At the 98th National FFA Convention, the sound of laughter and the occasional bark filled the air as FFA members braided paracord leashes for animals in need across Indianapolis. In partnership with Indy Humane, hundreds of students gathered to create 1,500 leashes and 200 animal care kits.
The Living to Serve project invited members to put the FFA motto into action. While the leashes will be used for adoption events and low-cost clinics, the hands-on activity gave members a firsthand look at how service, leadership and teamwork connect. “It really ties back to the motto of FFA of just giving back and serving,” says Luca Naccarato of the Winchester FFA Chapter in Illinois.
The collaboration supports Indy Humane’s broader mission of animal care and pregnancy prevention. “We’re trying to save the animals that have already been born but also prevent new animals from being born and needing services,” explains Katie Myers, senior director of operations at Indy Humane. “We are extremely grateful to the partners here today that are helping us. We couldn’t do what we do without community support and getting new people involved, especially the younger generation…and seeing so many people out here supporting animal welfare is just huge for us.”
For FFA members, the experience was more than a chance to volunteer; it was an exercise in teamwork and collaboration — skills that are heavily taught in FFA. “As soon as one [student] figured it out, they all went around to help everyone. But we also had one of the workers help us,I think it’s definitely teamwork,” says Alex Marcum from the Talawanda Mohawk Tech FFA Chapter in Ohio.
National FFA convention volunteer Jack Duncan says the project’s impact will extend much beyond the convention floor. “The whole goal of this project is that students can replicate this in their hometowns.
As FFA members packed their last kits and tied their final knots, one thing was clear: service doesn’t end when the event does. Whether it’s through a leash, a kit or a simple act of kindness, these FFA members are proving that leadership and compassion go hand in hand.
