While there, Oakdale students kept busy with activities like competitive events, expo, delegate events, student and teacher workshops, career success tours, concerts, rodeos, hypnotist shows, and award recognition ceremonies. The Expo allows them to explore career and educational opportunities from more than 450 industry-leading exhibitors. Agriculture teacher and advisor of Oakdale’s FFA chapter, Sarah Welty expresses, “There were 73,000 people there and that was a new high. It’s also the biggest youth convention in the United States.”

Welty also added, “My favorite part was watching a student from Oklahoma light up when my students from Maryland went and sat with them. It was a really special moment where you can see that sitting with someone you don’t know makes such a huge difference.”

The Oakdale FFA chapter members also had a great time at the convention. Senior Hannah Kanode recalls, “For me, my favorite part would be meeting other chapters from other states because you get to compare and contrast how their school works compared to [yours] . We met a lot of people that have small schools and others [that are ]  big  schools.”  This is a huge network event, as schools from The U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and U.S are all able to attend the convention. 

Welty states, “The leadership is unparalleled, there is nothing that touches it. That gives them the opportunity to practice leadership and talk to people to [learn] communication.” Part of this convention are various workshops, which teach the students leadership skills. 

At the convention students are required to help complete a service project. This year, FFA

decided to make sensory bottles to donate to the Damar Foundation; these sensory bottles will be given to individuals with developmental and behavioral challenges.

Students could do a variety of activities throughout the week. Kanode explained, “We did the expo and shopping mall. We explored Indianapolis and did a workshop. We also made sensory bottles and donated them.”

Overall, going to the National FFA Convention and Expo provides lots of opportunities for those interested in learning about agriculture, developing leadership skills, and career/educational opportunities. It is also a great way to meet new people from different territories and states!