Mid-Winter Convention!!

It is official!  I have started my student teaching experience and what better way to begin then with a field trip to the Pennsylvania Farm Show.  This year's Farm Show has taught me new things and helped me to look back and reflect on where I have been.

Always Learning New Things
During my day at the Farm Show with Selinsgrove FFA, I was able to learn about two different contests that our students competed in.  There was a team of six students who competed in the Ag Issues CDE.  This was my first time doing anything is this particular CDE and I think I will definitely being having students compete in this in the future.  This contest is a great way for students to research a topic and present information they found on that topic.  The ways that each team presented their research varied.  Selinsgrove presented theirs through a skit, where they students were playing the part of moms at a soccer game discussing what snacks are save for their children to be eating; organic, GMO Free, grass fed, etc.  The kids did a great job and I was really impressed that they were able to find so much information on the topic.  The team ended up getting 4th place and should be really proud of how they did.

The group of soccer mom discussing their snacks during the Ag Issues CDE presentation.  

We also had a team of four students who competed in the Farm Show Demonstrations Contest.  Again, this was a contest that I had never heard about or participated in.  In this contest, a team has 15 minutes to demonstrate a skills and talk through what they are doing as they do it.  Our team of four, showed how to build a small scale picnic table.  They were able to demonstrate safe operating skills, how to use a variety of tools and how to put together a picnic table.  We are still waiting to hear how the team did but I think they did a very good job and should be proud of how they did.  They at least had the confidence to get in front of a large group of people and present what they have learned.

The Demonstration team building their picnic table.  

Looking Back
As I sat at Mid-Winter Convention and listened to the the state officers work through the program, I couldn't help but think back to all of the past Mid -Winter Conventions that I have been a part of.  I was thrown back to when I was there for the very first time.  I was only in 6th grade and had traveled to the Farm Show with the much older FFA members to compete with them later that evening in the Square Dance Competition. At the time, I never knew if I would get to be a part of that sea of blue sitting on the floor but I knew that I wanted to be.

Selinsgrove Keystone Degree Recipients 

As the program continued into the FFA Jacket Presentation, I couldn't help but think back to when I received my very own FFA Jacket at the same ceremony.  That jacket was the only one I ever owned.  I did the math and realized that I won my jacket 10 years ago!  That jacket and I have been through so much in the past 10 years, from competing in Parliamentary Procedure at the National Convention, getting to put President on the front my senior year, and finally walking across the stage to receive my American FFA Degree in Louisville.  I was saddened when I though of all these amazing things I was able to do while in that jacket but am grateful that I had the opportunities to do so.

Selinsgrove Jacket Recipients 

Sometimes I wish that I could go back and do it all over again but then I remember that by becoming an Ag Teacher, I am able to help every student have opportunities just like those and create their own memories that will last a lifetime.

Selinsgrove also had a window display which was all about in invasive species; Asian Carp.  

I am excited to move into the next few days back at school and continue on my path through student teaching.  Look for more of my upcoming blogs to keep up on what I will be doing in my classroom and the moments I get to share!