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It’s a big few days for those students taking part in FFA across the nation next week.

Feb. 15-22 is FFA Week, when chapters both at home and throughout the country will celebrate what it means to be part of this historic organization, which has roots dating back to 1917, when Sen. Hoke Smith and Representative Dudley Hughes of George penned the Smith-Hughes National Vocational Education Act.

Years later, in 1925, Virginia Tech agricultural education teachers Henry C. Groseclose, Harry W. Sanders, Walter S. Newman and Edmund C. Magill organized the Future Farmers of Virginia, which would be the model for what the Future Farmers of America would eventually become.

Throughout this rich history, FFA has continued to grow, enjoying booming growth in both 2020 and 2022 when student memberships hit all-time highs of 760,113 members in 8,739 chapters and 850,823 members in 8,995 chapters respectively.

Today there are over one million FFA members in 9,235 chapters in all 50 states, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

That kind of rise in numbers represents the importance of FFA and the work it does to develop the future leaders we will turn to.

It’s important to realize, however, that while FFA encompasses a large base in agriculture, it’s benefits are not just for those living in the world of the farm.

FFA touches on areas that are important in many facets in life as those involved learn valuable skills across the spectrum that will be vitally important in areas such as welding, construction, medicine, science and business.

It’s often within the chapter boundaries of FFA where students will learn how to make important contacts in the wider world that will lead to a career, which could help define this country moving forward.

Sure, they will learn hands-on tools, but they will also learn how to communicate with others, formulate connections and get their first steps into a possible continuation of education.

If you haven’t considered FFA, we highly recommend you at least take a look to see if your student might be interested. Simply put, being involved is another pathway to the future and what we could all use is more pathways leading to more opportunities.

FFA opens up a potential new world that perhaps a student hadn’t thought of before and with that comes a new and bright future.

We need more accessible doors and FFA throws them wide open.