Create a profile. Add friends. Start a group. Voice your opinions. ffa.org/ffanation FINE ART ON THE FAMILY FARM Amanda Bulger finds artistic inspiration in her agricultural heritage 4 Tips for a slim-and- trim summer NEW HORIZONS FFA THE MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL FFA ORGANIZATION | June 2010 ® LOG ON AT FFA.ORG/FFANATION Clutter, Be Gone Clean your room, make some money
The National FFA Organization is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
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Create a profile. Add friends. Start a group. Voice your opinions. ffa.org/ffanation
Fine Art On theFAmily FArm
Amanda Bulger finds artistic inspiration in her agricultural heritage
4Tips for a slim-and- trim summer
new horizonsFFA
t h e m a g a z i n e o f t h e n a t i o n a l f f a o r g a n i z a t i o n | J u n e 2 0 1 0
On the Cover Amanda Bulger, Pulaski, Wis.Staff Photo
new horizonsFFAthe magazine of the National ffa organization
Volume 57 Number 5
®
8
12 cover story
Planting with Careful PlanningAlicia Moeller gardens with minimal water, maximum effort
Fine Art on the Family FarmFFA alumna uses her agriculture background to propel her art career
4 ScrapbookRead news from FFA and more.
6 FFA FacesMeet members from across the country.
11 National Officer Q & AMeet Vice President Chelsea Doss.
16 Healthy LifestylesRead tips for a slim-and-trim summer.
17 Cool CareersBuild a job in agricultural construction.
18 News from National FFAStart preparing for American FFA Degree changes.
20 Your MoneyClean out clutter and make money.
21 Back TalkMeet Liberian immigrant Korpo Hiamah.
Kim Newsom editor jessy yaNcey associate editor Lisa BaTTLes, joyce caRUTHeRs copy editors jULie woodaRd FFa Publications manager KRisTy meyeR FFa communications RaVeN PeTTy Proofreading manager jeNNiFeR GRaVes, eRica HiNes content coordinators cHRis HayHURsT, jessica moZo, contributing writers jessica waLKeR cHRisTiNa caRdeN media Technology director KRis seXToN, caNdice sweeT, senior Graphic designers ViKKi wiLLiams cHaNdRa BRadsHaw, yameL HaLL, media Technology analysts aLisoN HUNTeR, maRcUs sNydeR jeFFRey s. oTTo Photography director jeFF adKiNs, BRiaN mccoRd senior Photographers Todd BeNNeTT, aNToNy BosHieR staff Photographers yaNcey TURTURice information Technology director RyaN sweeNey i.T. service Technician LeiGH GUaRiN web designer ToRi HUGHes integrated media manager cHRis dUdLey controller ciNdy HaLL sales support manager RacHaeL GoLdsBeRRy sales support KRisTy dUNcaN executive secretary KaTie middeNdoRF ad Production manager maRcia miLLaR, PaTRicia moisaN ad Traffic assistants diaNa GUZmaN, maRia mcFaRLaNd accounting sHeLLy miLLeR, Lisa oweNs GaRy smiTH distribution director KeiTH HaRRis marketing creative director Ray LaNGeN executive Vice President Todd PoTTeR, caRLa THURmaN sr. V.P./sales casey HesTeR sr. V.P./operations TeRee caRUTHeRs V.P./content development maRK FoResTeR V.P./Visual content NaTasHa LoReNs V.P./content operations
For advertising information, contact Tori Hughes, (800) 333-8842, ext. 281, or e-mail [email protected].
