Outgoing FFA president offers words of advice to members
By Janet Kubat Willette
jkubat@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 05/13/2010 8:58 AM
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ST. PAUL — A sea of blue corduroy descended on the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus last week for the 81st annual Minnesota State FFA Convention.
Nearly 3,200 FFA members registered to attend the convention where they participated in career development events, attended workshops, listened to motivational speakers and hung out.
Twenty-one young people interviewed for the six state officer slots, spending April 24 through April 26 in interviews. Chosen to lead the 9,100-member strong association in Minnesota were president Jason Troendle, St. Charles; vice president Liz Rabbe, Martin County West; secretary Erin Daninger, Forest Lake; treasurer Maddie Collin, Southwest Star Concept; reporter Kirsten Pagel, Fulda; and sentinel Justin Crowley, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted.
Troendle was a member of the St. Charles FFA fish and wildlife team that competed at the National FFA Convention last fall. It was the first career development event team from St. Charles ever to participate in the national convention.
The election and installation of the 2010-11 officers on April 27 capped the convention that began April 25. The convention theme was iBelieve.
During the fifth and final session of the FFA, chapters were recognized for their ongoing support for Camp Courage. FFA chapters have supported Camp Courage for 56 years. In 2009, FFA raised $192,000 for Camp Courage.
The top three chapters were Randolph, raising $18,250, Tracy Area, raising $12,154.82 and Morris, raising $8,000.
Outgoing FFA president Kirby Schmidt gave his retiring address, "Me For You."
He talked about making a difference, relaying the story of a young woman from Cameroon, Africa. He met the woman, Germaine, while on the Metro in Washington, D.C., last summer. His FFA jacket drew plenty of questions, most of which he politely answered before getting off to catch his transfer. But Germaine was different, she asked about his jacket and instead of getting off the Metro he stayed and talked.
He learned that she came to the United States five years ago to study medicine. She took courses in English, a foreign language to her, and has now earned a full ride scholarship to John Hopkins University. When she earns her medical degree, she is going back to Cameroon to help the sick of her community.
"Germaine makes a difference because she is who she is, for others," Schmidt said, encouraging FFA members to be the best version of who they are.
He told of a time he took it upon himself to encourage a lonely girl at camp to run for the banquet committee. He later learned that girl is now an FFA chapter president and she credits it all to him.
"Each day there is someone, some cause, something out there that is waiting for you," Schmidt said. "They aren't waiting for your teachers, your parents, your other friends, because who they really need is you."