Kinder's Advice to New FFA Members
Thomas Kinder, Hagerman FFA
If I were to give any new advice to new FFA members, it would be to make friends. You only have four years to make friends that you are going to remember for life. Say yes, to the “Hey! You want to go try this CDE?” What’s the worst that is going to happen, you learn something? Raise your head high when you place lower in a CDE. Accept it. Make yourself better at the CDE. Ask questions about your CDE. For example, in Extemporaneous Speaking, at the end of the contest, ask; what could you have done better, what WILL get me to state next year? Always remember, there is ALWAYS next year.
Run for Chapter Office! District Office! Make tons of friends as a District officer at District Officer Training. Run for State Office! Go above and beyond and run for National Office! What’s the worst that could happen? You don’t get it? So what? At least you tried! You’re inspiring younger FFA members, to look up to you as an FFA member. Those younger FFA members are going to say, “I want to be like that kid.” You’re not just pushing yourself, you are pushing other FFA members.
Listen to your FFA advisors! Yes, sometimes they sound a little crazy, but listen to them! They know a lot more than you think. They are going to push you past your limits, and you are going to love doing it.
Fall in LOVE with the FFA program. Make those life long friends, go do those CDE’s that you don’t know anything about, and raise your head high when you don’t compete well in that contest. It is all about the experience. Be the older member and give advice to the new FFA members. Enjoy going to State Leadership Conference in April. Go to the general sessions. You will be quite surprised how much fun they are! Listen to the retiring addresses of the state officers. It is very inspiring, and is what pushed me, Thomas Kinder, to run for district office. I am the North Magic Valley District Sentinel, and Hagerman FFA Chapter President. I have been through it all. I have been to every CDE, every general session, every retiring address, through the past four years of my FFA career. I am sad to say, that I will be retiring my jacket after this year, if I don’t get a position in state office, but FFA will always have a special place in my heart as I prepare to teach ag one day.