It was that time of year, again. Time for powdered donuts and Coca-Cola, happy grams and Ag Olympics. Nothing can compare to all things that represent my favorite little word: "Camp". Only this year, I had a new partner in crime. Last name: Parish. First name: Mason.
It all began at the State Leadership Conference in Anna, Texas, where 74 Area officers from across the state gathered to hone their skills. The value-based training by the Ethical Leadership Fellows, the inspiring Vespers program by the Incoming State Officers, and the leadership forum by highly-respected individuals such as Stephanie Curs, Jim Prewitt, and Tom Maynard, were just a few of the many highlights in the 3 days. However, nothing can compare to the smooth, dance floor moves and the breakout sessions, where students utilized innovative approaches and let out a "word to your advisor." All of which, gave us a sense of American pride and patriotism.
It's safe to say that the extensive training of State Leadership Conference certainly paid off in the weeks following, as those officers set out to put on their respective area conferences. Though Mason and I had to miss the premier of Toy Story 3 (a moment I had been waiting on for the past decade...), it was all worth it as we watched the Area III officers facilitate one of the best conferences I've seen yet. In an effort to complete "The Amazing Race", district officer participants were met with "detours" and "road blocks", all of which built stronger, more capable teams. Maybe that's why all of those district camps were so unbelievable...
For instance, in District 7 chapter officers were challenged to "Step up to the Plate". From crazy experiences like dropping eggs from ladders (don't worry, we created parachutes for them!) to lessons on communication to a few wacky games of team ninja, toxic waste, and amoeba, we certainly had fun creating that home run. Of course that was nothing compared to eating steaks and watching "The Bachelorette" at Betsy's house. Unfortunately, we had to leave just before the steaks so that we could make it to District 5 the next morning.
Though we were only at D5 camp for a few short hours, Mason and I had a blast catching up with old friends and watching spectacular sessions by Paige, John, Jacob, Jordan, Morgan, Riann, and Clayton. Before long, we were off to District 1 Camp. We got there just in time, too! Early enough for dinner (fajitas, yum!) and (my favorite) the dance! It's safe to say that we more than survived this "Survivor"- themed camp!
The next day, we headed to District 2 for a short convention update, a chit chat with some pretty cool people, and a viewing of the camp slide show. Then, we were "On the Road Again", jamming out to Ke$ha and Justin Beiber. Oh what a ride. Before long, we were in District 3, where "All the roads of leadership lead to tomorrow". It was here that we took our stuffed monkey Tyron aka Bubbles aka Charlie aka Ricky Bobby aka Baby Carlos (and the list goes on...) for a journey of reaching our goals as chapter officers. Though poor Tyron/Bubbles/Charlie/Ricky Bobby/Baby Carlos was dropped on his head many times, he made it out alive. Thank goodness!
A few bites of pizza and then we were....LOST. We drove up and down, up and down, up and down the exact same road for a good 30 minutes. Our poor GPS was even lost. Luckily, we were able to drownd our sorrows with more of Ke$ha and Justin Beiber...and a spontaneous trip to THE PSYCHIC! Mason and I spotted a sign that read "Palm Reading Discounts!", but we didn't end up going there. We rang the door bell, got scared, and ran away. Then, off in the distance, we spotted it! A very lovely house with a SPARKLING sign. So, we rang the door bell. Nothing. We rang it again. Nothing. We called the number...and made an appointment! In the mean time, we made our way to District 6 Camp, where my "friends" attempted to tape me to the wall. Ha ha. When that didn't work, they just wrapped me in LOTS and LOTS of tape. What fun times...Before long, we were at the dance. I'm just glad my buddy, Jimmy, let me dance with him! A few more dances, one s'more, and then....we were off to THE PSYCHIC!
Though Mason and I were a tad bit worried about this decision (A black cat crossed the road AND it was thundering! I don't believe in that stuff, but it still makes you wonder...), she was quite the good psychic. She told me that I "have been travelling alot and will be moving soon". No joke. She also told me that I would receive a bunch of money very soon...dun dun dun. And she told Mason he was going to live a long life. Good to know.
