News

92nd Illinois State FFA Convention going virtual

The Illinois FFA Board has announced the 92^nd Illinois State FFA Convention will be held virtually due to health risks from COVID-19.

“Hopefully this will go down in history books as a memory that FFA continued to celebrate even amidst all of the challenges.”

Executive Director Mindy Bunselmeyer tells Brownfield the business session and officer elections will be conducted virtually as well the recognition of the Stars Over Illinois during the scheduled convention dates June 9-11.

Retiring officer addresses, proficiency award winners, state degrees and all other chapter and individual awards and recognition will take place during designated virtual convention dates between July 13-23 allowing time to convert those ceremonies to a virtual format.  

Bunselmeyer says they are working hard to ensure students get the recognition they deserve.

“We want to convey to the members that we still want to celebrate all of their tremendous successes, we want to celebrate our organization, we want to give our state officers the opportunity to retire, we want to continue forward even if we have to do it in a different way.”

She says they continue to think of creative ways for students to interact during the virtual convention, like sharing photos taken with their parents on social media after receiving their award.  

“I think that is the part that breaks my heart the most is just thinking about some of those nostalgic pieces that our FFA families have passed down from generation to generation.”

More information on the virtual convention will be shared as it becomes available in the coming weeks.