Alumni and Supporters Provides A New Worldview
For graduating seniors, there are plenty of ways to stay connected to FFA after high school. One of these is traveling with the National FFA Alumni and Supporters. Last summer, friends Allison Dix and Cara Holtorf, both agriculture teachers and FFA advisors, visited Costa Rica with FFA alumni and supporters from across the country.
Dix, an agriculture teacher and Phillipsburg FFA advisor in Kansas, took her first international agricultural trip in college. The experience opened her eyes to how agriculture differs around the world and that, in the U.S., this is often not understood.
“I enjoy traveling and seeing what agriculture is like in other countries,” Dix says. “It was also neat because there were six other FFA advisors on the Costa Rica trip, and it was interesting to hear their perspectives.”
Education and Excursions
The week-long trip combined visits to a variety of farming operations, including pineapple and banana farms, cattle operations and excursions into the rainforest to learn about native wildlife and plants. There was also plenty of time for fun activities, including hiking and ziplining.
“Reflecting on the experience, I realized that while local agriculture can shape communities, it is the work of all agriculturalists that makes the agriculture industry thrive,” says Holtorf, an agriculture teacher and Wilber-Clatonia FFA advisor in Nebraska. “Anywhere you are, it takes hardworking and passionate people to grow and produce agricultural products.”
Both Dix and Holtorf share their experiences with students in their respective classrooms to further students’ understanding that products come from around the world and are processed differently from how they are in the United States.
“The trip is worth the investment, and I look forward to attending again in the future,” Holtorf says.
Find Your Alumni Travel Experience
The National FFA Alumni and Supporters offer trips to the Northeast U.S. in 2026 and Japan in 2028 to celebrate the National FFA Organization’s 100th anniversary. Get all the details, from dates and itineraries to registration and available grant funding.
Forever Blue for You
Your connection with FFA follows you beyond high school and college graduation. FFA Alumni and Supporters have access to numerous local, regional, national and international opportunities to connect through the Forever Blue Network.
Through the Forever Blue Network, you have access to discounts and exclusive chances to travel the world. You can also attend educational events such as the in-person Regional Development Conferences, the Remote Development Conference and state meet-ups.