Then, it was our final camp. I was back home in District 4, where they are "The Real Deal." We watched as stand-out members received awards for "Sweetheart", "Best Dancer" and "Random". However, the highlight of our few hours there was the inspiring talk by Mr. Rod Vincent from Bellville. As always, he motivated me to want to be the best that I possibly could. And with that, our camp season was officially over.
Though there will be no more s'mores, happy grams, or powdered donuts, there will be millions of fond memories with all of my friends in the great state of Texas. So, as we pack our bags and embark on new journies, let us not forget to mosey on down to Corpus Christi for the 82nd Texas FFA Convention. It's only 11 days away and is guaranteed to be the highlight of your summer. Get ready, Texas FFA! This year, "It starts with One" trip to the sparkling city by the sea!
Friday, July 2, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
Banquet Season
What do you get when you mix flowers, tears, plaques, and barbeque? That's right: a chapter banquet! It was already that time of year. The time when everyone breaks out the tissues, that special occassion that is noted as the "highlight of the year".
I started off at none other than good ol' Brenham High School. I must say everyone looked quite sharp in their official dress attire, and that chicken fried steak sure was yummy! I listened to the musical stylings of Miss Kyla Rae Cmajdalka (I hope I spelled that right, Kyla!) and Mr. Wesley Westbrook before hearing the many wise words of our retiring chapter officers. Of course, the highlight of my evening was watching my little sis be recognized as the 2010-2011 Brenham FFA President. I'm so proud of you, Lauren.
The next thing I knew, I was on my way to Klein Forest. It was here that I was blown away by the number of degree recipients. Talk about a lot of hard work paying off. I watched as Quad attempted not to cry during his final remarks (good try, Quad) and as the Senior members of one of my favorite officer teams hung up their jackets. Tiffany, you better keep that ghetto face on, because the new Klein Forest FFA team has an awesome year ahead of them.
Before long, I was driving...and driving...and driving...and still driving...all the way to the Irion County FFA Banquet in Mertzon, Texas. I must say, it was definitely worth the drive. For a program with a fresh start, they blew me away. Numerous state qualifying teams, the first Lone Star degree recipient in 25 years...and all because of an amazing ag teacher and his phenomenal students. I can't wait to see this chapter's name on banners for years and years to come.
By this time, I'd eaten fajitas, catfish, and even some chicken fried steak, but a banquet season isn't complete without barbeque. Luckily, I got my fill during the Sweeny FFA Banquet. I also earned myself a $10 profit from the bet that Ms. Pittman made. That one is going down in the books. And let's not forget the lovely dance moves from the Sweeny FFA Talent Team. Our next America's Got Talent contestants? I'm not too sure about that one...
That left only one more banquet: Louise FFA. This was the one where I broke out the tissues. Every time my eyes would finally dry, someone else would make them swell up with tears. All I can say is: Tana and Clint, Pa would be so proud of both of you. As if retiring addresses aren't enough to give you goosebumps, Clayton sent me over the edge. For as long as I can remember my one goal was to make a difference in one person's life...and in the process of working towards that, he made a difference in mine. Thank you so much.
And with that, I headed back home with banquets as a reflection in the rearview mirror and State Leadership Camp coming quickly in the distance. I can't wait to see what this year's SLC has in store. You 74 area officers better get ready, because it all starts with one...and that one is YOU.
I started off at none other than good ol' Brenham High School. I must say everyone looked quite sharp in their official dress attire, and that chicken fried steak sure was yummy! I listened to the musical stylings of Miss Kyla Rae Cmajdalka (I hope I spelled that right, Kyla!) and Mr. Wesley Westbrook before hearing the many wise words of our retiring chapter officers. Of course, the highlight of my evening was watching my little sis be recognized as the 2010-2011 Brenham FFA President. I'm so proud of you, Lauren.
The next thing I knew, I was on my way to Klein Forest. It was here that I was blown away by the number of degree recipients. Talk about a lot of hard work paying off. I watched as Quad attempted not to cry during his final remarks (good try, Quad) and as the Senior members of one of my favorite officer teams hung up their jackets. Tiffany, you better keep that ghetto face on, because the new Klein Forest FFA team has an awesome year ahead of them.
