Missouri
FFA TODAY Contents 1 WALK IN WITH CONFIDENCE 3 president’s perspective 5 BLUE JACKET BRIEF 6 DON’T BLINK 8 Find your best self 12CELEBRATING SUCCESS
ON THE
calendar
April 30-May 1 93rd Missouri State FFA Convention - Sedalia May 11: MU Invitational Agri-Science Fair - Columbia
walk in with CONFIDENCE hould you shake hands when introducing yourself ? Do you need to ask to be seated? How might you answer the prompt, “Tell me about yourself ?” Many high schoolers, college students and even young adults ask these questions and more before nervously walking into their first job interview. In fact, most feel unprepared. The National FFA Organization created a Leadership Development Event (LDE) to combat this stress and give FFA members the tools needed to walk in with confidence.
“The Employment Skills contest is the perfect preparation for real world job interviews and placement,” says Jessica Connelly, superintendent for the state Employment Skills LDE the past several years. “It’s designed to walk students through an application, interview and selection process. It’s one of the most practical professional development experiences available to students.” Brooke Kreatz, a Chillicothe agricultural education instructor and FFA advisor, agrees the LDE equips students for their first job
May 31-June 4 Missouri Agribusiness Academy june 1 LEAD Conference for Chapter Officers, Virtual, Online beginning June 1 June 7-july 16 FFA Camp - Kaiser June 8-10 Public Speaking Academy UCM, Warrensburg
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The Employment Skills Leadership Development Event helps prepare FFA members for a job interview. The contest walks students through the application, interview and selection process.
June 18-20 HYMAX Academy - Kaiser June 22-24 HYPE Academy - TBD
missouriffa.org @Missouri FFA @missouriffa #MOFFAisHOME
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2020-21 State ffa officers Officer • Chapter Justin Eddy • Columbia President Mackenzie Porter • Archie 1st Vice President Jenna Perry • Liberal Secretary Vice Presidents Rachel Holt • Chillicothe Anna Milazzo • Grundy Co. Erin Heinecke • Paris Lauryn Robnett • Audrain Co. R-VI Colin Wilburn • Van Far Kiersten Helm • Lexington Kaylee Lower • Weaubleau Cade Shepherd • Mt. Vernon Felicity Cantrell • Seymour Lauren Gilbert • Chadwick Dakota Pemberton • Richland Madison Moll • Perryville Ricanna Spargo • Naylor State Officer Mentor Kensie Darst • Aurora Department of Elem. & Sec. Education P.O. Box 480, Jefferson City, MO 65102 Phone: (573) 751-3544. District Supervisors: Leon Busdieker, Marie Davis, Keith Dietzschold, Lisa Evans, David Higgins & Jim Spencer. Missouri FFA Association Joann Pipkin, Director of Communications Email: joann.pipkin@missouriffa.org Phone: (417) 827-2756 Brandelyn Martin Twellman, Social Media Manager Email: brandelyn.twellman@missouriffa.org
President’s
Perspective
ear Missouri FFA Members, Wow! It is already April, and this is the final issue of Missouri FFA Today that I will write a President’s Perspective for. It feels like yesterday that we all got news of a virtual State Convention in 2020. Throughout the past year we all have been challenged. Personally, and I know many of you will agree, I am ready to move forward into a post-COVID-19 world where we can find normalcy again. So, as I write to you all for the final time, I do not wish to reflect on the past, but rather, look forward to the future. When I ran for state office, my goal was to give back to the organization that has given me a world of opportunity. Through hundreds of miles and hours of chapter visits and GMCs, I have interacted with many of you all throughout this year. It has been an honor and a blessing to be able to serve each of you. One distinct experience I remember was a visit I had with the newly chartered Dixon FFA in March. At this visit I met with almost all of the FFA members for their very first Greenhand Motivational Conference. Dixon FFA is one of four newly chartered chapters we have here in Missouri this year. While there, I had the chance to meet energized,
enthusiastic, and inspired agriculturalists of all ages. It was in each of these members that I saw a part of myself through my FFA journey — from my eager freshman self, goal-oriented sophomore year, becoming inspired my junior year, and looking at the next phase of my life as a senior. As each of us moves forward with our lives, I hope we continue to be energized, enthusiastic, and inspired agriculturalists and FFA members. We have the power to make a difference. The power to write our own story. The power to change the world. Missouri FFA members, as this school year comes to a close, do not falter in your path to achieving your goals. Keep going, and I know you will reach greatness! Sincerely,
Justin
Justin Eddy 2020-2021 Missouri FFA Presiden
Missouri FFA President Justin Eddy speaks to first-year FFA Dixon FFA members during a March Greenhand Motivational Conference at the school. Dixon is one of four new agricultural education programs in Missouri for the 2020-21 school year.
