By Jackie Mundt, Pratt County farmer and rancher
Every year since 1948, FFA members, agriculture teachers, alumni and supporters have come together to celebrate National FFA Week. The tradition is held during the week of Feb. 22, in honor of George Washington’s birthday — a fitting tribute to a leader who valued agriculture and innovation.
For many local chapters, FFA Week carries the same excitement as homecoming. There are dress-up days, special events like donkey basketball or Drive Your Tractor to School Day, and plenty of friendly competition. More than 20 years later, I still smile when I think about organizing “FFA Olympics,” visiting elementary classrooms in my blue corduroy jacket and the countless hours we poured into making the week memorable at my high school.
For state and national officers, however, FFA Week looks a little different. Their schedules are typically packed with chapter visits, media interviews, workshops and trips to state capitols or meetings with supporters. During my year as a national officer, most of my teammates were dispatched across the country with back-to-back appearances, inspiring members and celebrating alongside local chapters.
One teammate, Emily, and I had a very different experience.
We began the week helping with an appreciation breakfast for National FFA staff hosted by local chapters. Then we flew to Washington, D.C., for legislative and agency visits to promote FFA. What we didn’t anticipate was a snowstorm — every single night.
Each day, we navigated nearly a foot of fresh snow in high heels, making our way to meetings on Capitol Hill and at federal agencies. The snow didn’t stop business hours, so we were still able to meet with staff and share FFA’s story. But once evening arrived, the city shut down. Instead of attending chapter banquets or community events, we found ourselves ordering pizza from the same delivery place each night. While our teammates were spending 16-hour days energizing FFA members across the country, Emily and I were curled up in our hotel room voting for Carrie Underwood on “American Idol.” It wasn’t the FFA Week we expected — but it was certainly one we’ll never forget.
In recent years, social media has added a new dimension to FFA Week. Alumni and supporters update profile photos with pictures from their own FFA days, sharing how the organization shaped their leadership, confidence and career skills. A few years ago, Give FFA Day was established on the Thursday of FFA Week, providing a focused opportunity to give back.
That spirit of generosity is part of why I said yes when asked to join the Kansas FFA Foundation Board of Directors last year. My own FFA experience — and the impact I continue to see in students across our communities — made it an easy decision. What I’ve witnessed in my short time on the board has exceeded expectations. Dedicated staff and volunteers work tirelessly to elevate opportunities for students and support agriculture teachers in meaningful ways.
This year’s Give FFA Day momentum was impossible to miss. Media partnerships, coordinated social media campaigns and a live event at headquarters helped build excitement around Kansas’s goal of raising $50,000. The response was extraordinary.
By the end of the day, more than $106,000 had been raised, with donations coming from all 50 states and every one of Kansas’ 105 counties. The outpouring of support demonstrated just how deeply FFA resonates — not only with current members but with generations who understand its lasting influence.
FFA Week is about celebration, yes. But it is also about investment — in students, in teachers and in the future of agriculture. Watching that support materialize in such a tangible way was both humbling and inspiring.
For me, FFA Week will always carry memories of blue jackets, spirited competitions and even a snowy Washington, D.C., adventure. More importantly, it represents a community committed to developing the next generation of agricultural and community leaders — and that is something worth celebrating every year.
“Insight” is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state’s largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.