Before long, I was driving...and driving...and driving...and still driving...all the way to the Irion County FFA Banquet in Mertzon, Texas. I must say, it was definitely worth the drive. For a program with a fresh start, they blew me away. Numerous state qualifying teams, the first Lone Star degree recipient in 25 years...and all because of an amazing ag teacher and his phenomenal students. I can't wait to see this chapter's name on banners for years and years to come.
By this time, I'd eaten fajitas, catfish, and even some chicken fried steak, but a banquet season isn't complete without barbeque. Luckily, I got my fill during the Sweeny FFA Banquet. I also earned myself a $10 profit from the bet that Ms. Pittman made. That one is going down in the books. And let's not forget the lovely dance moves from the Sweeny FFA Talent Team. Our next America's Got Talent contestants? I'm not too sure about that one...
That left only one more banquet: Louise FFA. This was the one where I broke out the tissues. Every time my eyes would finally dry, someone else would make them swell up with tears. All I can say is: Tana and Clint, Pa would be so proud of both of you. As if retiring addresses aren't enough to give you goosebumps, Clayton sent me over the edge. For as long as I can remember my one goal was to make a difference in one person's life...and in the process of working towards that, he made a difference in mine. Thank you so much.
And with that, I headed back home with banquets as a reflection in the rearview mirror and State Leadership Camp coming quickly in the distance. I can't wait to see what this year's SLC has in store. You 74 area officers better get ready, because it all starts with one...and that one is YOU.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Area VIII- Part III: The final week
9 months. 30,000 miles. 400 high schools. 800 presentations. 150 houses...and it all came down to one, final week. Big D and I started off our final trek through Area VIII with a visit to Cleburne, Texas. It may have been early, but eventually, everyone was out of their seats having a great time. Of course, I can't forget our quick conversation with Tori, Pete, and Boots afterwards; we got the down-low on life in Cleburne. Next, we headed to Alvarado, where we had a blast learning about the students and their plans after high school. Our last stop of the day was Jimmy's in Midlothian...it may have been a teeny-tiny bit out of the way, but how can we turn down delicious Italian food with the coolest kids around?!
Our tasty lunch made me REALLY sleepy, so we stopped by Kayla Threet's house for a 3-hour snooze. I love days like that! Before long, we were in Italy, Texas for chicken spaghetti and the greatest brownies known to man. Haley's mama sure is a good cook! Don't worry, though, we also made a stop by the Uptown Cafe (recognized by Texas Monthly as one of the top 40 small-town cafes) for lunch after our presentation, and it certainly lived up to Dan's promises as "the best food ever". Thanks, Dan the Man. We ended our day in Frost, home of the Polar Bears. They didn't lie when they said there would be pictures of the mascot EVERYWHERE. I've never seen so many polar bears in my life!
Next, we headed on over to Hillsboro for the Lake Whitney District Convention. Talk about stiff competition. There were FIFTEEN candidates for district office, and they all gave astounding speeches. I, personally, was excited to hear a candidate begin her speech with the creed in Spanish. If you can do that too, make sure to sign up for the first-ever Spanish Creed Speaking Invitational that will take place at the 82nd Texas FFA Convention. After listening to all of the speeches, I must say that all of the candidates rocked it up there! Congratulations to all of the newly-elected Lake Whitney District officers and Area VIII officer candidates!
It had been a long day, for sure, which means it was time to rest our head...IN A CAMPER! Mr. Key set up the coolest stay for us in Joshua. He stocked his brand-new camper full of cokes and snacks just for us. Talk about the coolest house-stay ever! I even got to watch "Chopped" on the Food Network. It doesn't get much better than that. We woke up the next morning for what would be our very last day on the road. Dakotah kept trying to make me cry...but I held strong! Go me! After some tasty chicken biscuits from Chik-fil-a and an awesome presentation, we headed to Godley. It was there that I got to see my buddy Ryan (I haven't seen him in at least 6 years...crazy where you run into people!), and eat at the locally-acclaimed Taco del Norte with Jeremy. Yum! Then came the moment I had been dreading all year...our last school, the final time, the grand finale. Luckily, we ended our year with a big bang in Tolar. All of the seniors even stayed for our presentation, despite the fact that they were out of class. Thanks guys!
