Courtesy National FFA Organization This year’s National FFA Week encourages FFA students to discover their potential within their communities. |
This week, the National FFA Organization will celebrate National FFA Week. To incorporate the vision of this year’s theme, Infinite Potential, FFA members are encouraged to envision, discover and achieve their potential within their communities.
“In order to feed a growing population, our organization must do more,” explains Riley Pagett, national FFA president. “FFA members have Infinite Potential and have potential to do great things even beyond their FFA careers.”
The week coinciding with George Washington’s birthday was designated by the organization as National FFA Week in 1947.
“George Washington made a lot of contributions to agriculture and the development of the United States,” explains Landan Schaffert, national FFA secretary. “He had a very diligent work ethic, an honest character and also was very good at record keeping. Those are all things that we hope for our members to accomplish in the National FFA Organization.”
During the week, national officers will travel to different parts of the country to visit FFA members, participate in special events and meet with leaders of the agriculture industry. Individual chapters will initiate events throughout the week to promote FFA and agriculture in their classrooms and communities. Events will include community service projects, educational lessons for elementary students, and promotional programs for students, teachers and alumni.
The National FFA Organization, formerly known as Future Farmers of America, is a national youth organization of 523,309 student members (and counting), all preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology sectors of the agriculture industry. Local FFA chapters are located in each of the 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, for a total of 7,487 chapters.
The National FFA Organization changed to its present name in 1988 in recognition of the growth and diversity of agriculture and agricultural education. The FFA aims to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. It operates under a federal charter granted by the 81st U.S. Congress.
The U.S. Department of Education provides leadership and helps set direction for FFA as a service to state and local agricultural education programs. Visit the FFA website to learn more about National FFA Week.
