you need her.” –Keegenn Weaver, Student “I would not be anywhere near where I am at today if it wasn’t for Mrs. Meyer. No matter what, she always puts your needs first and will do almost anything for you. She changes her plans so that we have an opportunity to do different activities.” –Cory Kelley, Student
know?
22.1 percent of hoosier children are food insecure. - Feeding America
continued from pg. a
chapters set out a goal to raise enough money to carry out this project. The hard work paid off, and after all of the details were set 120 FFA members gathered to pack 50,000 meals for food pantries in the three communities. “It was really powerful to see all the schools come together to fight for a common cause in our community. It also helped us realize that we can achieve what sounds like a daunting
and unobtainable goal with teamwork and hard work,” says Rossville FFA member Sarah Hendrickson. She also describes how rewarding the scene was to see pallet after pallet of meals being picked up by local food pantries. FFA members are truly living to serve, and this is just one of the many examples of how chapters across the state of Indiana are doing their part to build our communities. - by Logan glassburn
Advisor observes local impact of event: doug walker, delphi FFA I think the impact moment came when several members realized that over 21,000 of the meals were spoken for in our school district within three days! They did not realize the need in the local community. It opened several eyes to the need at hand.
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indiana ffa - The impact
LOGAN’S TIMELINE Freshman Year: Greenhand Reporter Soil Evaluation Novice Parliamentary Procedure Sophomore Year: Soil Evaluation Parliamentary Procedure Junior
Year: Chapter Reporter National Soil Evaluation - 6th Place Individual Parliamentary Procedure
Senior
Year: District I Secretary Chapter Vice President District Leadership Ambassador Soil Evaluation State Parliamentary Procedure - 2nd Place
Logan State Sentinel
Glassburn GET THE FACTS
Birthday: July 4, 1998 Parents: David and Mary Glassburn Siblings: Luke and Lizzie Hometown: Earl Park, Ind. FFA Chapter: South Newton Advisors: Darrell Allen and Drake Babcock Favorite Food: Frozen ravioli Favorite Movie: High School Musical Favorite Pastime: South Newton Soil Judging Favorite Sport: Whatever is in season Favorite Animal: Bald eagle Favorite Colors: Red, white, and blue Favorite Music: Country
- BY LEAH JACOBS D
FUTURE PLANS
Attend Purdue University and Major in Agronomy with a Minor in International Studies in Agriculture
THE TEAM VOTED LOGAN... Most likely to get injured. “In my observations of Logan Glassburn over the last couple of years, I have witnessed her ability to connect with peers in a manner that reflects her genuine interest in them. She is personable, outgoing and grounded in her beliefs. She is able to listen, process and find common ground with each person she encounters. These are all qualities of a leader, and I believe she will continue to grow in her leadership skills in the coming years.” – Darrell Allen, Advisor “I have always admired and respected Logan’s ability to have so many passions in life. From sports to clubs to her academics, Logan is one of the most driven, dedicated and disciplined young woman I have ever met. She is ALWAYS positive, pushing herself, her peers and adults around her to always think about life with the “glass half full” kind of concept. She is a one of a kind leader and has the power to motivate anyone; she is just one of those people that can take a really bad day and make it great.” – Laura Robbins, School Counselor & Volleyball Coach
indiana ffa - The impact
PURDUE PETE EDITION
Where Are They Now? Once out of the blue corduroy, FFA members continue to strive for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success. Unique opportunities often present themselves, just as they did for Ben Sheldon and Ted McKinney, two past Indiana FFA members who had the chance to be the athletic mascot Purdue Pete.
- BY SNEHA JOGI
What years were you a Purdue Pete?
What was the process of being selected as a Purdue Pete?
Ben: 2014-2017 Ted: 1978-1981
“The process was a simple interview. I know they looked at academics and probably sought a specific size of person. I interviewed in the spring 1978 in official FFA dress because of a tight turnaround between the interview and a Spring Banquet with the Benton Central FFA Chapter. No doubt, the appearance of official dress helped my cause.” -Ted “Tryouts included five stations with fitness tests, using props, dancing and pumping up a crowd. After a cut, there was an interview with alumni and current Petes.” -Ben
How did FFA prepare you to be Purdue Pete? “FFA gave me the exposure to presenting, speaking, and in a way, performing in front of a large crowd, which is obviously one of the major requirements of being a mascot.” -Ben Ben and his parents during a Purdue home football game.
Left: Ted as Pete during a basketball game (1979). Below: Ted posing in 2016 with the two styles of Pete heads he wore.
What was your favorite part of being Purdue Pete?
Graphic: Purdue University Marketing
“Service to a university I loved. More specifically, the excitement of all the ® sporting events can’t be overstated.” -Ted
“Interacting with everyone ranging from children to senior citizens. To connect with Purdue fans like myself is an amazing feeling.” -Ben
sponsor shoutout: smithfield foods Founded: 1936 Smithfield, VA Employees: 50,000 worldwide sales: $14.4+ Billion brands: smithfield ®, eckrich ®, farmland ®, armour ®, cook’s ® and john morrell®
After opening a new distribution facility in indiana in early 2016, Smithfield foods stepped up to support indiana ffa by donating product to the indiana ffa leadership center.
