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Blue jackets will descend upon Indianapolis Wednesday as over 50,000 guests from around the country will attend the 94th National FFA Convention & Expo downtown.
Last year’s convention was held virtually, this year, “Ooh it’s exciting. It’s so, so exciting to be back in person,” says Scott Stump, National FFA CEO.
“Yes, we were able to reach 217,000 individuals virtually last year, but there is nothing like being together in person. And the impact that we’re going to have in providing hope and renewal and connectedness to students and teachers that have just seen such disruption and loss over the past year, we’re so excited and blessed to be able to provide that.”
The convention runs from Wednesday to Saturday at the Indiana Convention Center, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indy.
FFA members from across the country, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands are expected to participate in the event. Those who will not be able to participate in-person will have an option to participate in online components – ranging from the virtual FFA Blue Room to student and teacher workshops to general sessions. The FFA Blue Room will allow members to see how sustainability and innovation from the world’s brightest minds solve critical agriculture challenges. Students and teachers will be able to hear from industry leaders and more during workshops. They will be able to celebrate the achievements of their fellow FFA members as they watch the general sessions online.
Those attending in person will be able to participate in general convention sessions hosted at Lucas Oil Stadium, where they will be inspired by their peers who will be recognized for their accomplishments. They will be able to attend the expo, located in the Indiana Convention Center, and explore various career paths open to them. In addition, they can explore various careers by participating in career success tours and so much more! In addition, they will have a variety of entertainment opportunities open to them – from watching Brett Young, with special guest Alex Miller perform at the concert on Wednesday night to attending the rodeos on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights.
FFA members attending convention will also be able to participate in student and teacher workshops in person. They will hear from industry leaders, motivational speakers and more. Service has always been a part of the National FFA motto, and members will be able to participate in two new onsite service projects. The first will be the building of Little Free Pantries, which will be placed in and around Indianapolis to help improve access to food for those in need. The second opportunity will be to paint the Little Free Pantries or create uplifting cards for Meals on Wheels of Central Indiana.
FFA members who are unable to attend convention will still be able to participate in National Days of Service in their local communities through a virtual project that will last through the month of October. Chapters will need to register their chapter and report their service project and its impact on their community.
General convention sessions will be streamed on FFA.org. FFA members and supporters can tune in and watch gavel-to-gavel coverage of the event. To learn more, visit convention.FFA.org.