The National FFA Convention is full of so many things to experience. When I attended the convention last year as a first-timer, I quickly became overwhelmed with what to do. None of my friends had attended convention before, so we did not know what to expect.
Convention first-timers might not know how to get the most out of convention, so I’m here to help with a walk-through of what to expect when you arrive at the Indiana Convention Center!
The first thing that you will probably do is attend a general session, taking place at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 1. This is where opening ceremonies will be held by the National Officers, and a keynote speaker will address everyone in attendance. This year’s keynote is Juan Bendaña, who is a powerful storyteller sure to bring confidence and energy to our membership.
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When you enter the foyer any day of convention, you might be lucky enough to listen to witness other FFA members showing off their skills. From singers to fiddle players and more, there’s almost always something to stop and listen to before you check out the rest of the convention.
Between the general session and the expo and shopping mall, I’d highly suggest looking up some of your favorite contests or ones you might be interested in, and slipping in quietly to see what skills and knowledge the best of this year’s FFA members are bringing to the table.
The expo center consists of hundreds of booths that showcase different colleges with agricultural programs, careers in the agricultural industry, the U.S. armed services, and auto and truck manufacturers. The expo center is massive — it puts your gymnasium back home to shame — and it’s easy to feel like you’d get lost in the place, but you have several days to make your way through it all and explore. Be sure that you ask questions of the vendors and participate in as many of their activities as you can.
With so much all in one place and accessible, this is a wonderful opportunity to explore careers and colleges. In the area that maps have dubbed the Collegiate Connection, you’ll find schools like Auburn, Virginia Tech, Kansas State, University of Nebraska, South Dakota State, Abraham Baldwin, Purdue, and Missouri State, just to name a few. In all there are roughly 75 colleges on hand, some you may already know and others that will be totally new to you. Talk to as many as you can, and find the one that fits! (You can see the exhibitor map here.)
For careers, there are companies big and small on site to chat with you and suss out where your interests are and to answer any questions you may have. Think tractors brands like John Deere, Case IH, New Holland, and Kubota, as well as science and tech companies like Syngenta, Bayer, Cargill, and Pivot Bio.
The adjacent shopping mall has gobs of vendors that sell some great stuff, especially Western wear like boots and belt buckles, along with plenty of jewelry and other small items. Ariat, Wandering Maverick, Stockyard Style, and French’s Boots are some of the biggies. But this is also a good place to get some FFA merchandise at the National FFA Mega Store.
Student workshops are also a part of this building. I highly recommend attending at least one workshop. At workshops you can gain many new skills for leadership, advocacy and so much more. These are all great places to meet new friends from across the country.
The expo center has so many quick activities, but one thing that you can’t miss is the line dancing put on by Tractor Supply. It was a small area full of FFA members dancing to whatever song they played. Also you can’t miss the Culver’s booth while you’re there to score yourself a free handout of custard — though be ready to potentially wait in a pretty long line!
Many booths at the expo center have activities and games you can participate in to win prizes, like the welding with Lincoln Electric and the Virtual Reality Caterpillar, not to mention places where you can climb a steel beam or participate in hat tosses. My friends and I always do fun challenges, like who can talk to the most booths to get freebies — it is a great way to help engage at the expo center.
Lastly, don’t forget to download the National FFA Events App on your phone (either in the Apple Store or on Google Play). It is considered the guide book to convention and is a great way to see a snapshot of everything that is happening at convention. It includes maps, award results, convention news, the schedule, expo and shopping mall vendors, and tours and attractions. You will also receive any announcements about convention in the app. The convention center is so big and you can get turned around really easily, yet with the app, you can easily access a map to help find your way through it all.
Most of all, get out of your comfort zone and meet new people. National convention is only a few days away so make sure that you are ready to meet new people, gain new experiences, and have fun!
Kohyn Wood is from the La Plata FFA Chapter in Missouri. She is serving on her chapter’s officer team as the Reporter as well as on the My FFA Experience creation team, where she is a content creator and blog writer.
