Looking Up!!

        I crouched down on the branch, repositioned myself in the tree and launched myself towards the next branch. I put all my focus on that next branch about 7 feet above me and nothing else. As soon as my feet left the tree I got a rush of excitement as I climbed higher than I ever had before. I get a thrill from being up high, whether that be in a tree, on a plane, or a high ropes course; so when my team and I had the opportunity to get a tour of the ropes course at Camp Courage, I was all for it!

         My teammates and I got a hands-on experience with the one and only wheelchair accessible high ropes course in the world. Upon arrival, we had to get harnessed up and clipped to a braided steel wired rope to ensure we wouldn’t fall to our deaths below, and I immediately got a rush of excitement… but not all of my teammates had the same feeling. As soon as I could, I had jumped onto the course and started navigation my way through as fast as possible. Then I took a moment to look back at my teammates and came to realize that while I was loving the risk involved the same could not be said for them. They had some fear and anxiety about the course which involved some definite risks. One of my teammates, in particular, had been injured on a similar ropes course before, and so there was definite fear and risk associated with completing this course again. Everyone gets a thrill from something, whether that be heights, giving a speech, or competing in an event; and each one has different levels of risk. But we need to remember that even though something has risk, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do something, it just means we need to measure that risk and decide that we have what it takes to go for it.

          Even though there was risk in the ropes course, every one of us had pushed through that risk factor and finished the circuit! Now we each had different perspectives on the level of risk involved, but yet each one of us had overcome that barrier of risk that all too often can shut us down from accomplishing our goals. Whether it be joining a new sports team, club, a more difficult class or going out for a new CDE; there is a level of risk associated with each activity that can sometimes keep us from striving after it.

         Being able to evaluate that risk and being able overcome it takes dedication and strong determination, and motivates us in different ways. When looking at what you have to gain from taking that risk, you will find that the reward is much greater than what you have to lose by letting the opportunity slip by. So set your sights higher than ever before, and strive for that next branch.

Beneath the Rising Sun,

Spencer Wolter

Minnesota FFA State President

My Momentous Microburst

Ever since I was a little, pipsqueak first grader, I have always been fascinated by the weather – especially severe weather. I “played radar” on Microsoft Paint, took weather observations on a daily basis and talked with friends, family members, and sometimes, complete strangers, about the weather for hours on end. I also was fascinated by KSTP-TV’s one and only Chief Meteorologist Dave Dahl. I even did the weather report with him on TV one night at the state fair when I was in second grade! In fact, to this day, I still have his autograph hung up on my wall in my room in between a huge poster of a tornado and the lightning bolt curtains I’ve had since I was 10. You could say I was, and still am, a little bit of a weather super nerd meteorology connoisseur or just a flat-out nut. I’ll let you decide.

Although I love severe weather, I still get a little worried when I am actually in it. But honestly, who doesn’t? Severe weather can be a little frightening for us all, especially when there are people, property, animals or crops at stake. A few weeks ago, I encountered a huge microburst on my way up north. Let me take a second to put on my meteorology nerd hat. A microburst is a huge, sudden downdraft of hail, rain and high wind gusts that could lead to some significant property damage if conditions are right. In case you’re curious, a picture of a microburst is above!

Here’s how it happened. I was driving along, listening to some of my favorite tunes with the windows down. It was a nice afternoon, about 78° and mostly sunny with a calm breeze from the west – one of those nice, classic Minnesota summer afternoons, but that quickly changed. I was driving into St. Cloud and, pretty much out of nowhere, I saw a massive black cloud pop up. Within five minutes, the sky turned a creepy greenish-orange color, and I began freaking out! Then, things really picked up once the lightning and thunder started rolling. It started pouring so hard that the windshield wipers weren’t even close to keeping up with the speed of the torrential downpour. I couldn’t even see the cars in front of me, and I was only driving 15 mph on the interstate. Then came the wind. It started gusting so hard that my truck was shaking like a wet cat. The force was so strong that even my door started to shake and it felt like it was going to fly off any second. And just when I thought I had made it through the brunt of the microburst, it started to hail. I was shaking in my boots because I was nervous. Was I going to drown? Get in an accident? Go off the road? At that point, it was so loud outside that I forgot I was listening to my jams. So, instead of panicking more, I cranked up my music to the maximum volume and just started belting out those tunes, especially one of my favorites, (which seemed fitting at the time...) Travis Tritt’s “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive.” It helped me realize that even though the sun wasn’t shining, it was still behind those dark, scary-looking cumulonimbus clouds.