With that, we packed up our box for the final time. There would be no more "IDK", "BFF", "LOL" or "OMG". No more balloon games or rubber bands on people's noses. No more simon says. We were done. Was it sad? Yes. Did I cry? Absolutely not. We may have finished travel, but that just means we are closer to the 82nd Texas FFA Convention. This year, it starts with one concert by Kyle Park, one dance with over 5,000 students, one Vegas-themed fun night, and one chance to hang out with 15,000 of your friends. So, FFA members, get excited! Get pumped! Get ready for the convention of a lifetime in Corpus Christi, Texas, where "It Starts with One"!
Our tasty lunch made me REALLY sleepy, so we stopped by Kayla Threet's house for a 3-hour snooze. I love days like that! Before long, we were in Italy, Texas for chicken spaghetti and the greatest brownies known to man. Haley's mama sure is a good cook! Don't worry, though, we also made a stop by the Uptown Cafe (recognized by Texas Monthly as one of the top 40 small-town cafes) for lunch after our presentation, and it certainly lived up to Dan's promises as "the best food ever". Thanks, Dan the Man. We ended our day in Frost, home of the Polar Bears. They didn't lie when they said there would be pictures of the mascot EVERYWHERE. I've never seen so many polar bears in my life!
Next, we headed on over to Hillsboro for the Lake Whitney District Convention. Talk about stiff competition. There were FIFTEEN candidates for district office, and they all gave astounding speeches. I, personally, was excited to hear a candidate begin her speech with the creed in Spanish. If you can do that too, make sure to sign up for the first-ever Spanish Creed Speaking Invitational that will take place at the 82nd Texas FFA Convention. After listening to all of the speeches, I must say that all of the candidates rocked it up there! Congratulations to all of the newly-elected Lake Whitney District officers and Area VIII officer candidates!
It had been a long day, for sure, which means it was time to rest our head...IN A CAMPER! Mr. Key set up the coolest stay for us in Joshua. He stocked his brand-new camper full of cokes and snacks just for us. Talk about the coolest house-stay ever! I even got to watch "Chopped" on the Food Network. It doesn't get much better than that. We woke up the next morning for what would be our very last day on the road. Dakotah kept trying to make me cry...but I held strong! Go me! After some tasty chicken biscuits from Chik-fil-a and an awesome presentation, we headed to Godley. It was there that I got to see my buddy Ryan (I haven't seen him in at least 6 years...crazy where you run into people!), and eat at the locally-acclaimed Taco del Norte with Jeremy. Yum! Then came the moment I had been dreading all year...our last school, the final time, the grand finale. Luckily, we ended our year with a big bang in Tolar. All of the seniors even stayed for our presentation, despite the fact that they were out of class. Thanks guys!
With that, we packed up our box for the final time. There would be no more "IDK", "BFF", "LOL" or "OMG". No more balloon games or rubber bands on people's noses. No more simon says. We were done. Was it sad? Yes. Did I cry? Absolutely not. We may have finished travel, but that just means we are closer to the 82nd Texas FFA Convention. This year, it starts with one concert by Kyle Park, one dance with over 5,000 students, one Vegas-themed fun night, and one chance to hang out with 15,000 of your friends. So, FFA members, get excited! Get pumped! Get ready for the convention of a lifetime in Corpus Christi, Texas, where "It Starts with One"!
Friday, April 30, 2010
Oklahoma FFA Convention
What do Sonic, parking meters, shoppinng carts, Reba McEntire, Lane Frost, Braum's, and the National Cowboy Hall of Fame have in common? That's right, they all came from "Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plain..." (fyi: that's a song from the musical "Oklahoma"). There's only one thing from this great state that can top any #3 Extra-long cheese coney or cup of Braum's mint chocolate ice cream (a nearly impossible feat). What is that, you may ask? It's the Oklahoma FFA Convention, held every year in Oklahoma City during the month of April.
