To celebrate Corduroy Appreciation Day on Nov. 11, the newly elected 2021-22 National FFA Officers share their memories wearing the blue jacket.
Cole Baerlocher, President
My first jacket always cracks me up because it first belonged to my older brother, Chase, with our last name misspelled. It didn’t have my name on it, but it was my jacket — it showed me there was a place for me and grounded me. It showed me agriculture isn’t just livestock and production; there’s purpose for everyone here. Take pride in your individuality and find your place.
Jackson Sylvester, Secretary
I put on a jacket for the first time when I was in sixth grade, and it’s always been my dream to have a [national officer] jacket with no letters. So many people have poured into me, and I can only hope to do that for others — to show them that FFA is a home, a place for everyone to belong. We may have slightly different words on the back, but we all have the same jacket. We’re all here for the same purpose.
Cortney Zimmerman, Central Region Vice President
Inside the jacket, we have these really big pockets to put random trinkets in — each of us uses them for something different. Each jacket is so unique, and it defines who we are as members of the organization, but we get to pick our story. It doesn’t matter how your FFA journey started; we all have a role in the FFA jacket. When we get together, it may look like a sea of corduroy blue, but our stories set us apart.
Mallory White, Eastern Region Vice President
My grandma, an honorary American FFA Degree holder whose sons were all state officers, told me I needed to memorize the Creed before my freshman year. Because I was the first person in class to recite it, I got my first jacket for free! This jacket represents hope: in the future of ag, that our organization is raising up the best leaders, and that people are wearing the jacket because they believe in our mission.
Josiah Cruikshank, Western Region Vice President
I got my first jacket in eighth grade. I’m so thankful that I get to wear Official Dress — when I put it on I think, “Let’s do this!” It represents tradition and opportunity. We come from different backgrounds, but we all wear the same blue jacket and all get to experience premier leadership, personal growth and career success. It’s a physical symbol that meets all students where they are.
Erik Robinson, Jr., Southern Region Vice President
FFA was never on my radar, but when my middle school ag teacher took me to state convention, I walked in wearing a borrowed jacket and was blown away to see 6,000+ people with the same one. It was magical, and I fell in love. Ever since I opened my first personal jacket as a freshman, it’s been a symbol of hope. I’ve found something I belong in, and I know a lot of other people with the jacket feel the same.
To learn more about the blue jacket, read the story History of the FFA Jacket, which also features a video on how the jacket is made.
To order a blue jacket, visit ShopFFA.org.