The microburst’s intensity kept going for what felt like hours on end, and so did my voice. At one point, there was well over three inches of standing water on the ground. “When will all this end?” I thought to myself. But seconds later, I looked out in the distance and saw the sun breaking out of the clouds. Calm was on the way and I was ecstatic that I not only survived, but I was also pumped that I somehow managed to keep my cool. I was so ecstatic that I even pulled over to snap the picture you see below!

As FFA members, we will often times encounter these microbursts. Form many of us, our first FFA meetings of the school year are just about to happen. Even though the start of the year can be a little chaotic and create a lot of “noise,” I challenge you to channel it and turn that noise into something positive. It is so important for us to find a way to channel the noise of these microbursts into something positive and unforgettable – to be the sun that is shining behind the clouds and noise. For me, belting out those tunes to block out the scary microburst allowed me to be like the sun! As FFA members, we can do this through setting goals for ourselves and chapters, recruiting new members, and of course, having a positive, upbeat attitude and outlook on the year ahead. What do you think your next microburst will be? How will you handle it so you can also reach the sun or rainbow at the end? Let’s always remember that even if we are in a microburst, the sun will always be shining above the clouds and be sure that our next microburst isn’t mortifying, but rather, momentous.

Stationed by the Door,

Joe Ramstad

Reaching Your Finish Line

At the Minnesota State Fair, the CHS Miracle of Birth Center is full of life, noise, and of course people. Throughout the twelve days of “The Great Minnesota Get-Together,” I had the chance to visit with countless fairgoers and FFA members, just as I had done many times before. This year was unique however when I had the opportunity to visit with two aspiring FFA members named Sarah and Veronica.

Sarah and Veronica walked into the Chapter House and Leadership Center after a long day of 4-H shows. We introduced ourselves and began visiting about the state fair, their 4-H projects, and what they were excited for as school began. Soon enough I found out they weren’t in FFA, which really surprised me. Their passion for agriculture and respectful presence gave me every reason to believe they were two unbelievable FFA members. Although they weren’t FFA members, I quickly realized that they wanted to be. Their school had no agriculture program, but they came to the FFA Chapter House to find out how they could make it happen. Their excitement fueled my energy to share all that FFA has to offer, so I began telling my own story. We discussed how principals, teachers, and parents could all serve as resources to help establish a chapter. Before I knew it, our conversation had evolved from exchanging names to exchanging contact information!

As we said our goodbyes, Sarah and Veronica walked out of the FFA Chapter House knowing they had a challenge in front of them. This year they will attempt an extremely hefty task that not many would have the courage to take on. The cool part is that they have everything it takes to succeed. Both Sarah and Veronica have taken simple steps that will help them work towards establishing an agriculture education program and FFA chapter in their high school.

Have you ever seen someone running on the side of the road? It’s a fairly common sight and in most cases, people are passive to everything about that runner besides whether or not you will hit them with your car (Don’t worry…I promise I have never hit anyone on the side of the road!). But try to take a deeper look. Why are they running? What does their day look like as a result of going on that run? Whether we realize it or not, these are all things runners work through as they exercise. In a similar way, Sarah and Veronica are beginning a long distance run.

Preparing to run and going on a long-distance run can be split into a few different parts. Looking at each will help us see how Sarah and Veronica are enduring their own run.

The Precursor: Runners know exactly what they want to do. They have made up their mind that they will run, find a route and decide on a time. They also have an end goal in mind, whether that is to be healthier, lose weight or train for a race. Sarah and Veronica did this exact same thing when they decided they wanted to establish an agriculture education program and FFA chapter in their high school.

Stretch it Out: Now that runners have decided what route they will take and when they will run, they have to prepare their body for the exercise. Long distance runners will stretch much longer than those that don’t run, just to be sure they are ready for the intensity. In a similar fashion, Sarah and Veronica had to learn about FFA in order to be more successful in their route to establishing a chapter. The more information and resources they have, the better off they will be.