Kaleb and I arrived on Monday afternoon for a meal with the Fresh Country gang and a chit chat with the Oklahoma State FFA Officers. I must admit, it made me a teeny-tiny bit jittery inside to hear them practice opening ceremonies. There's just something completely exciting, overwhelming, and mind-blowing about a FANTASTIC rendition of those famous ceremony parts...(after reading that sentence over, I realized just how big of a nerd I am. ha ha.) Of course, that practice had nothing on the first general session of the 84th Oklahoma FFA Convention.
"Bring 'em out, bring 'em out" blared through the speakers, lasers danced onto the screens, and lights flashed into the crowd. Then, in the midst of anticipation, came Amy, McKenzie, Josh, Robby, Emily, Tara, Ariel, and Kelli emerged from backstage...each followed by chapter officer carrying a GIGANTIC, blown-up picture of the state officer's head (hard to explain but SO COOL!) With the tap of a gavel, the convention was brought to order...and thus, the beginning of a very fast 2 days.
We saw everything from video footage to inspirational speakers, heard everything from piano players to the final address of Amy Peel, and tasted everything from pasta to convention pretzels. We offered up some "awesome" greetings on behalf of Texas FFA, presented a workshop for 200 enthusiastic Oklahomans, showed off our Texas two-stepping moves, jammed out to Eli Young band, and made friends with the 2010-2011 State Officer candidates. Talk about a good time.
Before we knew it, we were headed back to Texas. Good-bye to the home of Sonic, parking meters, shopping carts, and cute cowboys...and hello, Lone Star state. Only 3 more days of travel left. So stay tuned as we head to our final destination of the year. It's gonna be great when we're in Area 8!
Kaleb and I arrived on Monday afternoon for a meal with the Fresh Country gang and a chit chat with the Oklahoma State FFA Officers. I must admit, it made me a teeny-tiny bit jittery inside to hear them practice opening ceremonies. There's just something completely exciting, overwhelming, and mind-blowing about a FANTASTIC rendition of those famous ceremony parts...(after reading that sentence over, I realized just how big of a nerd I am. ha ha.) Of course, that practice had nothing on the first general session of the 84th Oklahoma FFA Convention.
"Bring 'em out, bring 'em out" blared through the speakers, lasers danced onto the screens, and lights flashed into the crowd. Then, in the midst of anticipation, came Amy, McKenzie, Josh, Robby, Emily, Tara, Ariel, and Kelli emerged from backstage...each followed by chapter officer carrying a GIGANTIC, blown-up picture of the state officer's head (hard to explain but SO COOL!) With the tap of a gavel, the convention was brought to order...and thus, the beginning of a very fast 2 days.
We saw everything from video footage to inspirational speakers, heard everything from piano players to the final address of Amy Peel, and tasted everything from pasta to convention pretzels. We offered up some "awesome" greetings on behalf of Texas FFA, presented a workshop for 200 enthusiastic Oklahomans, showed off our Texas two-stepping moves, jammed out to Eli Young band, and made friends with the 2010-2011 State Officer candidates. Talk about a good time.
Before we knew it, we were headed back to Texas. Good-bye to the home of Sonic, parking meters, shopping carts, and cute cowboys...and hello, Lone Star state. Only 3 more days of travel left. So stay tuned as we head to our final destination of the year. It's gonna be great when we're in Area 8!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Area IV- Part II
We’ve been driving…and driving…and driving…and driving. Trust me, we have seen it all. We have seen a dozen beautiful red sunsets, a million bright yellow stars, and miles of fertile brown land. Then, on Monday, we were re-introduced to a color that we hadn’t seen in quite some time: GREEN. We saw green trees, green bushes, and even some green grass. Right about the time that we started to forget what the color green looked like, we pulled into good ole Area IV.
We started our week off in Quanah with a trip to Subway (a fabulous lunch despite the lack of black olives and the large Dr. Pepper Kaleb spilled all over the floor) and a history lesson on the success of their program. Did you know that Quanah FFA had 3 State FFA officers IN A ROW?! I, personally, was quite impressed. Before long, we were heading down the road to Crowell, where Aron played a quick tennis match against Wendy and JD. Kaleb and I never really got to the match part; it took us a while to even master swinging the racket correctly.