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, veteran status, mental or physical disability, or any other basis prohibited by statute in its programs and activities. Inquiries related to department programs and to the location of services, activities, and facilities that are accessible by persons with disabilities may be directed to the Jefferson State Office Building, Director of Civil Rights Compliance and MOA Coordinator (Title VI/Title VII/Title IX/504/ ADA/ADAAA/Age Act/GINA/USDA Title VI), 5th Floor, 205 Jefferson Street, P.O. Box 480, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0480; telephone number 573-526-4757 or TTY 800-735-2966; email civilrights@dese.mo.gov
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interview experience. “Employment Skills prepares students for the process of applying for a job,” she says. “They have to be able to fill out a job application, prepare a cover letter and resume, as well as request and get a letter of recommendation in a timely manner. The overall mission is to produce a capable, contributing future employee through practicing these employment skills.” As a human resources professional, Connelly encourages FFA members to exercise these skills in preparation for the future. “Students can never be too prepared for what awaits them after walking the halls of their high school,” she says. “Whether it’s college, junior college, tech school or the work force, this LDE helps every student practice for the future.” This preparation starts in high school through extracurricular activities like FFA, something Kreatz knows the impact of firsthand. “Students who are involved in
extracurricular activities are more confident and feel more comfortable when in front of future employers,” Kreatz says. “Marketing yourself is an important skill to have. The process of applying for a job can be stressful. If you already have the skills needed to go through the process it can ease that stress. I know from my own experiences that competing in LDEs and CDEs gave me an upper hand when interviewing because I knew what to expect, and I was able to walk
“Students can never be too prepared for what awaits them after walking the halls of their high school.” –Amanda Haeberlin, Palmyra FFA Advisor
in my interview rooms with confidence.” In addition to confidence gained in extracurricular activities, employment skills are something all students benefit from learning. “As part of the Agricultural Business Curriculum sponsored by FCS Financial, we are able to teach all students these skills in the classroom,” Kreatz says. “I am a firm believer that all students need to learn employment skills and build confidence, and this curriculum does just that. Students can learn so much from each other and it is important that they get a chance to interview in front of their peers.” Connelly adds practice in and out of the classroom are critical in preparing for a future career. “At some point, every student will experience the job interview and selection process,” Connelly says. “I always find myself performing best in those environments if I practice before. This contest is the practice and feedback to help all students perform well themselves.”
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Blue Jacket Blue Jacket
Brief
Brief
Mackenzie Porter
KAYLEE LOWER
archie ffa
WEAUBLEAU ffa University of Missouri Ag Education, Communication & Leadership
state fair community college/agriculture
MY ADVICE:
MY ADVICE:
Sometimes you truly do learn more from a loss than you do a win. While this might seem absolutely crazy, it is something that formed the foundation for my FFA career. All of the speech contests or cattle shows that I did not win pushed me to want to do better. The lessons that I have learned through my FFA career have made me a better leader, communicator and advocate.
As Dr. Suess once said, “Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive that is you-er than you!” Stay true to yourself, and be yourself. Each one of us brings something different, yet important to the table. We are all pieces of a much larger puzzle. It’s okay to step outside of your comfort zone, and be true to yourself.
Stay safe from electrical dangers this planting season. Whether you are planting or moving equipment, be sure overhead power lines are not in your path. Stay at least 10 feet away. Stay safe.
Listen to our farm planting safety podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, PocketCasts or Castbox to learn more.
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Don’t Blink
whelmed by change, that now the time in my jacket is almost gone. I blinked, and the year is coming to a close. I blinked. and I missed little moments. I blinked and time was gone. I bet you blinked, too. You pushed through a little too much and missed the joy right in front of you. You blinked because big events weren’t like they were supposed to be.
his time last year, the world shut down. We lived our last normal week and didn’t even know it. If you’re like me, you have spent every day since then waiting for life to get back to normal. I told myself things like, “If we can just make it through the first two week quarantine,” and then “through the summer,” but now it’s been a whole year, and we continue to dream of normalcy. Something else happened throughout this last year. I realized it is my last year wearing my blue jacket. I was so busy pushing through, being completely over-
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MFA supports you. MFA understands and appreciates your hard work in 4-H and FFA livestock projects. To celebrate it, MFA hosts the 4-H and FFA Project Premium Program. Designed to help you take livestock projects to the next level, members who use MFA products can compete in county and state Rate-of-Gain contests for cash prizes. Beef, Dairy, Swine, Sheep, Bucket Calf and Goat projects qualify for participation.
