State Convention

The 94th Iowa FFA Leadership Conference is here! As you read this article, Ames is full of

those blue FFA corduroy jackets and I could not be more excited! For the past year, I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of this week! State Convention week! This year I get to be the person on stage and put together this entire convention. I have learned over the past couple of months with long days and detailed preparations that this is not an easy job. I will be extremely excited once it is all over with, so I can take some time to relax on the farm!

I remember my very first state FFA convention back in middle school. I was completely in awe of the state officers on stage with their amazing speaking abilities while giving their retiring addresses in front of literally thousands of people in the audience. The laser light show, the flames on stage, the loud music pumping everyone up, it was simply amazing! I remember sitting there and telling my mom, “I want to do that!” And now this is the week that dream will come true.

My older brothers get the honor of introducing me on stage for my retiring address, my inspiring retirement speech to leave a lasting impression on the young FFA members in the audience, which was me just a few short years ago. My brothers are excited to finally get a chance to speak as they each get a moment to hopefully say something nice about me. I am almost scared, as Brad thinks this is finally their chance to get even with me after I have been throwing them under the bus for the past 4 years in this column. Brad wants to call it, “the other side of the corral!” Maybe I will even share their comments in next week’s column? Congratulations to all getting recognized or competing at the state convention. It has been an amazing year! ~

Kesley Holdgrafer