Chapters from across the country exchanged goodie boxes filled with snacks and surprises.
To celebrate National FFA Week in 2021, Paris FFA Advisor Josh Bondy of Missouri got creative — and to call it successful would be a massive understatement.
Bondy, a Teacher Ambassador for National FFA, organized a goody box exchange with his fellow teacher ambassadors and their chapters. A total of 20 chapters across the country participated, and each was assigned another chapter to exchange with after completing an intake form.
“I matched chapters based on their preferences — whether they wanted to exchange boxes with a similar chapter or one that was totally different, for example — and I provided a list of things for them to include, like a favorite local snack, chapter T-shirts, and letters written to and from chapter officers,” says Bondy, an agriculture instructor at Paris R-II High School in Paris, Mo.
Upon receiving their boxes, FFA members were instructed to open only one piece of the box per day throughout National FFA Week, giving them something to look forward to.
That was certainly the case for Millie Chism’s students, who received a box from Bondy’s chapter. Chism, a Pine Grove FFA advisor from Pine Grove School in Ripley, Miss., says anticipation was high during the week as her members were excited to see what awaited them in their box. Chapters from across the country exchanged goodie boxes filled with snacks and surprises.
“This exchange gave us a great opportunity to connect with another chapter, and it made the week even more special for us,” Chism says. “Many of my students made social media connections with [Paris FFA members], so the connection definitely didn’t stop after the week was over. That’s really cool to see.”
The Pine Grove FFA and Paris FFA, pictured above, connection doesn’t end there. Chism’s students added crayons to the box they sent, along with a letter explaining their significance and what to do with them — a seemingly small gesture that had a big impact.
“Crayons weren’t on the list of things to include, but I’m so glad they did,” Bondy says. “The letter explained that the students were supposed to break the crayons in half and put one piece in their FFA jacket pocket and give the other piece to another member to serve as a reminder that even if they’re broken, they’re still useful.”
A couple of months later, that broken crayon came in handy for one of Bondy’s members, Chris Ebbesmeyer, who was interviewing for a position as a Missouri FFA officer. During his interview, he pulled out the broken crayon and shared its meaning. Today, he is the vice president of the Missouri FFA.
“This is a perfect example of the power in building bonds with other FFA chapters and members, and it was the cherry on top of an awesome experience,” Bondy says.
Ready to plan your own National FFA Week celebration? Visit FFA.org/National- FFA-Week for resources.
