Midland chapter continues to grow, overcome challenges

     This year the Midland FFA had what many would say to be a learning year.

     At the end of the school year of the previous year, we all found out that we would be getting a new advisor. There were many mixed emotions, as we had all had the same advisor for so long that we never expected this to happen. However, we embraced the new change with open arms and saw it as an opportunity.

     The chapter as a whole seemed to embrace our new advisor, Jason Smith, and began the tradition work and activities such as our Greenhand Fireup and Farm Safety. However, we quickly found out that we were not as prepared as we had hoped, but this didn’t hold us back. We were determined to become better with each new activity.

     We learned new things about each other, and with every event we held we improved just that little bit extra to make each new event that much better. Even though we didn’t get the start to the year many of us had hoped for, we were able to learn how to overcome and persevere, something that all of our members will carry on with them, whether they are underclassmen who will continue to strengthen our chapter in the years to come, or the upperclassmen who will be able to bring these skills out into the world.

     We were able to keep some traditions alive since last February, with many CDE’s placing in the top 10 in the state including: Poultry, Vet Science, and Agronomy. We attended our first ever crop scouting event, had a 1^st place Agriscience Fair Team, and tried Vet Science for the first time. Our involvement in the community netted 125 “We Care” packages delivered to the local food pantries, and coordinated the food drive, hosted our World Food Prize day, and packaged 15,000 meals for Iowans facing food insecurities.

     Four Midland FFA seniors have been approved to earn their State FFA Degree (Griffin Gravel, Ethan Orr, Brett Schoenherr and Delanie Uppena). Five members have advanced from district competition with their proficiencies to the state competition (Taylor Bahnsen, Jensen Orr, Shianne Rockwell, Kirstin Schaefer and Brett Schoenherr).

     Our chapter will continue to rise up and work hard to overcome any challenges.