The Other Side

Thursday morning. Courtyard Mariott Hotel. 30 minutes from Conseco Field House. Shower. Get Dressed. Attach Advisor button to lapel. Pass out Student buttons to ten students. Load fifty students on Kincaid bus. Ride to downtown Indianapolis. Herd the group into Conseco for the Opening Session of the 83rd  National FFA Convention. Music, feelings, emotions and memories. Now, I'm on the other side.

Can you imagine being there with us? Nine years ago, I wore the student button and the location was Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. Many a folks have experience National FFA Convention either as a member, college student (exhibitor) or an advisor. Some have the experience of both. This year was my first on the other side.

When I was a freshmen in high school, our school drive two suburbans on the nine or eleven hour trek to the sea of Blue and Gold. Miss Wimmer and Mr. Granzow guided us on tours, like that of Louisville Slugger museum, exposed us to new restaurants, like the Old Spaghetti Factory, and gifted us with the experience of attending sessions of the National FFA Convention. I still remember hearing Anne Knapke's retiring address with stories of astronomy and being kind to the person that was different in the college dormitory. I recall telling older students in our group that I thought I might want to become a national officer down the road (not in God's plans for me, though). They responded with encouraging words. The experience evoked emotion within me and set me on track for an FFA career full of friends, travel, competition, leadership and many life lessons. 

Now, I've just returned from attending my seventh National FFA Convention, this time as an advisor (well, almost). Traveling with a group of student from five other FFA chapters in the area, we departed for convention early Wednesday morning and returned late Saturday evening. No suburbans this time, we were on a tour bus. This allowed us as advisors to have a few less worries, and allowed the students to make a few more new friends. There were still tours, restaurants, and sessions, but this time, I wasn't there for myself. We were there to guide the students and help them to enjoy the experience. 

Entering into Conseco behind the students, memories came flooding back of my convention experiences as a greenhand, as a junior in high school, as a state officer, and as a former teammate of one of the national officers. Wow. Music, laughter, friends, retiring addresses, keynote speakers.  Memories made, for me. I could only imaging what memories would be made for my students this time and for years to come.  Before the session began that morning, I texted Mr. Granzow to tell him "It is more rewarding to bring students to experience this than it was to experience it myself... Thank you for everything." This is the other side.

Traveling in our group were two other students teachers, experiencing convention on the other side for the first time, like me. We had numerous opportunities to reflect and share our thoughts with one another about what it was like to be there, selflessly. I'm grateful to know the other side. I'm grateful to have experienced the other side for the first time with Jeremy and Justin. I'm grateful for all the ways in which FFA impacts the lives of students.  Aww-spiration.