Perhaps you may have once heard the term National FFA Week; but what exactly is National FFA Week? What does this so-called week of FFA do? Many members of local communities all across the country--from Alaska to the Virgin Islands and from Maine to Hawaii--will find out just what National FFA Week is.
In 1928, population growth in the United States had fallen by 1.23 percent. (Smiley, n.d.) Despite the fall in population that would continue throughout the next decade, some folks knew that times were changing; the United States would continue to grow. That same year, a group of young farmers founded an organization still widely gaining popularity today: FFA--founded to help future generations face the challenge of feeding the growing population and any other summon to contest the future of agriculture within the country. Twenty years later in 1948, National FFA Week was made an annual tradition to encompass, honor, and raise awareness of everything the organization has done in the past, present, and future while also reminding people that FFA and agriculture has much more to it than planting and harvesting crops.
From Saturday to Saturday National FFA Week is held in February each year, always withholding George Washington’s birthday: February 22nd. George Washington has become an important figure within the FFA Organization. During opening FFA ceremonies, the chapter treasurer is stationed by the emblem of Washington to “...keep a record of receipts and disbursements just as Washington kept his farm accounts--carefully and accurately. To encourage thrift among the members and strive to build up our financial standings through savings and investments. George Washington was better able to serve his country because he was financially independent,”. During a hard winter at Valley Forge, nearly one third of George Washington’s fighting men had no shoes or decent jackets making low moral, and even death, a hard battle within itself to feat. Thanks to craft, dedication, and loyalty to his men, George Washington’s troops survived the winter of 1777-1778 and continued to fight for their will to gain American Independence. If it wasn’t for George Washington’s past experiences with his home plantation and his strong-willed leadership personality, his troops may never have survived the winter at Valley Forge. Agricultural success, strong leadership roles along with strong leadership actions all encased within a single man. What better legacy to follow and look up to than that of George Washington’s?
This year, February 17th-24th are the dates of National FFA Week. With this, our local Big Sandy FFA Chapter will join many other FFA chapters across the country embarking on a week of activities planned by our own chapter to help our community acknowledge everything FFA does for the individuals, the community, and the nation as a whole.
