As the annual National FFA Convention draws near, FFA advisors and members are preparing to join the sea of blue in Indianapolis. Amid the National FFA Convention, there will be so many emotions throughout the week — everything from exhaustion to excitement and happiness. Here is a list of our favorite moments and emotions to look forward to this week.
Before any official event, members and advisors can prepare for the National FFA Convention & Expo by downloading the official app, which can be found in the App Store or Google Play. This is a great resource to check out everything available at national convention. Through the app, once you get your convention badge, grab the code from the badge to unlock access to the convention scavenger hunt, surveys, and more! You can also customize your schedule from the app to include all of your favorite workshops and get alerts so you don’t miss anything.
Also, be sure to check out our guide to everything you’ll want to know about the convention and about what makes FFA so great!
Wednesday
For many FFA members, this is the first day of national convention. On Wednesday, the expo opens at noon, and for the first time, students will be able to walk in and see the hundreds of booths set up.
In addition to the expo, student workshops begin on Wednesday. With so many great workshops, it can be difficult to chose which ones to go to. Thankfully, many of them will be repeated so you can attend the ones you want. Once you get to those workshops, there will be so much great information that you will for sure want to write down as much as you can, and bring back new ideas back to your chapter to help propel it forward in the future.
In addition to attending the student workshops, FFA members will also get to meet students from across the country. One of the favorite pastimes of students is the challenge of getting signatures from students from all 50 states and two territories — Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. With the influence of social media in today’s generation, those signatures don’t have to be the end of the interaction. Great friendships can be cultivated during national convention, and students can use social media to stay connected. So take that selfie and stay friends with those you meet throughout the week! You never know where those connections will take you in the future.
Thursday
Thursday kicks off with the Opening Session at 8 a.m. Carthage Technical Center FFA advisor Justin Mauss says you just can’t miss it. “I always look forward to the opening session of national convention. The whole room is full of excitement especially when the National FFA Band comes marching in. The national officers bring so much energy to the table, and the speaker always gets the students motivated.” You definitely can’t miss the opening session!!
Another great experience of the National FFA Convention & Expo is the entertainment in the evenings. FFA members get to chose between an exclusive concert or the rodeo. Never again will you surrounded by that many fellow FFA members during such an event. These are one-of-a-kind experiences.
Friday
In addition to many sessions on Friday, it is also the Talent Competition Finals. With so many students gathered in one area, the special skills and talents are abundant. You don’t want to miss out on the showcase of talented young individuals in FFA. It is fun to support your fellow FFA members — you never know if they will be famous one day!
Saturday
Saturday morning, the students who have worked so hard to receive their American Degree get to walk across the stage. As the highest degree achievable in FFA, this award shows great dedication. This is the moment the recipients have been looking forward to the whole trip. They deserve the utmost recognition for their hard work. Many students in the audience look forward to the moment they will be able to walk across that stage.
In addition to the moments stated above, there will be many exciting times during National FFA Convention and Expo. Make the most out of your time there!
