By Jennifer Dorsett
Field Editor
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s annual Texas FFA convention looked different from previous years, but there were still informational workshops, fellowship and personal growth to be found.
Over the three-day virtual event, students watched live and on-demand content, recognized more than 2,000 members for their accomplishments and awards and elected new state officers.
During the first general session, Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) President Russell Boening delivered a video message welcoming students to the convention and encouraging them to make the most of the opportunity.
“FFA students have been through a lot in recent months. School and many of your activities were either moved to virtual formats or canceled completely. I know that these disruptions have been challenging,” Boening said. “Your experiences in FFA are not unlike those Texas farmers and ranchers have faced in this difficult time. Market disruptions have been very challenging for our members. The struggles have been real, but all we can do is continue to move forward.”
TFB, a corporate convention sponsor, also had a virtual exhibitor space this year. Through the online exhibit hall, students participated in scavenger hunts to be eligible for prizes, including a chance to win $1,000.
“Texas FFA’s annual convention is something our entire organization plans for and looks forward to every year,” Austin Large, Texas FFA executive director, said. “Our staff, members, teachers and parents were disappointed we didn’t meet in Dallas this summer, but we are very fortunate to have bright minds who are able to put together and pull off a virtual convention.”
Despite the venue change, the content and message were still relevant, TFB Director of Youth Outreach Mia Balko said.
“The format is different this year, but that didn’t make the convention any less important or beneficial to our youth,” Balko said. “Texas FFA was still able to provide a quality, meaningful experience for its members, and the kids still received a lot of knowledge that can help them on their journey in becoming future agricultural leaders.”
Balko served as the official tabulator for the state officer nomination process. She has served as an adult consultant on the State Officer Nominating Committee since 2006.
TFB awards more than $200,000 in scholarships to students each year, including $10,000 in scholarships to the top two outgoing student leaders of Texas FFA.
Texas FFA State President Carlye Winfrey received a $6,000 TFB scholarship. Winfrey, who is from Seminole, will attend Texas Tech University in the fall and major in agricultural communications.
State First Vice President Calvin Morgan received a $4,000 scholarship from TFB. Morgan is majoring in agricultural services and development at Tarleton State University.
As a corporate sponsor of Texas FFA, TFB provides a complimentary membership to each of the more than 1,000 Texas FFA chapters. The relationship between the two organizations can help influence students to choose a career in agriculture and assists the chapters with agricultural advocacy efforts.
Texas FFA Foundation has also recorded 30 mini-webinars with industry subject matter experts that can be viewed on either its Facebook page or YouTube channel to allow students and teachers the chance to access the content at a later date.