The Blue Jackets Hit Purdue for State Convention

2013 FFA state preview

Indiana FFA Career Development Events in Ag Mechanics, Food Science and Marketing, and Ag Sales and Vet Science were held Monday at Ivy Tech in Lafayette as the state officer team put the finishing touches on the annual state convention that runs the next three days.

“Tonight we’ll be having our opening celebration at 6:30 PM in Elliott Hall of Music and the state officers have a really neat opening planned,” said Cameron Mann, the Indiana State FFA president. “Then we’ll go straight into our first general session, our foundation session, and the rest of the week we’ll be busy with contests, district officer elections and all of the rest of the general sessions.”

Mann’s year with the other officers ends at the conclusion of this convention. She told HAT the members coming to Purdue from across the state will hear keynote addresses that include a national FFA officer.

“On Tuesday evening we’ll have our first keynote speaker who is Barrett Keene. He is a speaker who really focuses on leadership. He’s had past FFA experiences. He’s from Florida and we’re really excited to have him here and share a message to our members. Our other keynote speaker this year is the western region vice president of National FFA, Lindsey Anderson, and she’ll be delivering her keynote during the third general session chaired by Shelby Riley, our state reporter.”

Mann said FFA sponsors help drive the organization and their help is crucial throughout the year and in June with convention.

“Our organization would not be able to do what it does without our sponsors. We brag all the time about how we’re the largest youth led organization and we could not do that without the sponsors that we have. It’s great to have so many partners in Indiana that are willing to see the value in investing in FFA and how our members are not only going to be the leaders of the agriculture industry, but other industries as well because we’re equipping them with skills that are useful in all aspects of life and not just agriculture”

She added that everything at state convention is sponsored, from the individual days and the general sessions to the charm that goes on the Hoosier degree.

(pictured, L-R: Cameron Mann, Shelby Riley and Marshall Perkins)

Listen to the full HAT interview:Cameron Mann 13 State preview