That night, the Vaughns cooked us up a feast of Windthorst classics: pork chops, German sausage, sour kraut, beans, pumpkin rolls, and apple crisp. In the words of Kaleb McLaurin, it was “awesome, just awesome, like really awesome. Man, it was awesome. It was so…” That’s right. “Awesome.” The next morning, we finished up the presentation in Windthorst and headed to Iowa Park. We were so early! Woo hoo! Go us! If only we had read the schedule correctly and gone to the right school…epic fail.
So, we trucked it on over to City View for our actual presentation. Before long, we were headed back to Iowa Park (this time, we got the time right) for a tasty lunch and a chit chat with the gang. With that, we had successfully completed our day. We had two hours of free time, so being the responsible, studious state officers that we are, we figured we would do some work on the computer. While on our way to Hastings, we spotted a Starbucks off in the distance and re-routed our trip…but instead of doing work, we had a nice, long chat with Mr. Alejandro. It wasn’t until later that we learned of the five people that were shot that afternoon…in the Hastings we had originally planned on going to. Talk about getting lucky.
A skip, a hop, and a jump later, we were in Olney for a bite to eat at Don Antonio’s. Mmm…nothing beats homemade tortillas. After a jam session, an intense basketball (which Kaleb surprisingly won), a viewing of Air Tractor, a meet-and-greet with the Olney administration, and a presentation, we were “on the road again”. This time, we were headed to Graham, where we had a great time cutting up with their FFA members and enjoying a TASTY burger at Burgers and Billiards. Lastly, we finished our travels in the thriving metropolis of Bryson, Texas.
With that, we waved good-bye to the lush green lands of Area IV. Not to worry, though, we still have 3 whole days left of travel! Stay tuned for our final blog from the road!
We started our week off in Quanah with a trip to Subway (a fabulous lunch despite the lack of black olives and the large Dr. Pepper Kaleb spilled all over the floor) and a history lesson on the success of their program. Did you know that Quanah FFA had 3 State FFA officers IN A ROW?! I, personally, was quite impressed. Before long, we were heading down the road to Crowell, where Aron played a quick tennis match against Wendy and JD. Kaleb and I never really got to the match part; it took us a while to even master swinging the racket correctly.
That night, the Vaughns cooked us up a feast of Windthorst classics: pork chops, German sausage, sour kraut, beans, pumpkin rolls, and apple crisp. In the words of Kaleb McLaurin, it was “awesome, just awesome, like really awesome. Man, it was awesome. It was so…” That’s right. “Awesome.” The next morning, we finished up the presentation in Windthorst and headed to Iowa Park. We were so early! Woo hoo! Go us! If only we had read the schedule correctly and gone to the right school…epic fail.
So, we trucked it on over to City View for our actual presentation. Before long, we were headed back to Iowa Park (this time, we got the time right) for a tasty lunch and a chit chat with the gang. With that, we had successfully completed our day. We had two hours of free time, so being the responsible, studious state officers that we are, we figured we would do some work on the computer. While on our way to Hastings, we spotted a Starbucks off in the distance and re-routed our trip…but instead of doing work, we had a nice, long chat with Mr. Alejandro. It wasn’t until later that we learned of the five people that were shot that afternoon…in the Hastings we had originally planned on going to. Talk about getting lucky.
A skip, a hop, and a jump later, we were in Olney for a bite to eat at Don Antonio’s. Mmm…nothing beats homemade tortillas. After a jam session, an intense basketball (which Kaleb surprisingly won), a viewing of Air Tractor, a meet-and-greet with the Olney administration, and a presentation, we were “on the road again”. This time, we were headed to Graham, where we had a great time cutting up with their FFA members and enjoying a TASTY burger at Burgers and Billiards. Lastly, we finished our travels in the thriving metropolis of Bryson, Texas.
With that, we waved good-bye to the lush green lands of Area IV. Not to worry, though, we still have 3 whole days left of travel! Stay tuned for our final blog from the road!
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