The theme the
National FFA Organization has proudly displayed this year is “I Believe.” How
perfect is that?! This organization is all about believing! During National
Convention this year, we heard the song “Don’t Stop Believin’.” Just look at
those three words. The song isn’t simply called “Believin’.” It’s called “Don’t
Stop Believin’.”
How easy is it to
believe in something, whether that be a goal, an opportunity, or our own
abilities, just as long as the path is easy? It can be much more difficult to keep
believing as soon as, suddenly, we find a roadblock in our path.
Maybe we decide
that this semester, we are going to achieve a perfect grade point average at
school. Then, an exam sneaks up on us, we maybe do not study as much as we
probably should, we take the test, our grade immediately drops, and we give up
on that goal for the semester. Or, maybe we set a goal to win a Career
Development Event, but experience some conflict on the team, and decide it is
too difficult to keep everyone on the same page. Or, perhaps we really want to
earn a proficiency award, but our schedules become hectic with all of our
activities and we just give up on dedicating enough time to our Supervised
Agricultural Experience program to earn it. In other words, we quit believing
we can do it.
Think about how
far our organization has continued to grow, simply because so many members and
supporters believe in it!
- The FFA started with thirty-three members in 1928, and is proudly represented by 540,379 members today.
- The first official dress that was worn in 1930 later became the corduroy jacket we wear with the same kind of pride.
- In 1937, the organization took action to establish an FFA camp in Washington, D.C., that we know today as the Washington Leadership Conference that thousands of members attend each year.
- The Future Farmers of America Foundation was formed in 1944, and has raised more than $232 million for the organization ever since.
- The organization grew to merge with the New Farmers of America and allow females to become members and continues to increase in membership each year.
- The Future Farmers of America changed its name in 1988 to the National FFA Organization so that it could encompass the growing opportunities in agriculture and the organization.
The FFA experiences
constant growth in so many ways. Why? Because the organization and all who are
involved never stop believing it can find new and better ways to serve all
members and the entire industry of agriculture.
“Don’t Stop
Believin’.”
The blue jacket keeps believing… will you?