For project guidelines and entry form visit
www.mfa-inc.com/Youth mfafoundation .com
facebook.com/ MFAIncorporated
twitter.com/ mfa_inc
instagram.com/ mfaincorporated
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It’s true; life isn’t how it’s supposed to be. It’s completely okay to be upset about this, but it’s not okay to put yourself on autopilot and check out. All of the little memories to be had during these big life moments are well worth living. It would be a shame if we missed them because we blinked. Next time, I won’t blink. For the rest of this year, I am soaking it all in. Wide open eyes. Open hands. Open heart. Big moments might not happen every day, but the little ones add up. Sometimes something we think is little, ends up being very, very big. Kenny Chesney said it best, Don’t Blink.
Come join a Collegiate Farm Bureau chapter at the college or university of your choice.
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Celebrat ing women in agriculture
rhonda schuelen ludwig Home FFA Chapter: fatima What rhonda does: Rhonda’s career has included more than 30 years in agricultural media sales, most recently with RFD-TV as a Midwest Account Manager. what FFA Taught Rhonda: FFA taught Rhonda both public speaking and communication skills. “You don’t just get up one day and can do it,” she says. “You practice and develop those skills. Then it pays off.” 8
Find Your
BEST SELF n the early 1980s, Rhonda (Scheulen) Ludwig was just another Missouri farm kid. Growing up in what she calls “salt of the earth farming,” Ludwig worked in pig pens and hauled hay. The former Fatima FFA member embraced public speaking opportunities, showed hogs at county and state fairs and built her supervised agricultural experience project in swine production. Little did she know, though, she would help pave the way for other Missouri farm girls as Missouri’s first female state FFA president. “I credit FFA with everything, every bit of success I’ve had,” Ludwig explains. An FFA member who could both walkthe-walk and talk-the-talk, Ludwig says at the time she was elected to lead Missouri’s largest youth organization she only felt blessed to serve the membership. “At the time, I was very accepted and was just grateful to have the opportunity,” Ludwig says. While women were first able to join the National FFA Organization in 1969, Ludwig became Missouri’s first female state president in 1981. She went on in 1983 to become the state’s first and only female national officer. As men dominated the agricultural landscape in the 1980s, Ludwig says she might have received additional recognition as a female officer but never considered herself any different than her peers. She remembers as a Greenhand aspiring to become a state officer, but never the first female state president.
Meet Missouri FFA’s first female state president and only female National FFA Officer. By Joann Pipkin
“I was a farm kid who had a great opportunity, who was blessed with skills primarily in public speaking,” she explains. “I tell kids all the time, whatever God gave you as a talent, use it. For me, that was public speaking.” After graduating high school, Ludwig attended the University of MissouriColumbia where she majored in agricultural journalism. She says the communications skills she honed through FFA helped her discover her niche in that career path. “(Developing) those communications skills — the ability to write and speak — in FFA were the biggest things that led me to agricultural journalism,” Ludwig says. There, Ludwig found her comfort zone, which led her to a more than 30-year-career in agricultural media sales. “Had it not been for those communication and speaking opportunities through FFA, I’m not sure I would have found it,” she says. 9
Ludwig’s career path includes 12 years of agricultural radio advertising sales with the Brownfield Network in Jefferson City as well as 12-plus years with Farm Progress where she sold print advertising and another six years with RFD-TV as a Midwest account manager. Today, the former FFA member lives on a farm near Linn, Missouri, with husband, Dale. The couple has three children — Trent, Claire and Troy. “FFA has been a huge part of my entire career,” Ludwig explains. “My first job out of college, I got because of the contacts I made through FFA. Then each one you make more contacts, and it eventually leads to another opportunity down the road.”
