Every year the Future Farmers of America(FFA) club leaves for the better part of a week to attend the National FFA convention. It was held in Indianapolis, Indiana from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1.
“We leave Tuesday, so that way we’re there for the opening session on Wednesday. Then we stay Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and then come home Saturday after American degrees,” FFA adviser Melissa Miller said.
There are a few expectations the members must meet in order for them to be eligible to attend.
“In order to go to the national convention last year, they already had to attend our alumni event. They help pay for a lot of the cost, so that’s a requirement that they have to attend, and then they also have to attend state conventions,” Miller said.
For members that have gone previous years, it is an experience they look forward to having once again.
“This was my fourth time going. I was lucky enough to go freshman year, but the energy there is just so amazing. There were 72,000 members in Indiana all at one time wearing the blue jacket. It’s just cool to see every single time, you know, you go back, it makes a different impact on you as you get older,” Vice President Blake Mertens said.
There are many things to do at the convention, from workshops to a custom shopping mall and even a concert.
“I like the shopping mall. We also went to the Ella Langley concert, and five of us got to meet her,” senior Lakelyn Sobieski said.
This year an alumnus of Berlin High School, Layten Sobiesk ‘24, was elected onto the state board.
“New Holstein is the section that Layton Sobieski is serving for as state officer, which usually doesn’t happen. They usually serve for your own section. We are section six and he is serving in section nine,” Mertens said.
When people think of FFA they think it is just farming, when it can be much more.
“Coming into high school, I didn’t know if I wanted to be a part of FFA. But agriculture is something that’s always been my background and I just wanted to keep it going forward. People always tell you it opens up new opportunities and it truly does. Now, I want to go to college and get a degree in agriculture,” Lakelyn said.
