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I wore the Blue and Gold for the Final Time at the
1999 National FFA Convention in Louisville, KY
The FFA is the world's number one youth leadership organization. Formerly standing for Future Farmers of America, the FFA now only means "an organization dedicated to developing leaders for tomorrow." I had the privilege of joining the FFA as an eighth grader at Medina High School in Medina, North Dakota. Under the new adviser, Jeff Ball, I slowly became involved in chapter activities. I began to realize that, through the FFA, I could be taken on a trip that will lead me to places that I never dreamed I'd see.
I began active competition in many events in the FFA, including livestock judging, agricultural sales, extemporaneous public speaking, parliamentary procedure, ambassador contest, and countless other career development events. I have experienced joy and sorrow throughout my years of active involvement in the FFA. I have found out that even though I may have been "seemingly defeated," I was still a winner because I tried something new. That is a victory in itself.
Some of My FFA Accomplishments:
- Chapter President, 1996-97
- ND State Ag. Sales Competition - High Individual, 1997
- Chapter Reporter, 1995-96
- ND State Proficiency Award Winner for Home and Community Development, 1997
- Outstanding Service Award, 1997
- Star Chapter Farmer Award, 1996
- Outstanding Member Award, 1995
- Other honors that I'm not recalling.
Some of my biggest memories revolve around my 4 ND State Conventions that I attended, the one National FFA Convention that I attended in Kansas City, Missouri, as well as our many weekend judging trips across the state of North Dakota. North Dakota, known for it's unpredictable weather, saw many FFA members trekking across the state many winters. This was for livestock judging competition. I have vivid memories of many of our hotel stays, for reasons I can't mention on here. (Hey, I have parents and a former advisor you know!) I can, however, tell you that I don't even want to think about what my high school career would have been like, not to mention my direction in college, had I not joined the FFA.
I have many people to thank for my success in the FFA. First of all, I want to thank my FFA advisor, Jeff Ball. Here is a guy who is so down to earth and easy going, yet you can learn a lot from him. He has taught me so much. I only hope that he knows that I was just having fun all of those times that I would give him so much crap! Also, I want to thank my two senior pals, Shane and Nathan, for sticking with the organization with me, even when things seemed to go wrong all of the time. To the rest of the chapter, I thank you as well and I wish you the most success you can achieve. Use the ogranization to it's fullest because that's what it's there for. To my parents, thank you for you unconditional love and support. I went away many a weekend, and you didn't even always know what I was leaving for! All I can say is "thanks." To those of you who read this, hopefully people WILL read this, I encourage you to support the FFA because it has an excellent cause: "An agricultural organization dedicated to developing leaders for tomorrow."
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Shane Reardon, (me), and Nathan Moser: The Lone Seniors
This picture was taken at the 1996 National FFA Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. . |
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A little relaxation with a nice cool beverage on our way back from Kansas City. |
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Me, Advisor Jeff Ball, and Renae Heinle after receiving our American Degrees.
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Renae and I in some computer generated photo thingy. |
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Group Photo outside the Indy Speedway.
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Me in some sort of a race car at the Indianapolis Speedway museum place - 1998. |
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Email: Kelly_Junker@hotmail.com
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