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What FFA Means To Me: Northview FFA Member’s Essay Is Best In State

Raeleigh Woodfin of the Northview High School FFA was the statewide first place winner of the “What FFA Means to Me” Alumni Essay Contest.

Woodfin received a Washington Leadership Conference scholarship of $500 and was recognized on stage Friday during the 89th Florida FFA State Convention & Expo in Orlando.

Raeleigh Woodfin’s award winning esscay “What FFA Means to Me” is reprinted below:

A family of people who love and understand you, a place to be yourself and connect with others like and different than yourself, and a big family of people spreading nationwide that bond with you in a way no other organization can. This and much more is what FFA means to me.

The feeling of accomplishment and honor when you walk out of the classroom into a world of endless possibilities reminds you why you participate in FFA. The long nights and weekend adventures make it hard yet fun work. Staying up late to memorize everything from your opening and closing ceremony parts to the FFA Creed, there is an abundance of time spent on learning the craft that you care for so deeply.

After sub districts, districts, state, and national accomplishments, you feel a bond with the people you have shared it all with.

Years of dreaming of becoming a state officer like the idols you did and still do look up to.

In the process of doing what you love, you meet people from other chapters and befriend them, whether it be a neighboring chapter you met at state convention or a chapter from northern states you met at national convention. FFA changes the way you look at life. Looking at a sandwich and thinking of what it had to go through to get to your plate. Along with agriculture, FFA provides much more. It provides the ability to know more academically, physically, and mentally. The gifts of public speaking and giving presentations are skills that FFA has given and will forever be useful.

FFA teaches life skills and abilities that can be used even in your alumni days.

A new t-shirt for every event you partake in, year as a member, and year as an officer leaving you with a closet full of t-shirts and memories. Spending the night in hotels with friends and pulling pranks all night just to wake up with nothing but energy for the exciting day ahead. Attending Ag On the Hill, Fresh from Florida programs, Food for America, and Ag in the Classroom give you experience and the ability to grow and educate the young and the old about agriculture education and provide for those in need when they cannot provide for themselves.

Standing for something bigger than yourself and changing the future is what FFA does and I am glad to be a part of it.

Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve is the FFA motto and it explains so much.

The struggles of former years has brought us to this point in history and right now is the best time to be alive. FFA is a call to action. Make a big impact in your community. Your SAE is a big part of FFA. Your SAE, if chosen properly, can make all the difference in what you get out of FFA.

Being a leader does not take much. FFA makes it easy and fun.