More Than Just a Blue Jacket
Josie Kuennen with her blue jacket award jacket.
When I was in eighth grade, I came home from school one day and asked my parents if I could join FFA. At the time, I didn’t really know much about the organization. A kid on my bus was always talking about his FFA experiences and wearing his blue jacket and, honestly, I thought the jacket was the coolest thing ever. That night at dinner, my parents asked why I wanted to join. My answer was simple: “I want the blue jacket!” My mom laughed and told me there had to be more reasons than that because she was pretty sure she could find one on eBay and buy it for me herself. Until I had real reasons to join, the answer was no.
The next year, my classmate, Hector, started talking to me about FFA during study hall and suggested I should join with him. This time, I knew I needed to learn more about what FFA actually was before asking my parents again. For nearly a month, Hector and I visited Mr. Austin after school almost every day. During those conversations, I learned about leadership, competitions, community service, agricultural education and all the opportunities FFA had to offer.
Armed with new knowledge and real reasons to join, I asked my parents again. This time, they said yes.
That first year in the Northfield FFA Chapter completely changed me. I competed in my first career development event, floriculture, alongside Tara, Kaden and Maddie. Even though we did not place high, I loved stepping outside my comfort zone and trying something new. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I continued competing in floriculture throughout my FFA career.
Kuennen and her teammates competing in the floriculture career development event.
I also attended outreach programs, volunteered whenever I could and slowly became more involved in the chapter. What surprised me most was how much FFA helped build my confidence. At first, I relied on Hector to go with me whenever I needed to ask questions. One day, Mr. Austin noticed I had come in by myself. That may not seem like a big moment to some people, but for me, it was huge. It showed me that I was growing more confident and independent.
As my confidence grew, so did my involvement. I applied to be a chapter officer and was selected to serve as historian for the 2024-25 school year. Later, I also had the opportunity to serve as the Minnesota FFA in the USA reporter, where I was able to represent our chapter and share stories about agriculture and FFA experiences. One of the highlights of my FFA journey was attending the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis twice. Being surrounded by thousands of FFA members from across the country was an unforgettable experience. I attended workshops, met new people and gained experiences I never would have imagined having when I first joined.
Last summer, I also attended the Washington Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. The conference challenged me to continue growing as a leader, step even further outside my comfort zone and learn how to make a positive difference in my community.
Kuennen and other FFA members at the Washington Leadership Conference, in Washington, D.C
Now, as I prepare to graduate, I look back and realize how much FFA has shaped me. A year ago, I would not have had the courage to stand in front of a crowd and give a speech. Today, I can confidently represent my chapter, communicate with others and take on leadership roles that once would have terrified me.
FFA has given me so much more than a blue jacket. It has given me confidence, leadership skills, friendships, opportunities and memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life. What started as simply wanting a jacket has turned into wearing that jacket with pride and proudly representing everything FFA stands for every time I put it on.
As I graduate and begin the next chapter of my life, I will always be grateful for the experiences, lessons and people that made my FFA journey unforgettable.
