Connecting with students across the state

CANNON FALLS — FFA is all about the people for Minnesota FFA Association president Cameron Addington.

Addington, who is the son of Matt and Leah Addington, grew up in rural Cannon Falls and participated in the Cannon Falls FFA chapter. He is a freshman at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, majoring in agronomy.

“When I look at the role of state officer and the nearly 16,000 members that state officers get to serve; for me, it all comes back to loving people well,” Addington said. “The greatest human desire is … to be known and loved. If I get the opportunity to do that as a state officer, where I get to visit schools and put on events and interact with all these stakeholders and advisers and students, that’s a really incredible opportunity.”

Addington said some of his favorite state officer events so far have been summer camps the officer team helped put on and the National FFA Convention & Expo.

“We got to be delegates representing Minnesota, and that was really cool to see a side of convention with the delegate work that maybe not a lot of members always get to see,” Addington said.

Personal growth is something Addington credits to his FFA involvement, especially in communication skills and public speaking.

“FFA’s mission is to develop students’ potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agriculture education,” Addington said. “There are so many different avenues for personal growth and just self-improvement through FFA, and it’s one of the coolest parts to witness as an officer.”

Addington’s background in FFA started before he was born. In 1997-98, his mom was the Minnesota FFA Association president. Later, Leah worked as a Minnesota FFA Association staff member working with the Minnesota FFA Association officer team.

“As a toddler and as a baby, … I got to go to FFA camps,” Addington said. “I was hanging around the state officers. I was going to all these different Minnesota FFA events. … (I) got an exposure to state convention, the blue jacket and the life of a state officer … when I was very young.”

Fast forward to seventh grade, Addington joined FFA and started working with poultry. Addington said this was fun and educational, but he was not particularly successful in his endeavors. In eighth grade, Addington began the creed speaking Leadership Development Event, and in ninth grade, he started the agronomy Career Development Event.

Addington eventually saw success in both, winning at state and advancing to compete at the national level. His team was ranked gold nationally in agronomy. Addington said participating in the creed speaking LDE was his turning point in FFA.

“I wasn’t super involved (before),” Addington said. “My adviser signed me up for (the creed speaking LDE) without my permission. I was really upset at first, but after learning the creed, memorizing it (and) answering some questions, I found a lot of success in that contest. … I realized I could accomplish a lot of really cool things in this organization.”

The communication-based contests began to be a favorite for Addington. He said his favorite of all was the prepared public speaking LDE. He ended up winning this contest at state and taking third at the national level.

Addington also was a national finalist for the Agricultural Proficiency Award in the fruit and nut production category. Addington worked at Fallen Oak Vineyard near Nerstrand for four years, helping cultivate six varieties of wine grapes.

“I got to do a little entrepreneurial component with that as well, where I exchanged labor for profit on two rows of Marquette grapes,” Addington said. “After logging hours, gaining new experiences, keeping records (and) taking pictures, I was able to fill out an application for that proficiency award.”

As Addington continues in his role as Minnesota FFA Association president, he said he will be working toward accomplishing his team’s three leadership goals. These include implementing consistent branding in communications and on social media, bridging the gap between students with agriculture and non-production agriculture backgrounds within the FFA organization, and supporting regional-level officers.

Addington also wants to continue doing chapter visits. In January, while Addington was on winter break, he and another one of the officers on the team completed 12 chapter visits in 10 days.

“It’s just all about those people I get to see,” Addington said. “When you have the chance to go to an FFA conference or a competition or state convention, and you get to see all of those friends who share the agriculture background with you and who are passionate about the blue jacket like you, that’s what gets me out of bed in the morning. (It) is getting to see and interact with all of those friends from all over the state and, really, now, as a state officer, all over the nation.”