WOODBURY –– The Woodbury FFA Chapter once sent 13 CDE and LDE teams to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. Teachers who were once students speak of that year as legendary and how they strive for the program to get back to that.
This year, Woodbury is sending four teams plus its officers to nationals starting Oct. 21, and students say they feel a lot of pressure to perform like a “Woodbury kid.”
“Yes, I [feel pressure],” states Jocelyn Coscia, horse evaluation CDE member. “I also got first at states, so I feel that pressure to perform at that standard at nationals.”
Students feel the pressure from both donning the Woodbury FFA logo and from performing well in state competitions. Nationals is a whole different ballgame, though.
“States like Texas, Kentucky, etc. have a huge horse background, and it seems to give them an advantage,” adds Coscia. “We really need to study to catch up with them.”
Being from Connecticut, a state without as extensive of a reputation for agriculture, comes with downsides. Students need to research beyond local resources.
But does this tension and disadvantage compromise performance or encourage students to prepare?
“I feel really prepared. I feel our team has worked hard enough,” said Kyleigh Paige, parliamentary procedure team member.
Representing the Woodbury chapter is more than representing as a person. It is about representing the chapter as a whole and showing what teams have learned.
The parliamentary procedure team, along with the other teams that the Woodbury FFA chapter is sending, want to outperform other teams. The parliamentary procedure team in particular would like to show an exceptional performance to prove why they made it to nationals this year.
“We haven’t had a parliamentary team go in a few years,” says Paige, “so we are really trying hard to make a difference from our past placings of Woodbury teams.”
Teachers feel the weight to place as well uphold the Woodbury name, too.
“I feel pressure because I’ve had teams [go] before,” said Eric Birkenberger, coach of the floriculture team. “I’m hoping for top-10 placing.”
