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Three Ways FFA leads to Career Success
This week across the country students are zipping up their corduroy jackets as they take part in time-honored traditions. That’s right, it’s National FFA Week.
It’s a time when FFA members everywhere join together to celebrate and promote an organization that has the potential to impact their lives forever.
As a business centered around agriculture, we appreciate the way FFA molds future leaders of agriculture. This organization teaches students, with and without ag backgrounds, many valuable business skills.
FFA teaches students so many more things than strictly agriculture. FFA develops business professionals and prepares students for their future careers, in every industry not just agriculture.
3 Ways FFA leads to Career Success:
Supervised Agricultural Experience Programs – The Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) may be one of the most valuable aspects of FFA. SAEs allows students to take what they are learning in the classroom and apply it in a workplace setting. It’s a hands-on experience that teaches students skills they may not learn for years to come. SAE encourages students to explore different career options and discover what is expected behavior in the workplace. These programs are designed to help students transition into college and prepare for careers.
Career Development Events – What may just be considered as “Contest Season” to many students, is actually much, much more. Career Development Events (CDE) cover everything from communications to mechanics and from livestock judging to nursery and landscaping. Students compete either as individuals or as a team. Students may just think of contest season as a chance to miss school and hang out with friends but in reality these “contest teams” are teaching them many skills that they will apply throughout their adult lives. Students put in countless hours preparing to compete, teaching them the value of hard work and dedication. These events also demonstrate that being prepared can greatly pay off while also teaching students to work as a team.
Leadership Opportunities as a Chapter Officer – On the local level, as well as on the state and national level, students have the opportunity to earn a position as an FFA officer. Like many leadership positions in the corporate world, FFA officers lead the chapter. These positions teach students to communicate effectively with their chapter and work closely with fellow officers. Together will coordinate such things as chapter meetings, fundraisers and community outreach.
There are many ways FFA prepares its members for the future and each student’s experience is uniquely their own. However, one thing is true, just as the FFA Mission states, “FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.”
Lynzee Glass, Director of Communications
Lynzee Glass has always had a passion for agriculture. Lynzee grew up in a small southwest Missouri town on her parents’ beef cattle operation. Her true appreciate for agriculture was developed during her involvement in FFA (Future Farmers of America). Lynzee attended Missouri State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in agricultural communications. After graduation Lynzee worked as the managing editor of Ozarks Farm and Neighbor newspaper, a regional livestock publication, where she had the opportunity to share the stories of Ozark farmers. Throughout that time, Lynzee was published over 100 times. Under her direction as managing editor, Ozarks Farm and Neighbor was award first-place in newspaper- general excellence by the Livestock Publications Council. She has also been recognized in the industry for her writing and photography skills.
Today, her role as Director of Communications gives her the opportunity to continue working in agriculture. Lynzee oversees the website, social media, event planning, marketing and advertising.
When Lynzee is not at the office she can be found volunteering within her church, serving as the marketing chair for Missouri State University Darr School of Agriculture Alumni and spending time with family and friends.