Put on Your Running Shoes: Before the runner can begin, they must have support for their feet. Besides protection, running shoes will ensure a much easier course. At this point, it is essential for Sarah and Veronica to develop a strong support team. These people will be instrumental in finding an advisor, members, and community supporters for their program. Having a strong Alumni or support group is beneficial to any agriculture education program and FFA chapter.

Stay hydrated: In any form of exercise, it is important to keep your body hydrated. Not only does it keep you going during a run, it maintains important daily body functions. Runners recognize this importance and make sure they stop to refuel with water. This year, Sarah and Veronica will often be exhausted. In fact, there will be times when giving up seems to be the easiest option. They also have the option to keep going, however. In order to continue, Sarah and Veronica understand they need to take care of themselves in order to reach their finish line.

Cool Down: Every great runner ends with a cooldown to let their body return to its natural pace. Occasionally, Sarah and Veronica will need to take moments to "cool down" or reflect on the progress they have made so far. This is also a great time for them to reevaluate their end goal, tie their shoes, and rehydrate.

My friends Sarah and Veronica have a very impressive goal and I dearly hope they are able to achieve it in the near future. But let’s change gears and talk about your goals! This year, we will each have the opportunity to cross a finish line, and that finish line can be whatever you decide. Take a moment to think of that one bucket list item you want to check off, the Career or Leadership Development Event you want to win, or the class you want to ace! For example, I always wanted to win the Region II Dairy Cattle Evaluation Career Development Event. Once you know exactly what you want to do…you have mastered the precursor to success in your long distance run!

Crossing the finish line in your long distance run requires the simple steps that Sarah and Veronica will also endure. After many hours of studying and practice judging with local farmers, I was able to achieve my goal of placing first at the Region II Dairy Cattle Evaluation Career Development Event. If we remember to stretch it out, put on our running shoes, stay hydrated, and take some time to cool down, I'm confident that we can all reach our own finish line.

Stationed by the Flag,

Rebekka Paskewitz

Minnesota FFA State Reporter

Just a little kick

Church has been something I have been around my whole life. Ever since I can remember, I have been attending Sunday school, confirmation classes, and Sunday service on the right side of the church, sixth pew from the front. Whether I wanted to or not, my family and I have attended church almost every Sunday no matter how much complaining or eye rolling I did. Once I got there, however, I always felt better and glad that I went. Don’t tell my mom about that. Being in a church has always calmed me down and made me feel supported. This feeling of support was the reason I chose my confirmation verse; Matthew 19:26 which reads “Jesus looked at them and said… with God all things are possible.”

Being in college I realized that I completely had the choice of whether or not I wanted to go to church on Sunday. I had decided to try out different churches near campus with my friends Abby, Kam, and Chris. Going there gave me that feeling of home that isn’t always with you when you’re in a new place. The familiar hymns reminded me of previous churches I had been a part of and made me decide that this was the church I was going to go to for the rest of my time here at South Dakota State University.

While my personal support group includes my faith, it doesn’t mean that everyone has to have or feel supported by a faith. My own support group also includes my family, friends, teachers and my girlfriend. Whether they know it or not, all of them have helped me get where I am today. Whether it be listening to me rant about things that are bugging me or listening to me talk a million miles an hour about meat science or meat judging when they may not know anything about what I am saying, it all helps. Even if it was my friend who had no idea that I wanted to get a higher score than them on the next science test, they unknowingly pushed me to do better and ultimately accomplish my goal.

Having a strong support group is important if you want to accomplish the goals you have set for yourself. Perseverance will get you far, but sometimes you need that extra kick in the pants to accomplish things that you just can’t give yourself. That is why a support group is essential. Your support group doesn’t have to be gigantic. It can be as big or small as you want it to be. If you have a support group, continue to use it and be very thankful for where it will get you. If you don’t feel like you have a support group you may want to see what it can do for you. Just asking someone you trust to help keep you on track or check up on you will help you out a lot. If you don't believe, try it out for yourself. You might just be surprised where you go.

Sincerely,

Clay Newton

Stationed by the emblem of Washington

Be an Olympian

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE the Olympics. I love watching all of the athletes from around the world come together and strut their stuff. Whenever I watch with my parents, I often say, “Oh yeah, I can do that,” or “I taught the entire team how to do that move.” In reality though, I sometimes struggle walking in a straight line or catching a ball, let alone doing a triple back handspring or bicycle kicking a soccer ball.

