John Stewart's FFA Week Adventures

It could be one of the most exciting parts of being an FFA Member, but it is especially exciting for State FFA Officers.  National FFA Week, a time to celebrate all this great organization stands for and represents!  FFA Week is filled with tons of activities by chapters who are excited about sharing our message, and representing our organization so well!

I began this FFA Week in Coats, North Carolina with the Triton FFA Chapter at the Coats Lions Club annual meeting!  This meeting is steeped in history with State FFA Officers and with Mr. M.O. Philips, an instrumental part of agricultural education in North Carolina.  Caroline and I had a chance to visit with the Triton FFA Chapter as well as give an FFA Update and share our message with the Lions Club!

Tuesday began bright and early as Hannah, Caroline and I made our way to the Hobbton FFA Chapter for their FFA Week Teacher appreciation breakfast!  It was great seeing so many FFA Members out early to thank their teachers for all of the hard work they do in and out of the classroom.  We then made our way to the Harrells FFA Chapter for an exciting day of leadership, teamwork and FFA opportunities! We had so much fun, between minute to win it games at their chapter meeting, or the egg toss game during their agricultural business class!  Just when you thought Tuesday was getting slightly busy, we then continued our adventure to the Union FFA Chapter, where we had an evening full of FFA, activities, games, workshops and of course BBQ.

Wednesday night, Hannah, Alyssa and I drove to the Mountains of Madison County! Not only did we have opportunity to stay with Alyssa’s Grandmother, I got to drive down “Lonesome Mountain Road”!!  Imagine the most winding, twisting, curvy road and then some, in the dark, in the fog, in the rain! After surviving (literally) we got a goodnight’s sleep so we were well rested for a busy day on Thursday!  Imagine the most exciting morning with an outstanding group of FFA members, and you know exactly what happened at Madison High School, it was a day filled with saran wrap, toxic rivers and human shoestrings.  As if that wasn’t enough, we then went to Charles D. Owen High School for their FFA Week Luncheon, and even got to join the students for some FFA leadership workshops!  From Human Tables, to hotdogs to State Representatives, C.D. Owen has it all. We had a great time and met some remarkable FFA members with great passion and ideas. 

Friday, Caroline and I travelled to her stomping grounds of Rosewood, to visit the Rosewood FFA Chapter!  We had the opportunity to share all about our journey to China, as well as participate in the most intense relay race of my life!  As if this wasn’t enough, on Saturday, Caroline and I travelled to the J.F. Webb FFA Chapter for their first annual FFA Cornhole Tournament! It was a day filled with meeting fantastic people and even getting to compete and put our own cornhole skills to the test.  While Caroline and I didn’t win the cornhole tournament, we had a BLAST and met some great friends along the way!

          FFA Week 2012 will certainly be a week I remember for the rest of my life! It is filled with so many great memories and friendships that will last a lifetime!  I am so proud to be from North Carolina and to represent the best FFA Association with the best FFA members in the country! Thank you for all of your hard work this FFA Week and for your commitment to this organization!