2009-2010 National FFA Officers LeVy RaNdoLPH, ca President BeTHaNy BoHNeNBLUsT, Ks secretary aLeX HeNRy, mi eastern Region Vice President RaNda BRaUNe, TX western Region Vice President cHeLsea doss, TN southern Region Vice President cHase Rose, mT central Region Vice President
National FFA Staff LaRRy case National advisor, chief executive officer sTeVe BRowN executive secretary dwiGHT aRmsTRoNG chief operating officer maRioN FLeTcHeR National Treasurer jULie adams, maRK caVeLL, division directors daLe cRaBTRee, jaNeT maLoNey, deNNis saRGeNT, KeNT scHescKe, VicKi seTTLe, Lee aNNe sHiLLeR, ToNy smaLL, BiLL sTaGG, wiLL waideLicH
National FFA Board of Directors – Members LaRRy case chair, Usde, Va sTeVe BRowN secretary, Usde, Va maRioN FLeTcHeR Treasurer, state supervisor, aR jim BaRBee state supervisor, NV RoBeRT B. caLViN agriculture Teacher/Usde, mo wiLBUR cHaNceLLoR state supervisor, ms KeiTH coX FFa executive secretary/Usde, sc joeL LaRseN state supervisor, mN cURT LUcas state supervisor, Ky BRiaN e. myeRs associate Professor/Usde, FL joHN RaKesTRaw Business Representative/Usde, co
Subscription Information:FFA New Horizons (issN 1069-806X) is published Feb., april, june, aug., oct. and dec. by the National FFa organization, 6060 FFa drive, indianapolis, iN 46268-0960. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, art or any other unsolicited materials. For subscription information contact: FFA New Horizons subscription services, (317) 802-4235 or e-mail [email protected]. Periodical postage rate is paid at indianapolis, ind., and additional mail offices.
Postmaster: Please send address changes to FFA New Horizons, P.o. Box 68960, indianapolis, iN 46268-0960.
The National FFa organization is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
Creo en el futuro de la agriculturaThat's "I believe in the future of agriculture" in Spanish, and this summer, some FFA
members in Texas will be reciting those words. For the first time in its history, the Texas
FFA association is hosting a Spanish FFA Creed Speaking invitational event during
its state convention, where the contestants will give the entire creed in Spanish and
answer the judges' questions in Spanish. Texas FFA believes that today’s agriculture,
food and natural resources students will be building careers in a bilingual work
environment in the coming years. In the last census, 29 percent of Texans indicated
that the Spanish language is spoken in their home. Combining statistics from
the Texas Data Center and the United States Census Bureau, one can project that
between the years 2025 and 2030, more Texans will be Spanish speakers than solely
English speakers. To those participating, we say buena suerte!
ONliNeDoes your state have a unique event during your annual state FFA convention? Log on to FFA Nation and tell us all about it in the Discussions section.
ffa.org/ffanation
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5FFA New HorizoNsffa.org/ffaNatioN
A Feed Drive For his Boy Scout Eagle Award project, Alex Harper of the Jersey Village FFA chapter in Texas
organized a drive to collect dog and cat food for a local animal shelter.
While working on his project, he remembered the amount of leftover livestock feed from the
Family FarmAmanda Bulger uses her AgrICulTurE heritage in her art career
Fine Art on the
Wisconsin FFA alumna
Amanda Bulger proves
you can take the girl out
of the farm, but you can’t take the
farm out of the girl.
The 21-year-old from Pulaski,
Wis., is an accomplished artist who
graduated from the University of
Wisconsin-Eau Claire with a Bachelor
of Fine Arts in drawing in May, but
her roots run deep on her family’s
dairy farm.
“I always knew I didn’t want
to farm when I grew up,” Amanda
recalls. “But as I got older, I realized
farming and agriculture have shaped
who I have become – and who I always
will be.”
Amanda grew up milking cows,
pushing around feed, and cleaning
the milk house on the 500-acre dairy
farm her parents own.
“I was always working on the
farm. They would find jobs for us to do
even when we were little,” she says,
referring to herself and her eight
siblings. “We always felt important.”
In elementary school, Amanda
began drawing pictures of typical
farm scenes – cows and chickens,
plants and flowers. But it wasn’t until
middle school that she realized she
was better at art than her classmates.
“I began entering my drawings
in the fair through 4-H, and people
started noticing my work,” she says.