Every Olympian once started as an amateur. Michael Phelps, Simone Biles, and Usain Bolt were not born great athletes; they had to work hard to reach their full potential. Each of us has the ability to reach our full potential and become our own Olympian. Maybe that’s achieving the grade we’ve always wanted in a difficult class, trying out for the sports team, joining a new CDE team, developing a new SAE, creating an agriscience fair project, or even having the courage to say hello to a new student. Whatever it may be, we all have the ability to become Olympians. Where do we begin?

Make a grand entrance. Every Olympic games begins the same way: a torch relay from Olympia, Greece to the Olympic stadium in the host city, a presentation of all of the participating countries’ flags, and a flourish of lights, color, and excitement. In the same way, we should start every day the same: with confidence. Whether that be always wearing a smile, wearing your favorite outfit, or reading an inspirational quote to get you ready for the day, begin each day ready to take on the world. Wherever we go, whatever we may be doing, we should make a grand entrance and radiate with confidence, knowing each of us has the ability to do something amazing.

Eat, sleep, work hard, repeat. Greatness is achieved by continuous improvement. We can earn that awesome grade, receive a spot on that new team, be successful with our SAE or agri-science project, or make a new friend by working hard at what we do and making sure we are always giving our best effort.

Don’t be afraid to try something new. Every Olympic athlete had to try their sport for the first time. What if Kerri Walsh had said “No, I’m too nervous to play volleyball. What if I’m not good?” She never would have become a gold medalist in beach volleyball at three different Olympic games. We all hold that same potential. What if we were too scared to try something new and missed an opportunity like Kari had? It’s okay to be nervous. It’s okay to be scared. We just have to try.

Make it count. We are not guaranteed any amount of time. Olympians are not guaranteed a second chance to play their sport. This year, let’s choose to make every moment count, to live our lives to the fullest, and to pursue our dreams without looking back.

Go for the Gold. Why settle for “good enough” when we could strive for greatness? What if instead of saying, “That dream is too big,” we said “How can we dream bigger”? What if we tried to achieve the “gold medal” in our lives? Let’s dare to risk boldly, to go for the gold, to strive for greatness this school year. What does that look like for you?

For me and more than 100 other Minnesota FFA members, going for the gold means competing in the Olympics of FFA--National FFA Convention. I’m on a team with more than 100 Minnesota FFA Olympians who get to showcase their talents and achievements with the other FFA Olympians from across the United States. My sport is the AgriScience Fair. My goal is to place in the top three with my project on biogas production. I know that in order to achieve that goal, I need to review the contents of my project, practice doing mock interviews, and continue to learn more about biogas so I can be at my full potential for National Convention. I can’t wait to see what the Minnesota FFA members accomplish in October and beyond.

Each of us has unlimited amounts of potential that can take us where we want to go. This school year, let’s use that potential. Let’s become Olympians.

Stationed by the ear of corn,

Loving the Scary Things

After I got home from an FFA event earlier this summer, my family decided to take our boat out onto the lake. My brother, Ben, had just bought a kneeboard, and he could not wait to try it out. Ben is good at kneeboarding, and he was not just able to stay up, but he could also do 360° spins, jump over wakes, and stay on in even the roughest waters. As I sat in the boat and watched Ben soar on the water, I just kept thinking about how incredibly fun it looked.

 

“Katie, do you want to try?” Ben asked as he pulled himself out of the water.

This is when my mind suddenly started to worry. Of course I thought it looked fun, but it also looked hard. And scary. I told myself that it wouldn’t even be much fun and decided to maybe try later.

As the day wore on, I yearned to want to take on the adventure of kneeboarding, and I finally built up enough courage and tried it. To my dismay, I failed. I couldn’t even pull myself up onto the board much less stay up on it. I swam back to the boat beyond frustrated and ready to quit. Ben, however, had another agenda. He let me regroup myself, gave me a few pointers, and sent me back out. I laid on the board unconfident, nervous, and scared. Suddenly, the boat flew away, and before you know it, I was up on the board.

Life is full of scary things. When I think of of things that instill fear in me, my mind drifts to horror movies, haunted houses, and those frightening monsters people call wasps. These are things that send chills up my spine and occasionally cause me to cover my eyes. These are not the only things that scare me in life though. Life is full of experiences and adventures, and sometimes, these parts of life can be scary, too.

