Last week, National FFA Organization members and alumni nationwide came together to celebrate National FFA Week, a special time to recognize the organization’s success and commitment to the future of agriculture.
Across the United States and its territories, there are more than 9,100 local FFA chapters, totaling more than 1 million members. Though recognized in formal settings by their blue corduroy jackets (and the emblem on it), FFA members come from all walks of life and have a variety of aspirations and goals.
National FFA Week serves as a dedicated period for FFA members to amplify the impact of the national organization in developing future leaders and advancing agricultural education. The week also encourages contributions that fuel programs across all levels, spanning national initiatives to local endeavors.
Here, we look back on National FFA Week and some of the impacts that were made:
Sunday: SAE Sunday
Across the country members celebrated their Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE), a personal project that every FFA member completes as a part of their agricultural education classes. These projects provided hands-on opportunities for students to gain practical experience in the agriculture industry and pursue their interests, with a wide range of projects from livestock showing to agriscience projects to internships and small businesses.
For Mary Schrieber, the Central Region Vice President, her SAE involved managing her chapter’s apiary as a beekeeper.
“As FFA members, we’re the next generation of leaders to fill that pipeline in agriculture,” she shared.
Monday: Day of Service
Part of the FFA motto is “Living to Serve,” encouraging students to engage with and serve their local communities. While many chapters plan service projects year-round, the Day of Service is a dedicated time to give back to communities in need. Among the many chapters that completed service projects, the Norfolk FFA Chapter in Walpole, Massachusetts, came together to create quilts for local care centers.
“Our students come from over 272 towns, so sometimes it’s difficult to find a project that everyone’s connected to, but the unique thing with this project is that everyone got to see the finished product,” said FFA advisor Melissa McKenna.
The project also fostered leadership among members, as those with more experience in sewing guided their peers through the various stages of the quilting process.
“The kids found their strengths and migrated to where they were best suited, we had three different stations with ironing out the fabrics, cutting out the squares and stacking them, and then there were sewers coming around to pick up the fabric squares,” said McKenna.
Together, the students were able to make seven quilts to donate to a local care center that serves expecting mothers and foster children in need.
Tuesday: Alumni Day
With over 2,500 alumni chapters and more than 700,000 alumni nationwide, FFA members benefit greatly from the mentorship and support of former members. On Alumni Day, the Penn Yan FFA Chapter in Penn Yan, New York, honored their alumni with a luncheon, where current members connected with past graduates to discuss their experiences in FFA and beyond.
“We have been communicating all year about how you don’t have to be a farmer to be in FFA, FFA can take you so many places, so I thought if some members could meet some alumni and hear them talk about what they do with their FFA education, that would be awesome,” said Lizzy Lilyea, chapter president.
First established in 1931, Penn Yan FFA has nearly 100 years of history, and those who helped make that history happen still play a critical role in supporting current students.
“They know the importance of it, they went through FFA, and they know the value of FFA for young students,” said FFA advisor Carlie Bossard.
The Penn Yan FFA alumni continually fundraise to support their students, providing scholarships for students to attend camps and conventions as well as providing FFA jackets to members who earn their Greenhand degree. They also volunteer at chapter events and often serve as mentors or judges for students competing in Career Development Events (CDEs) and Leadership Development Events (LDEs).
“If there’s every anything that I need, I know that I have a lot of people who will be there to advocate for me, I don’t have to be advocating for the students or for myself,” said Bossard.
For older students getting ready to graduate, the luncheon was an inspiring reminder of their future as FFA alumni.
“All of us are going to be alumni eventually, so alumni are kind of a driving force. If you have successful alumni, it’s probably because you had a successful FFA chapter,” said Lilyea.
Wednesday: Ag Teacher Appreciation Day
Being an FFA Advisor is a special role in every chapter, one that requires a lot of time and effort as advisors commit to making a positive impact on their students.
In addition to classroom instruction, advisors also direct and supervise chapter activities, including meetings, fundraising, and competitions. Beyond the classroom, advisors personally mentor students, helping them to thrive as future leaders in the agriculture industry.
Thursday: Give FFA Day
2025 marked the 10th anniversary of Give FFA Day, a 24-hour fundraising campaign that supports state, local, and national FFA programs. The event helped fund leadership opportunities, teacher resources, and scholarships, among other initiatives. In 2024, FFA raised a record-breaking $1.44 million, with the New York FFA Association contributing over $100,000. This year, the goal is to raise $1.5 million, with corporate matching donations already arriving from companies like RFD-TV and John Deere.
Friday: Wear Blue Day
To show support for FFA, members and alumni were encouraged to wear blue — the color of the iconic FFA corduroy jacket. National blue and corn gold have been the official FFA colors since 1929, representing unity and pride. Supporters were also invited to share their photos and what the blue jacket meant to them on social media.
Kate Walker is a student at Georgia College and State University. Originally from Watkinsville, Georgia, she has a passion for writing and all things agriculture.
