By: Kayla Parks / March 2026

Serving as a State Officer means spending a lot of time on the road—traveling to workshops, statewide conferences, meetings, and wherever duty calls. One of my favorite trips this year was the drive to the Pennsylvania Farm Show, where we were invited to attend Pennsylvania FFA’s Mid-Winter Convention. It was my first time attending, and along the way my teammates couldn’t stop talking about all the amazing food, unique boutiques, and the animals we’d get to see.

While we were there, the PA State Officer team shared that this year they set a national record with the largest-ever order of 1,448 FFA jackets awarded to first-year members. That fact alone was impressive – but getting to witness it in person made it even more meaningful. 

During the jacket ceremony I looked around to find over one thousand members standing up and putting on their own FFA Jackets for the very first time. I couldn’t help but to analyze each member’s reaction to seeing their own name and chapter stitched into the fresh corduroy. My mind began to race thinking of all the life-changing  memories, opportunities, and relationships that my own jacket had given to me. 

In that moment, I didn’t only feel gratitude but also a sense of hope. I hoped that this jacket would give even more to these new members than it has to me. I hoped that it would push them to step outside of their comfort zones, to chase opportunities they never thought possible, and to find confidence in who they are becoming. I hoped it would introduce them to friendships that feel like family, moments that challenge them, and experiences that stay with them long after they hang up the jacket. And most of all, I hoped that as they stood there in that sea of blue, they would begin to realize the incredible potential they carry. I knew that this jacket is only the beginning of what they are capable of becoming.

Always in your corner, 

Kayla Parks

2025-2026 Delaware FFA State Reporter