INDIANAPOLIS – About 70,000 people are expected to attend the FFA’s 98th national convention beginning in late October in Indianapolis.

During the National FFA Convention & Expo – Oct. 29-Nov. 1 – winners of individual and chapter competitions will be announced. The event also includes days of service, student and teacher workshops, and speakers.

“(The convention) is an opportunity not only to celebrate one another, but to meet new friends and network with chapters across the country,” explained Kristy Meyer, the organization’s communications manager. “We see friendships being made that withstand the test of time. It’s a time to celebrate agriculture and the great things that are happening in agricultural education and FFA.”

American Star Awards will be given out in four categories – agribusiness, agricultural placement, agriscience and farmer. American FFA Degree recipients will be honored, as will high school and middle school chapters. Honorary awards will be presented, and members will compete in Career and Leadership Development events.

“One of the highlights for me at convention is watching the members be recognized on stage for all the hard work they’ve done throughout the year,” Meyer noted. “It’s an amazing feeling to watch these members walk across the stage and be celebrated for what they’ve achieved. Their excitement and enthusiasm is contagious.

“It also reminds us that the future of our world is in good hands, and these members are going to be a great next generation of leaders.”

FFA members will participate in the annual National Days of Service during the convention. The members may choose from such businesses or sites as Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation, Crown Hill Heritage Foundation, Indianapolis Cultural Trail, St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry and White River State Park. Depending on the site, members will clean up gardens, pick up trash or help neighbors through a food pantry and serve food from a soup kitchen.

An on-site service project – making paracord pet leashes to be given out by IndyHumane – will be available. FFA members will assemble emergency pet kits during an evening service project.

“Part of the FFA motto is Living to Serve,” Meyer said. “Days of Service offers our members an opportunity to give back to the local community that has served as a gracious host to us over the years. While there are limited spots for Days of Service, the on-site event at convention allows more members to participate. Many of our members then take what they learned while serving and create a way to mimic it in their local community.”

The evening service project has been around a couple of years, she said. With many members competing during the day, they may not have an opportunity to attend a Days of Service event or the on-site activity, Meyer pointed out. Offering the evening activity was a way to address those needs, she added.

The student workshops help members develop premier leadership, personal growth and career success, FFA said, while teacher workshops provide teachers with new ideas and activities to integrate into their classrooms.

Career success tours will be available in eight areas, including agribusiness, biotechnology and natural resources. Members may tour businesses such as Beck’s, Corteva Agriscience and Teter Organic Farm.

“With more than 350 careers in agriculture, there is a lot for our FFA members to explore,” she said. “Partnering with companies in the greater Indianapolis area allows our members to see first hard what a career in agriculture looks like. So instead of just reading about it, they can see it in action.”

“We hope to empower our members to be the best they can be in their community, in their classroom and in their FFA chapter,” Meyer said. “We are thankful to the city of Indianapolis for being such an amazing host to us for the past years – and hope our members enjoy their time at the event, while taking what they learned home and implementing it in their communities.”

The convention will have an economic impact of more than $14 million, according to Visit Indy.

Convention events will be live streamed at https://convention.ffa.org/ffa-live. For more information and the daily schedule, visit https://convention.ffa.org.