“I also used my talents to help
promote 4-H and FFA by working on
banners and parade floats, and I
helped make decorations for the dairy
and beef barn stalls for 4-H and FFA.”
In high school, Amanda converted
an unused barn on her parents’
property into an art studio.
“Cleaning the barn was the
hardest part, but I just made a space
for myself,” she says. “I fixed windows
to keep the birds and rain out. I put
in some insulation and hung an old
barn fan to keep it cool.”
Amanda doesn’t draw nearly as
many cows or chickens these days,
but her agriculture background is
still evident in her art.
“I can still see a lot of that
influence in my work,” she says.
“In my old drawing books, you see
cow after cow, and a few pigs and
chickens here and there.”
One of her more recent projects
is a 5-foot by 3-foot collage that
focuses on “the changing and
disappearing farmer.”
“I took several photos and news
clippings of my grandpa’s life that
showed the farms he lived on as he
grew, and it looks like one large barn
with an image of him fighting a bull
in the sky overlooking it all,” Amanda
explains. “He fought the bulls in
Spain, and that was a proud moment
in his life.”
Story by Jessica Mozo
FFA alumna Amanda Bulger balances her budding art career with daily chores on her family’s dairy farm in Pulaski, wis. To keep a good balance, she says she keeps designated art studio hours, so that she can work to continue improving her artistic skill.
State CDE Results BFFA Week CMFE DCaroline Bremer, State Vice President E82nd Illinois State FFA Convention Highlights F82nd Illinois State FFA Convention Schedule GOfficers’ Tracks H
Made for ExCELLEnCEAmie,KierstenandAdamheadedsouthtoCollinsville,IllinoisfortheSouthMadeforExcellenceConference,whileCarolineandEllenventurednorthfortheNorthernMadeforExcellenceConference.MadeforExcellenceisaconferenceheldeveryyearforfreshmanandsophomoreFFAmembers.MFEisthatfirstrealconferencewherestudentsareabletobreaktheirshell,stepoutsideoftheircomfortzone,learnthebasicsofleadership,andmeetatonofnewfriendsfromalloverthestate.Over600FFAmemberstotalattended!Thankyoutoallthememberswhoattended!
D • ILLINOIS FFA
ILLINOIS FFA • E
Sports are a big deal in my family. I live in a basketball town and played basketball from age five until high school. And, when my life wasn’t filled with basketball games and my father who loved to watch me play, my mother, who is a Ladies Golf Teaching Professional, did her best to see that at least part of upbringing meant raising me on the driving range. Needless to say, I was raised on the driving range. As I grew older, I was able to improve my basketball skills and our team, the Unity Elementary Lady Lions, went all the way to the state tournament. We were really good for Junior High and knew that we had a good chance at winning every single game we played. We viewed each game as a challenge that we were going to take head on! While my basketball skills did improve over time, my golfing abilities did not. I was flat out AWFUL. If you have ever played golf, then you know there are good days and bad ones. Every once in a while I would have a good day, but most of the time this was definitely not the case. On the Lady Eagles Varsity Team in high school, my best friend Allie and I were in the same sinking ship when it came to our golf game. We viewed each match as a struggle and sometimes, a torture session.
As I reflect on both of these areas of competition, I remember my state of mind at the time. During basketball season, I was excited, happy and pumped for the obstacles I faced. During golf season, I was stressed, watching the calendar and dreading every match. So what’s the moral of the story? I stink at golf, so I should avoid it? No. The moral is that we cannot let the severity of the challenges we face determine our joy. I cannot count how many times I have let other people’s words and attitudes eat me up inside or how many times I have faced real hardships and let it impact my attitude towards life. I’m not saying we have to be perky people all the time, and I’m not saying we have to pretend to be happy or forget all about our problems. We must face them, and by knowing who we are and taking joy in our opportunity to be alive, we can live up to the challenge with a
positive attitude.
