WOODBURY – The Woodbury FFA chapter is once again bringing their teams to the National FFA Convention to compete in CDEs, LDEs, and much more. Many first-time students attending are stressing about the schoolwork that they will be missing while gone.

This year in particular, the first marking period ends while they are away — Nov. 1 — which is why rolling grades are so important for both the students and the teachers. 

Many students who are attending for the first time are worried about how to catch up on all the work in a reasonable amount of time. Allyssa Gravel is attending for the first time as a chapter officer. She stresses how communication is key to keeping up grades and lowering stress on both the student and teacher. 

“It is a lot of work to miss,” says Gravel, “but my teachers have been very understanding and have given me time to complete my assignments, even if it won’t be right away.”  

Although there are many different ways that students can catch up on schoolwork, Sage Samuelson, a senior going for the Ag Education CDE, shares her tips on making up for the missed work. 

Samuelson attended the convention last year and is familiar with the stress and responsibility she has to hold in order to catch up with her peers once she comes back. 

“This year I have been doing my work ahead of time so that I don’t have to stress about it afterwards,” Samuelson said. “For first-time students, I recommend to do your work on the bus, because there will be no time while we are at the convention.” 

Jennifer Jedd, Nonnewaug’s vet science teacher, has been going to nationals for a number of years, so she is no stranger to the amount of work that students have to make up. She gives numerous time management tips for students going to nationals for the first time.

“I would tell students to try to download everything they can and print as much as they can, because we have a long bus ride. It is also a great time to read an English book if you have to do that,” Jedd said. 

Jedd also stresses the importance of making up the work in a timely manner; she explains how other students will be all caught up on work, but the students at nationals will have to make up the work just to catch up to their fellow classmates.

“It is hard to get into a routine because it is not like a break when everyone is off. You missed a whole week of classes,” says Jedd.

Despite the amount of work to catch up on due to a week at nationals, many students who have attended in past years have nothing but good to say about their experience. 

Even though the make-up work may be stressful, students remember that going to Indianapolis for the national convention can be a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence that brings classmates closer together with teachers and other FFA chapters through going to Indianapolis. 

“Do all the work you can the weekend before as well as the Sunday after,” Jedd said. “Eeven though you will be tired, you will appreciate it later.”