Mid-Prairie FFA Members attend 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 Sept. 22, 2025. There were approximately 785 members from 38 chapters who attended this year's GFU. Mid-Prairie had 22 members of our FFA Chapter representing at this conference. They were accompanied by FFA Advisor Elsa Schmidt. Mid-Prairie FFA member Adelyn Huston also assisted by presenting at the conference for her District Officer duties. 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.

Southeast State Vice-President, Cooper Vanderheiden, 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 Alumni, gave the tour. Members were able to learn more about educational opportunities available through Kirkwood including Diesel Mechanics, Ag Business and Veterinary Technician.