For these scary moments in life though, we do not want our eyes closed. You see, as soon as we close our eyes, we close doors. I’ve learned that it’s okay to be scared of something, but we have to be able to put that fear away. We need to be able to grab ahold of adventure and enjoy life. If we let fear take over, we will never experience some of the greatest adventures of our life. This is hard for me. I struggle every day with this thought. I fear getting hurt, I fear not being able to make friends, and I fear failure. This can stop me from doing a lot of things, and that’s why I remind myself daily to jump in and grab ahold of the kneeboard.

This Friday, I’m about to jump in again. I will soon make Brookings, SD my home as I head to South Dakota State University to become a jackrabbit. Just like the kneeboard, the prospect of going to college is so exciting, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t scared. Moving away from my family and friends and becoming independent is not going to be easy. I’ve learned though that if it scares you, you really should try it. So in two days, I will be taking on my next adventure, and I want you to come with me.

When I say this, I don’t mean truly come to Brookings (although, I’d love it if I was surrounded by thousands of FFA members). I want you to come with me in spirit. As the new school year approaches, our lives will be filled with new opportunities and adventures. Whether it’s trying a new CDE, applying to be an officer, or starting your first job for your SAE, it will scare us. But, that won’t stop us. Just like when I went kneeboarding for the first time, we may fail at first but that is okay. Failure is part of life, and the greatest part of failure is that we can overcome it.

Just this past week, I got to go kneeboarding again. As I soared behind the boat, I practiced mastering 360° spins and jumping over wakes. You see, I felt on top of the world. I’ve learned that usually the things that seem the scariest are the best things in life. They give us a feeling of adventure, accomplishment, and happiness. When we feel this, we learn to love the scary things.

Stationed by the Plow,

The Drive of Competition

I woke up early, washed, scrubbed and fed my pig because it was Showtime… Literally! Every year I, along with thousands of FFA members from around the state, work hard to get the perfect show animal for the county and state fair. The competition to see who has the better steer, hog or sheep is always a nip and tuck occasion as every member tries to show off their animal to the best of their ability and win the show. That show ring competition is what drives me, along with other members, to work long and hard to make their animal as perfect as possible.

This competitive drive has taught me several important skills throughout my showing career. The first is to work hard. Whether you started your beef project in the fall or in the spring with hogs, there is a lot of preparation that will need to be done before your livestock project is show ring ready. Thus the phrase, hard work pays off, rings true. Each and every day I own that animal I have to feed it at least twice a day, wash and walk them to train them to behave properly, and keep up with all the barn chores. All of these tasks really taught me to work hard even when nobody is watching, and that hard work pays off!

The second takeaway I got from showing was to build relationships. Each species has their own unique and special community of members and family that are always there to help each other out. I came from a family that didn’t show, so I had to rely on my FFAmily to help me along and teach me all about showing. They helped me out with borrowing equipment and quick little-showing technique tips to help showcase my animal better. As much as we want to win it all at each show, we must always remember to leave our competitive nature in the ring.

The last life lesson I have learned is to always try to stay humble and graceful about winning and losing. I have never been a shining star showmen, but I recognize I don’t always put in the appropriate time and money into my show animals. Now does that mean I don’t want and try to win?? Of course not, but it really helps me maintain perspective. If I win, I don’t rub it in other people’s face because I know they probably worked just as hard as I did and the judge just decided to pick me on that day. I do the same when losing (which happens more than winning does) because I know the winner put in extra time and effort to be great.

Competition can have a bad rap for causing conflict and controversy, but there are upsides to it as well. I have learned valuable life lessons from having show ring competition that ranges from knowing to work hard to really valuing relationships. As competitive as showing can be, it can make all of the work worth it.  This week Minnesota FFA members and chapters have earned some amazing rewards for their hard work in developing their Supervised Agricultural Experiences and chapters.  We are excited to share the finalists for American Stars, Proficiency awards, AgriScience Fair projects and National Chapter Awards. So check out all of the incredible work these FFA members have done to be able to compete at Nationals on the Minnesota FFA Facebook page (www.facebook.com/mnffa)!

 Stationed Beneath the Rising Sun,
                             

                                                                                                                   Spencer Wolter