When tasked with visiting clubs, I was excited, knowing that agricultural clubs here are similar to what I had known as FFA chapters in the US. I was curious to learn the similarities and differences, share my experiences, and learn from theirs.
We began this journey by visiting touring the clubs’ projects and learning about the members’ involvement. Many of these clubs had already established an officer team and had well-established projects. Some other clubs were just beginning or restarting. No matter where they were, we were excited to work with them.
As fellows, we are only here for a short time, so we had to make the most of our experiences at the clubs. When seeing the passion they had, we knew that they were all capable of building strong clubs.
The first step to building a strong club is to establish an officer team. In one school, we helped them create a plan to elect officers and have been able to see that process through. This club will now be able to run meetings independently of us with the supervision of their teachers.
The next step in building a club is that everyone is on the same page. If the club did not have a name, creed, or contract, we worked with them to get those tasks done. Once they have those items, they can show unity by signing their contract, reciting their creed at each meeting, and creating an identity by having a club name.
Not all that we do within the clubs is business; we also enjoy having fun. Once we have helped establish a foundation for the club, we lead them through engaging workshops on career goals, nutrition, team building, and other topics. These workshops are beneficial to students, but also help the club officers to develop ideas for future meetings. We encourage the officers to motivate students to participate in their club projects, but also ensure that they are engaged with developmental activities that will benefit their future.
Watching these clubs build strong leaders and passionate members has been extremely rewarding. Although the time was short, these students will always hold a place in my heart. We ensured that they knew that Field of Hope is always available even when we are gone. The resources that we have been able to provide have helped these clubs to flourish, and I know how grateful they are.
These club visits have taught so much. Something that the clubs do well is allowing the students to truly take the lead. This means that the projects are decided by them, scheduling is done by students, and meetings are generally run by students. The students all delegate tasks when caring for their animals or plants, and they manage their funds so they can create further projects. This type of ownership creates dedicated club members who will bring that mindset to any future career.
The agricultural and leadership skills that these students possess are something that has inspired me. I hope to have the confidence to develop my skills as they have and also teach others. As a college student studying agricultural education, this experience has inspired me to instruct my students in a way that they will understand that having a sense of ownership will allow them to have the motivation to lead others and find what they are truly passionate about.
Madison Knapp, 2026 Field of Hope Fellow