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As a National FFA Officer, Ludwig says she was afforded many travel opportunities that helped her meet people all across the country. “FFA gave me a leg up, a great start and a great opportunity,” she says. Ludwig encourages FFA members to embrace moments when they can make a positive impression and put forth extra effort. “Always take every opportunity to put forth your best self,” Ludwig says. “You can’t
“Always take every opportunity to put forth your best self.” –Rhonda Ludwig Missouri’s first female state president
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win a public speaking contest without doing what every great athlete has to do. You have to work at it. If you work at it and practice, you develop those skills. Then it pays off.” Agriculture has changed much since Ludwig’s days in the blue corduroy. Industry pathways now include a vast array of opportunities from beyond traditional production agriculture, and Ludwig says that alone underscores the connections FFA brings to its members. Quick to point out that her experiences in the organization were life changing,
A look at Missouri’s first females in ag education
Did you know?
1972
FORMER FFA MEMBER Rhonda ludwig IS MISSOURI’S FIRST AND ONLY FEMALE NATIONAL FFA OFFICER. SHE WAS ALSO THE STATE’S FIRST FEMALE STATE FFA PRESIDENT.
Vocational Agriculture Teacher Dr. Barbara Rothenberger, Columbia
1973
State Degree Recipients Rebecca L. Herring, Elsberry Joy W. Haeffner, Hermann Kathy E. Hayworth, Ozark
1975
State FFA Officer Jeannie Simpson, Paris
Ludwig says the work ethic she learned at home on the farm combined with her FFA involvement and learning to set goals helped her find success. “There are no limits to what anybody can do, but it doesn’t just happen,” she advises. “You have to work hard; you have to earn it. “You have to put in the time, and you have to figure out what you want, what your goals are. Everyone’s goals are different.”
1978
American FFA Degree Betty Brownlee Lowman (dec.), Smithville American Star (Agribusiness) Cheryl Ballenger Perkins, Columbia
1981
State FFA President Rhonda Schuelen Ludwig, Fatima
(Below) Rhonda (Scheulen) Ludwig meets with Senator Bob Dole at a conference in Washington, D.C., during her term as a National FFA Officer. (Above) She received the Honorary American Degree at the 2006 National FFA Convention.
1983
National FFA Officer Rhonda Schuelen Ludwig, Fatima
1998
State Ag Education Staff Nancy Alford, Koshkonong
2002
State MVATA President Tammy Bartholomew, Archie 11
CELEBRATING
SUCCESS n the effort to hold an in-person event celebrating accomplishments of FFA members across the state while being responsible with current Covid-19-related health concerns, Missouri FFA plans to hold its 93rd Annual State FFA Convention April 30 and May 1 at the Mathewson Exhibition Center on the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia, Missouri. The recognition-only event will be limited to award winners and two advisor/chaperones per school. Guest speakers, including National FFA Central Region Vice President and Missouri native Paxton Dahmer, will highlight the sessions, which will be live streamed for those unable to attend in person. “Our desire to hold an in-person event for our award winners has been the overarching goal in our decision to modify our normal convention location and protocol,” said Leon Busdieker, Missouri FFA state advisor. “FFA is hands-on. It’s a four-year program, and we think this year’s plan is the best way to recognize our students for their
THE
IN
accomplishments while still being mindful of health-related concerns.” Morning and afternoon convention sessions are scheduled for Friday, April 30 and Saturday, May 1 with a goal of recognizing chapter activity awards, honorary state degree recipients, new FFA chapters, career development and leadership development event (CDE and LDE) winners, proficiency awards, star state degrees and state degree continued on NEXT PAGE
FIRST NAME AND LAST WORD
WEED CONTROL.
Always read and follow all label directions, restrictions and precautions for use. Some products may not be registered for use in all states of the United States. Please contact your FMC representative for information regarding current state registrations.
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An Agricultural Science Company
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recipients. Other scholarship and essay winners will also be honored at the convention. CDEs and LDEs are currently planned during April at various times and locations in Columbia to accommodate social distancing protocols. Student workshops will be available the week of April 26 on missouriffa.org, highlighting 12 presentations from Dahmer, current state FFA officers, as well as Teach Ag Ambassadors and PostSecondary Student organization officers, and can be viewed via a password-protected verification system for members. Agricultural education joint staff committee, the 2020-21 Missouri State FFA Officers, Missouri Vocational Agriculture Teacher Executive Committee and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education state staff played a role in guiding the decision to move both the date and location for this year’s state convention. “While we shifted last year’s convention to a virtual format, we believe we can host an in-person event that will recognize student accomplishments in a safe manner,” Busdieker said. For updated convention information follow @MissouriFFA on Facebook and visit missouriffa.org.
Missouri FFA members will be recognized for their accomplishments April 30 and May 1 during the 93rd State FFA Convention to be held at the Matthewson Exhibition Center on the Missouri State Fairgrounds in Sedalia.
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