Thank You!

Members,

This year has been one that has changed my life forever. Over this past year I was able to meet so many great people and make so many great memories. I have grown as a person and that was because of you guys. I cannot begin to thank you all enough for giving me such a great year. FFA members just remeber to keep creating your own journeys! Everyone stay in touch!

To the new officer team,s

You guys have the potential to be great and we all know you will be nothing but great!


Thank You for everything this year, it truly has been a pleasure to be apart of the MD FFA Family!!!

I Love you guys
Nikki

Create Your Own Journey

Wow, How this year flew by so fast!! I wanted to say for my last blog thank you to all of the members, parents, my team, and advisors who my year so worth while. It was hard to see this year come to an end as this year was amazing. It gave me memories that will be in my heart and soul for a lifetime. Members remember you need to set your own path in your lifes and make it worth while just like mine has been this past year. Of course there are going to be twists, turns, detours and road blocks but that's the beauty of a journey. It's kind of like the movie Forrest Gump when he says " Momma always said life's like a box of chocolates you never know what your gonna get," This is true and one of my favorite sentences from my favorite movie! :) You could reach into a box of chocolates and get one with nuts or caramel, peanut butter or dark chocolate. just like our lives you don't ever know what's going to happen next. Just remember my RA "It's about how many lives you touched and what you give to others" You all have touched my life this past year and i wanted to thank you for allowing me to serve you as your 2009-2010 MD FFA Secretary. Good luck to the new state officer team! You guys are going to have an amazing year just like we did. There will be ups and downs but cherish the good times and memories that you make!
Much love to everyone
love always
Mandi

Almost Convention Time

Well a year has come, and unfortunately is almost gone. I have done my last chapter visit, completed all leadership conferences, and tonight I am going to my very last FFA banquet as the 2009-2010 Maryland FFA President. It is truly hard to believe that convention is merely 25 days away.

At the beginning of May the other state officers and I got to take part in a Barn Restoration project sponsored by the Campbell's Soup Company and National FFA Alumni. It was amazing!! We got to meet the amazing and so so deserving Mackenzie family, and spent three days restoring two of the barns on the farm. Members, serving your community, or helping someone in need is one of the most rewarding things you can do. As it is stated in the last line of the FFA motto, we should all, in some part be "Living to Serve." If you are given the opportunity to help someone, do it, put their needs before your own, and see how you feel afterwards. I know I feel amazing when I help someone other than myself and I believe that is something we can all feel.

As my 27 days till my FFA retirement draw near I have been reflecting on my choices, our theme this year was "Create Your Own Journey", my choices took me on a journey, an wonderful and adventurous journey. My FFA journey may be coming to an end, but yours is just beginning. No matter if you are a first year Greenhand or receiving your State degree this year at convention, FFA has amazing opportunities for you to take part in. As I have been saying at banquets, I pray that all of you carry FFA memories in your heart, and lessons in your soul. Lord knows I will never forget what he has blessed me with in FFA.

LoveLoveLove

Alli

Spring Time!

Well it has definitely been a long time since I last updated everyone on happenings around the state. Since I last posted something I have survived the HUGE snow storm of 2010, although I was trapped in Frostburg for quite some time.

Spring time is here and I am very excited, this is my favorite time of year, but it also means that State Officer year is almost up :( But State Convention is right around the corner!!! Spring Judging took place April 13th at University of Maryland College Park, everyone did a great job and I know the other officers and I had a fabulous time.

Nikki, Tyler and I got the opportunity to help at Maryland Ag Day at the University on April 24th, we helped the Alpha Zeta Ag Fraternity scoop ice cream for a few hours. It was a lot of fun, and very sticky. Oh and the ice cream was quite yummy too.

Banquet season got kicked off this week with Easton's banquet being the first one of the year, I get to go and speak at my first banquet on Friday, April 30th at Northern Garrett. I am very excited and working on memorizing my speech. I really want to make it clear how entirely grateful I am for this amazing experience. Being able to serve as a state officer was never something I thought I would be doing a few years ago, but man am I glad I did. This year I have traveled all around Maryland; Washington DC; Springfield, MA; Indianapolis, IN; clear to Pasadena, CA!

I have had an amazing year, and gained 5 sisters in the process. The girls on the officer team have become my best friends and I wouldn't trade any of them. They each have their own quirks and strengths, and they are hard not to love. I would recommend every member to run for a state office if they have the opportunity, you will definitely not be sorry.

I promise to report back soon!!!

LoveLoveLove,
Alli :)

Hey Everyone!!!

Hey everyone!!!!!!
I hope everyone is doing great, even though the snow has set us back in all of our activities and school schedules. Im sure everyone is getting sick of the snow i know i am.
I hope all of you are enjoyed national FFA Week. I had a blast at the dance that Middletown and Catoctin FFA chapters put on. You all did a great job!!!!!
Tyler and I attended Walkersville FFA Chapter this past thursday for a chapter visit. It was a exciting to go back to my home chapter and see all what the members were accomplishing. Linganore FFA members I will be seeing you on March 17th.
I hope all you members are studying hard for the local speaking contests and for Spring judging which is coming up soon!!!!
I hope I see you there!!!!
Mandi

Hey Everyone !

Hey everyone!

I hope everyone had a safe and filling holiday!! I know i did after all the turkey!! Now that leaderships are over we hope that everyone will make sure that their chapter fills out an officer visit form so we can come see you guys.
Spring Judging is right around the corner. I hope that everyone is studying and getting prepared. I am really excited to see everyone again at College Park and hopefully we will be seeing alot of you guys sooner then that!

With Love,
Nikki Swann
09-10 Vice President

have a good holiday!

Hey everyone!
I hope everybody has a good thanksgiving! We have been busy going to many chapter visits! I just was recently at frederick's FFa chapter, Hartford tech, and North Carroll. Thank you for letting me come to your chapter and get to know all of you. Many more chapter visits are coming up such as Queen Anne's, Clear Spring, Catoctin, Linganore, and Middletown. We would like see all of the chapters this year so get those chapter visit request forms in! I hope everyone has a great thanksgiving eat lots of turkey, and watch a lot of football!
See everyone soon!
Mandi