Harlan FFA members attend 99th National FFA Convention

By Renée Brich,
Managing Editor
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Seven members of the Harlan FFA chapter traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana, Oct. 20-23 to attend the National FFA Convention and Expo. During the trip, members participated in convention activities, leadership workshops and several educational tours. They traveled on a charter bus with members from four other Iowa FFA chapters: Audubon, Carroll, Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton and ACGC.
The group began its trip Tuesday, Oct. 20, with a stop in Chicago, Illinois, for several tours and sightseeing opportunities before continuing to Indianapolis. Their first stop was the Shedd Aquarium, located along the shores of Lake Michigan. One highlight was seeing rescued beluga whales from Ontario, Canada.
The group then visited Cloud Gate, the downtown Chicago sculpture commonly known as “The Bean,” before heading to Willis Tower for a Skydeck tour. Members traveled 103 floors to a height of 1,353 feet, offering views of the city. The evening concluded with a visit to Navy Pier, where members enjoyed Chicago-style deep-dish pizza from Giordano’s.
Wednesday, Oct. 21, was another day of touring in the Chicago area. The first stop was the Field Museum, where members saw “Sue,” the famous Tyrannosaurus rex fossil.
Next, the group visited Farm on Ogden, a multipurpose facility in Chicago’s Lawndale neighborhood that brings together food, health and employment opportunities to support the surrounding community. Members learned about aquaponics and hydroponic vegetable production, raised garden beds and the facility’s community health programs.
The afternoon featured a tour of Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs. Following the tour, the group traveled to Indianapolis for the remainder of the trip.
On Thursday, Oct. 22, members spent the day in downtown Indianapolis participating in National FFA Convention activities. The morning began with the first general session of the 99th National FFA Convention at Lucas Oil Stadium. Members heard reflections from National FFA officers, enjoyed performances by the National FFA Band and Chorus, and listened to keynote speaker Scott McKain, a former National FFA officer.
The remainder of the day was spent at the Indianapolis Convention Center, where members explored the Career Show and Expo and participated in leadership workshops of their choice. The expo featured more than 400 agricultural businesses and colleges from across the country. That evening, the group attended an outing at Indy Scream Park.
Nearly 73,000 FFA members and guests from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands attended this year’s convention, setting a new attendance record. The event is the largest annual national student convention. The National FFA Organization also reached a milestone, with membership surpassing 1 million for the first time.