I don’t know about you, but one of my favorite smells is that of a hot, fresh breakfast. At Indiana FFA Leadership Conferences, such as the Seeking Opportunities Achieving Results (SOAR), Foundations in Reaching Excellence (FIRE) or Leadership Development Workshop (LDW) conferences, FFA members from across the state entered the doors of the Lodge to just that. After earning their way from the flag deck to the breakfast lines by completing various challenges set forth by the state officers, members get to indulge in sausage and other meat products
provided by Smithfield Foods. The Smithfield Foods Distribution Center, located in Greenfield, opened in February 2016 and ships over one million cases of pork products each week. The company is the largest pork producer and processer in the world. The Greenfield location employs more than 250 employees and is a proud supporter of the Indiana FFA Association. Thank you for your generous donation; on behalf of over 12,000 FFA members, we truly appreciate it! - By Chaela Minor
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indiana ffa - The impact
Business & INdustry
Sponsor Visits
SAFETY AD
Picture this: It is a cold winter day; the temperature is a whopping 31 degrees and seven sets of Official Dress pile into our Foundation Director’s Honda Pilot. We arrive on scene, crawl out of the vehicle, and grab our business cards and portfolios. Throughout the next few hours, we visit with some of our biggest supporters and sponsors. What am I describing, you ask? Business and Industry Visits, of course! As state officers, we are often found interacting with FFA members from across the great Hoosier state through conferences or chapter visits. While we work hard to establish premier leadership, personal growth, and career success within each student we engage with, the Indiana FFA Foundation strives to find sponsorships to allow the Indiana FFA Association to flourish. Throughout e as FFA the year, the Foundation members have reaches out to companies the opportunity to from across the state for interact with these partners at potential partnership many events throughout the opportunities. year; when we do, we should During the remain professional and foster month of December, our organization’s values in the Indiana FFA State every word that we speak. If Officers visited with our we put in the effort needed, Foundation partners. We not only developed an we can transform these understanding of how partnerships into networks our Association attains that will last a lifetime! financial assistance, but also an understanding of various company cultures, employer values and opportunities in the agriculture industry. – by Chaela Minor
W
#WeAreFFA
. because..
ce ard senten o b e it h w Finish the e are FFA! w y h w r e and answ We Are FFA is the National FFA Organization’s campaign to promote and encourage diversity among students and supporters. All 649,355 National FFA members have different stories to tell. What’s your story? Share your story with Indiana FFA through a #StorySunday by emailing nrvp@inffa.org! F
Our first visit was with Helena Chemical Company and FMC at the Helena Shelbyville retail plant. The staff at Helena and FMC work hand-in-hand to sell their products to their customers. But one thing they both had in common? They valued hard work and personality in their employees.
indiana ffa - The impact
JESSICA’S TIMELINE Freshman Year: Greenhand Degree State Agribusiness Management Demonstration Sophomore Year: Chapter Degree Chapter Committee Chair State Natural Resources Demonstration Junior
Year: Hoosier Degree Chapter President State Plant and Soil Science Demonstration Dairy Foods Judging
Senior
Year: Chapter President District IV Secretary State Leadership Ambassador
State President FUTURE PLANS Attend Purdue University to Major in Agricultural Education and Minor in Food Science and Marketing
THE TEAM VOTED JESSICA... Most likely to have 100 dogs. “I can honestly say that the Lebanon FFA would not be the organization that it is without her passion to better herself and those around her. This outgoing individual is a true team player. Jessica uses her good judgment and mature outlook on life to ensure a logical yet practical approach to things. Jessica has been an integral part of her FFA chapter by serving as chapter president for two consecutive years and president of the Chapter Meeting Team for three. Currently serving as Indiana FFA State President, she has the innate ability to pull her teammates together to lead, inform, and encourage FFA members from across the state to reach their full potential.” – Stacey Hartley, Advisor “She has never been the one to only think of herself and has always put everyone first before working on her own problems. Her community service-driven heart shows all of us the qualities it takes to run a chapter and a community. Jess is a great example of a perfect friend, role model and leader in all aspects of life.” – Jakob Harsin, Friend
Jessica Mars GET THE FACTS
Birthday: September 10, 1997 Parents: Mike and Kristy Mars Sibling: Elizabeth Hometown: Lebanon, IN FFA Chapter: Lebanon FFA Advisors: Stacey Hartley, Nikki Love, Cayla Mustin, Kristen Scott, and Mackenzie Crooks Favorite Food: Macaroni and cheese Favorite Movie: Mean Girls Favorite Pastime: Playing with dogs Favorite CDE: Chapter Meeting Favorite Animal: Dogs Favorite Color: Pink Favorite Music: Country, pop or rap - BY EMILY DOUGHERTY G
indiana ffa - The impact
YOU can get involved at the 88th Indiana FFA Convention
how
indiana ffa band
Talent
Share your instrumental skills by performing onstage with fellow Indiana FFA members.
Any student who has a talent can apply to perform during general sessions and banquets.
indiana ffa choir Members have the opportunity to learn music and perform onstage with members from across the state.
Convention Newsroom Help publish the official newsletter, “Corduroy Connections,� take pictures, interview guests and more!
READY TO SIGN UP?
Courtesy Corps Serve convention by welcoming and guiding members and guests into sessions, workshops and banquets.
All are encouraged to Apply. talk with your advisor and visit www.inffa.org for applications H
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