FFA: Future Farmers
of America
Marie O. Bolt
What is the FFA
 The National FFA is an organization for
students studying agricultural education
in high school
 Active in all 50 states and Puerto Rico
What is the FFA
 Over 500,000 students

Making a positive difference in the lives of
students by developing their potential for
premier leadership, personal growth and
career success through agricultural
education
FFA Mission
 Premier leadership
 Personal growth
 Career success
Premier Leadership
 “Leadership is influence – the ability to
obtain followers”

John Maxwell
 Are you a leader or a follower?
Premier Leadership
 Actions speak louder than words

Everyone can lead

Positive influence on others
 Family,
school, community
Premier Leadership
 FFA provides numerous opportunities for
you to learn to lead, handle leadership,
increase critical thinking, decision
making skills, and improve your life.
 Rosa Parks, Florence Nightingale,
Donald Trump, Franklin Delano
Roosevelt
Premier Leadership
 Action – achieve your desired results
 Relationship – building personal
connections through listening, coaching,
understanding and appreciating others
 Vision – set a clear image of what your
future should be
Premier Leadership
 Character – Possess a collection of
virtues by which to live your life
 Awareness – Understand your
community and world
 Continuous Improvement – Demonstrate
the pursuit of learning and growth
Personal Growth
 “The positive evolution of the whole
person”
 You must analyze yourself and realize
your goals and growth needs/potential
Personal Growth
 Strengths

We all have them

Developed
Enhanced
Improvement


Personal Growth
 How will you learn to grow through the
FFA





Social Growth
Professional Growth
Mental Growth
Emotional Growth
Spiritual Growth
Personal Growth
 Alex Gleason

“Pedals” Good Food
Personal Growth
 How do you want to grow?
 How do you plan on achieving that
growth?
Career Success
 “Continuously demonstrating those
qualities, attributes and skills necessary
to succeed in, or further prepare for, a
chosen profession while effectively
contributing to society”
Career Success
 Communication – Speak and write
effectively so that others understand
your intentions
 Decision Making – Analyze situations so
that you can choose appropriate actions
Career Success
 Flexibility / Adaptability – Open your
mind to change
 Technical / Functional Skills in
Agriculture – Learn the skills you need
for career success in the agricultural (or
related) industry
Go Beyond the Mission
 Tons of ways to improve and become a
better person, improve your abilities,
travel the world, make money and
succeed early in life
Go Beyond the Mission
 Lead
 Travel
 Earn Money
 Team
 Serve
 Succeed
 FUN
FFA History
 1917 The passing of the Smith-Huges
National Vocational Education Act (both
congressmen from GA) established
agricultural education courses
 1925 Virginia Tech Agricultural
Education Teachers (4 teachers)
organize the Future Farmers of Virginia
for boys
FFA History
 1926 First National Congress of
Vocational Agriculture Students meet in
Kansas City, Missouri at the American
Royal Livestock and Horse Show to
compete in a National Livestock Judging
Contest
FFA History
 1928 Formation of The Future Farmers
of America


Kansas City, MO
First National President
 Leslie
Applegate from NJ
 First National Convention

33 delegates from 18 states
FFA History
 1928 First sectional gathering of New
Farmers of America members
 1929 National Blue and Corn Gold
adopted as official colors.
FFA History
 1930 The FFA Creed was written by
E.M. Tiffany
 The first FFA manual was printed
 1933 Members voted on the official
dress of the blue corduroy jacket
FFA History
 1934 At the time of the National
Convention only 2 states didn’t have
chartered associations : Rhode Island
and Alaska
 1935 Establishment of the New Farmers
of America (NFA)
FFA History
FFA History
 1944 The establishment of the National
FFA Foundation

Why was the foundation created?
FFA History
 1947 The National FFA Band was
formed


Mail Order Band
120 members
 1948 The National FFA Chorus was
formed
FFA History
FFA History
 1950 Public Law 740 passed granting
FFA a federal chapter
 1952 The National Future Farmers of
America magazine was created

Now FFA New Horizons
FFA History
 1953 The United States Post Office
Department issued a special stamp to
commemorate the 25th anniversary of
the FFA

Released the first stamp at the 25th
National FFA Convention in Kansas City
FFA History
FFA History
 1953 President Dwight D. Eisenhower
speaks at the National FFA Convention
 1957 Former President Harry S. Truman
Speaks during National FFA Convention