Financial LiteracyLearning how to budget and save money can be difficult for teenagers, but FFA members are starting small businesses.

“The feasibility of the market is very important to know, and understanding assets and liabilities is a basic starting point,” said Jadira Hoptry, the vice president of community development with Fifth Third Bank.

Jadira and her team at Fifth Third Bank are working with the FFA to help members with their personal budgets and small businesses.

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The 2017-18 National FFA Officer team opened the 91st National FFA Convention with their reflections program.

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Corryn La Rue interviewed National FFA Secretary Erica Baier, where she reflected on the past year as a national officer and the struggles and triumphs the officer team experienced. For Erica, her time serving over 600,000 members was also spent overcoming one of the most difficult challenges; Hodgekin’s Lymphoma, a rare lymphatic cancer. Erica was diagnosed back in May of 2018, and continued to serve in office since then. Erica is celebrating the success of her treatment and can now say she is a survivor. Listen to her incredible story…

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Gracie Furnish, 2017- 2018 Eastern Region Vice President from Kentucky talks about her year in review, an inside look into convention planning and lots more.

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Cluff’s most memorable experience for 2017-18 is traveling to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands after devastating hurricanes destroyed cities, towns and farms.

“The impact of what FFA can do to local communities was seen on a scale that I never would have imagined,” Cluff said.

Seeing the arena full of blue jackets is what Cluff is most excited about for the 2018 National FFA Convention.

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“We understand that today’s consumers are farther away from understanding and knowing where their food comes from than they’ve ever been,” said Susanne Wasson, chair of the National FFA sponsors board.  “We want to make sure we have a strong voice of over 650,000 students that can tell the story of agriculture.

Wasson said companies like Corteva Agriscience, that helped fund the Blue Room, is one of many organizations that provide U.S. consumers with an abundant and safe food supply.

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Breanna Holbert, an agricultural education major at California State University of Chico, was elected national president. Holbert is the first female African American elected to the office of president.

Each year at the National FFA Convention & Expo, six students are elected by delegates to represent the organization as National FFA officers. Delegates elect a president, secretary and vice presidents representing the central, southern, eastern and western regions of the country.

National officers commit to a year of service to the National FFA Organization. Each travels more than 100,000 national and international miles to interact with business and industry leaders, thousands of FFA members and teachers, corporate sponsors, government and education officials, state FFA leaders, the general public and more. The team will lead personal growth and leadership training conferences for FFA members throughout the country and help set policies that will guide the future of FFA and promote agricultural literacy.

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Erica Baier, an agricultural education major at Iowa State University, was elected national secretary.

Each year at the National FFA Convention & Expo, six students are elected by delegates to represent the organization as National FFA officers. Delegates elect a president, secretary and vice presidents representing the central, southern, eastern and western regions of the country.

National officers commit to a year of service to the National FFA Organization. Each travels more than 100,000 national and international miles to interact with business and industry leaders, thousands of FFA members and teachers, corporate sponsors, government and education officials, state FFA leaders, the general public and more. The team will lead personal growth and leadership training conferences for FFA members throughout the country and help set policies that will guide the future of FFA and promote agricultural literacy.

Click on the picture for a hi resolution image.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download