Kea’au FFA members and Tallassee FFA members at Fair Oak Farms.
All it takes is some time to build a lifelong friendship. The new National FFA Chapter Connect program offers this time, fertilizing bonds that will flourish and last a lifetime.
What Is Chapter Connect?
During my time at the 98th National FFA Convention & Expo, I met many wonderful people from various states, cultures and backgrounds. I had a wonderful opportunity to bond further with a chapter from Tallassee, Ala., thanks to a new program called Chapter Connect.
In this program, you do three heartfelt activities with another FFA chapter. In return, FFA chapters receive a grant for travel to the National FFA Convention. You not only meet one chapter, but also other chapters and people with unique cultures, backgrounds and life experiences!
Group photo with Tallassee FFA at Fair Oaks Farms.
First Activity: Fair Oak Farms, Orientation and Aloha Spirit
The Kea’au FFA Chapter’s floriculture team had the wonderful opportunity to connect with a chapter in Tallassee, Ala. Our first shared activity, a tour at Fair Oaks Farms, was fantastic. As a gesture of aloha (love and fellowship), we gave many gifts to members and advisors, including keychains, leis and homemade gifts made by Kea’au FFA member KC Kalili.
Kalili explained the cultural significance of her gifts to chapter members, which sparked curiosity and led to a deeper exchange about our traditions, values and way of life! These gifts all embody the aloha spirit that we grow up living with in Hawaii, which includes hospitality, generosity and fellowship.
We also had the opportunity to do an obstacle course with Tallassee FFA, where laughs echoed throughout the course and funny moments occurred that strengthened our bond between our chapters. This experience made the next few days even more meaningful, as these initial conversations grew deeper into heartfelt conversations and exchanges about our journeys in FFA, our challenges along the way and our passion for the future of agriculture.
That same day, we had a Chapter Connect program dinner and orientation! I continued conversations with members from Tallassee and discovered that we shared the same sense of humor. During orientation, I learned about some of the members’ experiences in FFA and that some of us shared an experience participating in the floriculture career development event. We shared differences between how our states ran the competitions, which included that our state focuses on leis and corsages, rather than emphasizing floral arrangements. These interactions really exemplified how this program helped me build deeper connections with people I once called strangers.
Tallassee and Kea’au FFA dancing in Steak & Shake.
Second Activity: Dinner and Dancing at Steak & Shake
Our second activity was dinner at Steak & Shake, and this night was unforgettable for me. We felt an even deeper connection with one another, and we danced in the restaurant for hours, losing track of time until it was midnight. It was a remarkable experience, and I was so delighted to share that experience with the new friends I met.
Third Activity: Farewell Breakfast and Jacket Exchange
Our third and final activity was the chapter connect farewell breakfast. We exchanged jackets as lasting tokens of friendship and said our heartfelt goodbyes, with the hopes to meet up again in the near future through chapter visits.
Reflections: Cherished Memories and Lifetime Bonds
This program was truly remarkable and brought students from across the country together, all of whom had unique customs, cultures and stories. I made friends, shared laughs and built bonds that will stretch beyond convention. The memories and people I met made this experience one to remember, and one I’ll cherish for a lifetime.
Thank you to everyone, especially Lloyd Daley-Graham and Corey Flournoy, who made this program possible. It connected me with remarkable individuals that I’m honored to have met.
