When East River FFA member Malerie Scammey thought to bring friendship bracelets to the 2023 Florida FFA State Convention & Expo, she expected to only swap them with fellow Taylor Swift fans. However, Scammey’s project turned into an experience that united FFA members and Swifties from across the state.
Leading up to the Florida FFA State Convention, members spread the word via social media posts.
“I’ve listened to Taylor Swift my entire life, and I love that anyone can be a fan of her music,” she says. “Her community is so welcoming, and I think there’s a similar community in FFA. I saw how much fun people had making bracelets for [Taylor Swift’s] The Eras Tour, and I thought there was a place for that same kind of energy at state convention.”
As the mastermind behind this exchange, Scammey had a lot of planning to do. “I contacted our state staff to make sure they were OK with it,” she says. “Then the hard part began — I had to make sure people knew this was happening, so they could prepare and participate.”
Getting Everyone Involved
Scammey decided to utilize her position as a Florida FFA Sub-District officer to share the news. “I posted it on the Instagram page as a fun thing for our subdistrict members to do, and it spread from there,” she says. The original post that shared information about the bracelet exchange gained more than 800 shares.
Members’ bracelets represented FFA officer positions, career development events and more.
“State officer candidates and current officers shared the post, and it helped they supported the idea,” Scammey adds. “We made friendship bracelet guides, so everyone could be on the same page. We had specific colors for officers, competitions and even advisors.”
Leading up to the convention, Florida FFA members prepared for the exchange. Their handmade bracelets featured various FFA traditions and activities, including gold beads representing the rising sun and brown beads symbolizing the soil career development event.
Throughout the process, Scammey encouraged participants to make the most of this opportunity. She views this exchange as a timeless experience for current and future members.
“Convention can sometimes be overwhelming, so giving someone a friendship bracelet can open the door when getting to know them,” she says. “Taylor Swift has a strong following, but so does FFA. In addition to our love for this organization and our blue jackets, it’s a way for everyone to come together and serves as something to unite us. I think members will continue this for years to come.”