So what’s the difference in “happiness” and JOY? Happiness is a state. It’s a feeling – something that comes easily and goes easily. Sure, the feeling of happiness is great, but to have joy is so much greater. When I think of joy, I think of extreme contentment, love and satisfaction. We only find joy when we live as who we are meant to be. I am done letting other people take away my joy! We can’t let others have that power over our lives.
Talking about joy reminds me of a movie I saw for the first time recently, “The Bucket List.” Both men in this film are dying of cancer, and at
one point one man asked the other two questions. One question was, “Have you experienced joy in your life?” Definitely something important to know. What is a life without joy? The second question was even more powerful. It was, “Have you brought joy to the lives of others?” It is so important that when facing struggle or defeat that we continue to hold our head high and keep our joy despite our circumstances, but it is even more important that we live a life not only for ourselves but for others. That is how true joy is found.
The last time that I was able to attend my home church, a little girl reminded me of what true joy looks like. She kept peeping back at me, smiling and waving, throughout the service the entire service. It was so sweet and made me feel so good. During the service, I went back to help with the children. When I saw her, I held out my arms, and she ran to me and climbed in my lap. I asked her what her name was, and she did not reply – just smiled. Her sister then leaned over and said, “She’s deaf.” At first, I was thrown back and started to take pity on her, but then, I realized that this little girl had joy that was beyond her disabilities and beyond her circumstances. She not only had joy, but at five years old was determined to bring joy to others. We can be like her. Today, let’s move forward with joyful hearts that cannot be brought down by the trials before us and let our joy overflow to others.
Career Show–Don’tforgettofindyourwaytotheCareerShowinthelowerleveloftheconventioncenter.YouwillhavethechancetoexplorecareeropportunitiesandbuysomenewFFAmerchandise!
lIBErIAN IMMIgrANT and Massachusetts member tells her FFA story
Hiamahhad to leave my mother, sister, brothers and
some of my other relatives. Flying on a plane
for the first time was scary. When I got to New
York City in January 2004, the weather was so
different from Liberia. It was painfully cold,
compared to Liberia where it is mostly hot. I
arrived without a coat and felt the cold
rushing through me, but I knew coming to
America was the opportunity for a new life
and a greater education.
The education system here is different
from the one in Liberia. In Africa, people have
to pay for children’s education. And, if parents
do not have the money, then their children
cannot attend school. Imagine dreaming that
you want to go to school, but you do not have
the tuition. This situation disrupts the
education for many children.
Being introduced to a new curriculum
was also a hard thing for me because I was
not used to this way of learning. I learned how
to speak better English by listening to how
others spoke. I also watched children’s
television shows and listened to how they
pronounced words. Now I know how to speak
English just as well as my native language.
In the past five years I have accomplished
more in my life than I ever imagined could be
possible. At Worcester Technical High School, I
am in the National Honor Society and involved
with horticulture shop and FFA. In FFA, I have
been involved in a talent show, science fair
and public speaking. I was even elected the
chapter FFA secretary. Presently, I am
parliamentarian and historian.
All of these successes in my private and
educational life have assisted me in my
transition from Liberia to America. This
transition is my greatest source of pride.
Korpo Hiamah, a Liberian immigrant and student at Worcester Technical High School in Massachusetts, wrote the following for her college application essay. Her topic was to discuss an accomplishment that serves as her greatest source of pride.
Transitioning from Liberia to the United
States is my greatest source of pride. At
the age of 13, coming to a new country
was hard. When I came to America I was
reunited with my father and other family
members. They came here a few years
earlier, and then they sent for my younger
brother and me. My father wanted to give us
the opportunity to become free, since there
was a war going on in Liberia when we left,
and it wasn’t a safe place for us to be.
The hardest part in this move was that I
Korpo Hiamah, Massachusetts ffa member
Korpo
ONliNeCreate a FFA Nation profile and post your own FFA story. Yours might be featured in an upcoming issue of FFA New Horizons.