Customize Yourself: The National FFA Convention Shopping Mall Offers
Around the corner from the jacket booth is the Convention T-shirt store. This store is a traditional favorite at convention and offers about 100 different screen printing on over 100 styles of shirts.
Brittney Mormann and Amanda Isenberg of Eugene, Missouri were waiting to get their t-shirts and shorts printed. Mormann likes the customized shirts, “not everyone has that one,” she said. Isenberg agrees saying “They’re more unique.” Even though there is sure to be a line at the store, both girls agree that it is well worth the wait.
The last stop for those looking to customize can be found at the very front of the mall at the Cowpokes store. Here customized and perfectly sized hats, boots and belts can be found. Troy Risden sizes hats at Cowpokes using steam. With the purchase of a hat customers can get a free steam fit, and business for customized hats is good. “I’ve never seen this place this packed,” said Risden.
Overall the mall offers convention patrons a wide variety of merchandise, and a few great deals.
The FFA Convention shopping mall truly has something for everyone.
Agriculture Educators Find Value in New Teachers’ World
By Geoffrey Miller
"Let me show you how we've changed," said Jim Hager.
Hager, with CEV Multimedia, then took Dale Sidle -- the Triway FFA chapter advisor from Wooster, Ohio -- to a computer to show him a few of the new classroom resource products offered by CEV.
Such a meeting was exactly the goal FFA organizers had when they developed the concept of Teachers’ World for the 82nd National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind.
"This area gives teachers a chance to learn directly from the vendors," said Nina Crutchfield, a Local Program Success (LPS) specialist for National FFA Organization.
The LPS team is geared toward supporting staff in the agricultural education arena, she said.
"We wanted to get a little more teacher specific," said Crutchfield of the new Teachers’ World.
"Also, we wanted to make sure our vendors were able to reach their targets with more of a one-on- one conversation with teachers."
Looking through Teachers’ World -- located in the Indiana Convention Center's main exhibit hall, inside the FFA Career Show -- seemed to show that focusing on teachers was working. A few blue jackets wandered through the area that was otherwise dominated by FFA advisors and agriculture education teachers.
Kara Poynter, the advisor and agriculture instructor from the Sycamore FFA chapter in Illinois, used the area to get some advice on landscape design software she already uses in the classroom.
"I just had a question about the proposal process in the program and was able to get help immediately," said Poynter ,while standing near the Drafix Software booth.
It wasn't her only stop in Teachers’ World, either.
"I've stopped in three other places and found each to be really good, really helpful," said Poynter.
Drafix was promoting its Pro Landscape application, though it certainly wasn’t alone in the teacher- oriented area. The National Association of Agriculture Educators was promoting its organization while other organizations including The Irrigation Association, Lab-Aids and The Bass Federation - - among others -- had a presence.
Colby Haggard, also with CEV Multimedia, said the turnout was better than anticipated.
"[Wednesday] was a little slow in here and we kind of expected that again today,” said Haggard.
“But we got here at 8 o’clock this morning and have definitely been swamped at times. I’ve been really surprised.”
CEV Multimedia’s focus is agriculture science education – creating a perfect match with FFA advisors and educators. It markets lesson plans, activities and even instructional materials for FFA and 4-H contests.
Teachers’ World also has a set of classrooms for agriculture instructors that feature sessions on a broad range of topics sponsored by companies such as DuPont and Pfizer. A total of 14 different sessions were scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of the convention.
Toby Keith Receives Warm Welcome, Courtesy of the Red, White – and Blue Jackets
By Andrew Walker
It is known to those who support the blue and gold that FFA members can grow up to be anything they want, whether it be a scientist, farmer or even President of the United States. Some members become American icons.
This is the case with Toby Keith.
A two-year member of the Moore FFA Chapter in Oklahoma, Keith returned to his roots Oct. 21, to entertain thousands of FFA members during the 82nd National FFA Convention.
The concert took place in Lucas Oil Stadium and drew approximately 25,000 FFA members and guests, making it the largest musical performance ever at a national FFA convention. For the screaming students and loyal fans in attendance, the concert was a high point of the hustle and bustle of convention.
The Eli Young Band helped pump up the crowd by performing a few songs including the hit, Always the Love Song. But it was after a short intermission that the crowd really got fired up as Keith took the stage. From songs off his new album, such as American Ride, to the most-played country song of the 1990s, Should’ve Been a Cowboy, Keith brought out a plethora of songs from his arsenal.
Looking back, Keith recognized his own involvement from past days in FFA.
“I’m an old Future Farmer of America,” he said. “My old ag teacher taught me to whittle and I still whittle today.”
The excitement that filled the stadium was evident by the roar of the crowd throughout the entire performance. Fans were happy to be kicking back with Keith alongside friends from their local chapters and fellow members from across the nation.
After attending the concert, Jessica Wilkinson of the Franklin County FFA chapter in Mississippi remarked about what she enjoyed most about the concert.
“I like listening to his [Keith’s] singing while having fun with our chapter,” said Wilkinson.
This was the case for many members, advisors and other visitors as Keith was able to make Indy come alive. Ryan Haley of the Woodbury FFA chapter in Tennessee commented that he liked Keith because “he likes Ford trucks and plays a lot of songs for the troops.”
Keith does like Ford trucks. In fact, they were the sponsors of the concert. In addition to this concert, Ford has been a sponsor of the National FFA Organization for the past 61 years. The close partnership between Ford and FFA has played an important role in the development of FFA
members and has provided opportunities well beyond this concert.
To end the show Keith played American Solider and Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue as a tribute to all of those serving in the armed forces and public servants here in the country. With fireworks, pyrotechnics and confetti, concert goers were left applauding and screaming at the top of their lungs as the concert came to a close.
With only chards of paper confetti and ticket stubs left on the floor of the empty stadium, members took with them great memories from another great national convention concert.
INDIANAPOLIS – The National FFA Organization has selected Gov. Phil Bredesen of Nashville, Tenn., to receive a special VIP Citation for making significant contributions to agricultural education. It is one of the most prestigious awards a person may receive for supporting FFA and its programs. The governor was honored during an onstage presentation at the 82nd National FFA Convention, held Oct. 21-24 in Indianapolis, Ind.
Governor Bredesen believes education is Tennessee’s number one fundamental priority.
During his term of governor, he has appointed an education administration that valued career and technical education, especially agricultural education. During his first term, the administration approved approximately $300,000 for the improvements to the Tennessee FFA Association’s Camp Clements leadership camp. His belief in the importance of agricultural education has been evident through his inclusion of a $500,000 line item in his state budget for FFA during the past year.
The VIP Citation recognizes the dedicated individuals who contribute to the FFA mission of student success through their hard work and cooperation. Without such strong and outstanding commitment, FFA would not be able to help build strong character in their members, who in turn build strong families, communities and industries.
The National FFA Organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, is a national youth organization of 506,199 student members – all preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture – as part of 7,429 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The National FFA Organization changed to its present name in 1988, in recognition of the growth and diversity of agriculture and agricultural education.
The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural
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Media Contact: Julie Adams 317-802-4225