Dakota Allen, VP

The end of the school year…these past few months have been a whirlwind of “lasts” and excitement. It has been hard to go to all of these lasts: my last marching band parade, my last chapter banquet, my last day of school. I never thought these activities would have such a huge impact on my life. That’s the thing about ending a chapter of your life, you look back at all you have done in that chapter and determine how it affected your life.

I am thankful for the opportunities I took advantage of as I look back at my high school career. I have thought a lot about what advice I would give my younger siblings when they reach their high school careers. There are so many opportunities in high school. As FFA members, we have even more opportunities before us. I urge you, when an opportunity presents itself, to seize it, because you never know how that opportunity will affect you. You won’t succeed in every opportunity you pursue, but every failure presents an opportunity to learn. Even this summer, you will be given many opportunities, so take advantage of them. You will not regret it. I hope when it comes time for you to turn to the next chapter of your life, you don’t look back and see missed opportunities.

I am so thankful to have yet another opportunity to serve Missouri FFA as one of your Missouri State Officers. I am excited for this summer, meeting FFA members from across Missouri, helping with Public Speaking Academy and attending my first FFA camp.

Abby Bertz, President

Whew, another great school year has come and gone—in a hurry I might add! With the 89th Missouri State FFA Convention, spring contests and our final 2016-2017 classes behind us, we can start getting excited and thinking about all the summer FFA activities awaiting us! While you may not be in the agriculture classroom everyday this summer, FFA can still be at the forefront and bring just as much excitement as it did throughout the school year.

As an incoming freshman, I remember being SO excited for my first real FFA activity—FFA Camp. I will never forget the camaraderie formed on the bus all the way to Camp Rising Sun. My chapter sang our hearts out the whole time and a few of us might have lost our voices by the time the two and half hour drive came to an end. Whether you’re attending your first FFA Camp or your last, I hope you not only meet many of new people and are inspired and motivated for another year in FFA, but also you cherish those fresh donuts in the dining hall too—my personal favorite.

Whatever you do this summer, whether it be working with your SAE, attending HYPE, MAbA, camp, or the various other FFA conferences and academies, I hope you do it with your all. Unlock your potential and you create memories to hold onto throughout your FFA career and the life ahead.