FFA Infected by COVID-19
By Teagan Charmasson
The Corona Virus has impacted our world in many ways; our economy has been hit hard, and people across the globe are suffering. The FFA organization is not immune to the effects of this pandemic. First to fall was the Oklahoma Youth Expo in March, which had to shut down early, and left many showmen without the opportunity to exhibit their livestock. This was especially heartbreaking for the hundreds of graduating seniors that felt they had missed out on their last chance to ride in the famous limo during the grand drive. OYE later announced that seniors would be eligible to participate in next year’s show, however this may not be possible for many kids that are leaving for college, and will be unable to care for an animal.
Shortly after things began to shut down in Oklahoma, we learned that our FFA State Interscholastic contest would be cancelled. For Shattuck FFA, this meant no public speakers, no Ag Issues team, no Agriscience Fair, and no CDE competitors. This contest acted as a qualifier for the National FFA Convention in October, so many FFA members were left wondering what that meant for the National Convention? We sadly learned on June 26th that the National Convention would also be cancelled and held virtually.
State and National FFA summer events would also succumb to the virus. Oklahoma FFA Alumni Leadership camp, and the Washington Leadership Conference both announced earlier this summer that they would have to cancel due to COVID. However, this past week, officials at the state level have announced that Alumni Camp will not only host a virtual camp, but will also be putting on an onsite camp for a reduced number of campers. They will have several precautionary measures in place to ensure campers’ safety, and I know FFA members across the state are so grateful that they will have the chance to attend camp this summer.
On the same date as the announcement that cancelled the National Convention, we learned that the Oklahoma State Fair would not be held in September. The OK State Fair website announced on Friday that they have cancelled, but “look forward to brighter days ahead when we can gather again.” Although the Tulsa State Fair has not yet cancelled, they have cut back drastically on events that will take place during the fair, and are implementing a number of safety measures. Again, this comes as a major blow to many students that have already begun work on their various projects.
FFA students are looking at a different summer than we expected, but we will come out of this stronger, knowing that none of us are in it alone. Although we are missing out on some of our favorite activities, FFA members across the country are, no doubt, utilizing this time to continue working on their projects. Shattuck FFA is looking forward to those brighter days when we all can gather in the ag room to practice our speeches and study our CDEs. Until then, stay safe, and wash your hands!
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