Mid-Prairie FFA attends District Conference

Each year the Southeast FFA district and Iowa FFA officers plan and facilitate Greenhand Fire Up (GFU) Conferences for FFA members in the SE FFA district. The Cedar Rapids Prairie FFA welcomed FFA chapters from all over the SE FFA district on October 16. There were approximately 760 members from 38 chapters who attended this year's GFU.

Attending from Mid-Prairie were: Lillian Boller, Kean Curtis, Jake Debler, Parker English, Stephanie Gingerich, Carson Humphrey, Adelyn Huston, Caedyn Huston, Averi Janecek, Kinzlee Kiefer, Blake Malichky, Bowen Pennington, Harlee West and Jason Yoder. They were accompanied by FFA Advisor Elsa Schmidt and Gabi Robertson. Mid-Prairie FFA member Marissa Cline assisted by presenting at the conference. While at the event, district and state officers lead four interactive workshops for first year high school FFA members, also known as Greenhands, for the annual Greenhand Fire Up Conference. The workshops were leadership focused with an emphasis on the experiences that occur in the lives of beginning high school students.

Iowa FFA President, Holly Schmitt, stated, “Greenhand Fire Up provides a chance for first-year high school members to get a sneak peek of the opportunities that FFA holds, and is a conference for members to meet and interact with state and district officers.” The officers prepared and facilitated workshops of: authenticity, balancing priorities, communication, and FFA opportunities – in order to provide the first-year FFA members with skills they would use both within and outside of FFA. The goal was to engage FFA members in learning about the tools that would allow them to be successful in anything they are part of through high school and beyond.

Following the Greenhand Fire Up activities, these members of the Mid-Prairie FFA traveled to the Kirkwood Community College Campus in Cedar Rapids to visit the agricultural facilities. Brad Kinsinger, the Dean of Kirkwood’s Agricultural Sciences and Hospitality Arts, and a Mid-Prairie FFA Alumnus, gave the tour. Members were able to learn more about educational opportunities available through Kirkwood including Diesel Mechanics, Ag Business and Veterinary Technician.

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