Tallassee, Ala., and Kea’au, Hawaii, FFA chapters with the 2024-25 National FFA Officers.
Connecting FFA members from across the nation can be a challenge. Every chapter has its own traditions, community and culture that make it unique. But a new National FFA initiative called Chapter Connect is helping bridge those distances and create meaningful relationships between members from all over the United States.
Chapter Connect is a pilot program that pairs 30 FFA chapters with partners from entirely different backgrounds, sizes and demographics. The purpose is simple: to encourage collaboration, strengthen leadership skills and help members learn from different perspectives while celebrating what makes each chapter special.
Chapter Connect participants from Iowa and Louisiana.
Turning Collaboration Into Unforgettable Connections
Throughout the program, many chapter pairs completed two virtual meetings, one or two collaborative activities and a community service project. These experiences give members the chance to connect beyond their own schools, explore how FFA operates in different regions and discover new ways to serve their communities.
“I enjoyed getting out of my comfort zone and meeting new people, especially people that live across the country,” says a participating Chapter Connect member.
From Florida to Alaska, California to Virginia and everywhere in between, chapters teamed up through online calls, exciting partnership activities and service projects that highlight the power of teamwork and shared goals. Members have also gained a greater appreciation for the diversity within FFA and the common purpose that unites them.
Uniting Members Through Shared Ideas and Experiences
Advisors are also learning through this new experience. By collaborating with their partner chapters, they’re exchanging ideas, discussing classroom strategies and discovering fresh approaches to leadership development. These connections have strengthened the National FFA Organization’s nationwide network of educators and mentors.
Advisors at the Chapter Connect opening night.
“I truly enjoyed getting to reconnect with my National FFA teacher ambassador friends with Chapter Connect,” says a participating advisor.
Making Their Impactful Connections Flourish
As Chapter Connect continues to grow, its impact stretches even further. The program demonstrates that, although every FFA chapter is unique, the organization’s mission remains the same: to build leaders, strengthen agriculture and create meaningful connections.
When chapters come together through Chapter Connect, they prove that FFA is more than a blue jacket — it’s a family of passionate members and educators working together to make a difference.
