Discuss among yourselves

Good Morning...yes, here on the Knolltop we can see the sun for the second day in a row!

Last evening JW, JW's FFA advisor, Mr. Everett and I traveled to Blissfield to a Discussion Meet sponsored by Farm Bureau, specifically for FFA members. JW and I had no idea what he was in for...Mr. E. signed him up and told him he'd pick us up at 5:15 pm. JW got home from basketball practice at 5:10, swapped his basketball clothes for his official FFA outfit and we hopped in the car and headed east. JW's biggest concern was if he was going to get anything to eat before the contest...fitting for a 16 year old boy.

We fed him on the way and arrived at the high school. Upon seeing the other contestants studying their notes, JW looked at me with big eyes and said, "I don't have any notes to study...what are they studying? I have no idea what I'm doing!"

With my reassuring mom look, I said, "It's okay, this is a learning experience for you this year, we'll figure this all out this year and then next year you'll know what you're doing and win it."

He replied in typical boy fashion, "Mom, if I'm not here to win, there's no point in competing."

With that I agreed and I walked up to one of the contestants who had notes and asked if she had ever been in the competition. She replied, "Oh, no, I have no idea what I'm doing, no one else does either. Do you have your introductory speech written? I had no idea what to say, but I've got it memorized now, I'm not sure if it's right, you know, talking about trade issues and agriterroism..is that even a word? Oh my word, this is so hard...you know agriculture plays a big role in trade and then there's the land issues topic, zoning, variances, land preservation, mineral rights, I don't know much about those, but at least I have an introductory sentence...I don't know though....I'm so nervous I hope I don't babble on and on...."

I looked at her with big eyes and said, "I'm sure you will do a great job...after all you have an introductory speech!"

I spun on my heels and JW and I paced the long hallway making up an introductory speech about a topic that we had no idea about. So we came up with the general speech that Oliver Douglas uses on Green Acres, you know when you hear the patriotic music in the background and he talks about how great the American farmer is? You know...working the ground...producing food for the American people....most efficient farming practices...feeding, clothing, fueling the world....etc.

By this time, JW had his confidence up and started to look the part of a winner. He walked in with his head held high, using every bit of charisma God had gifted him with. Each contestant stood up in voluntary order to give their introduction and when JW stood up he did so with confidence. All those oral reasons in dairy judging had done him a world of good as he sounded great even though he might not have had the best facts to back it up.

The discussion had begun and they had 20 minutes to discuss a topic. Discuss is the key word..they weren't supposed to debate, argue, convince anyone of their point...they were just supposed to talk about the issues and look at all sides of it, no one monopolizing the time, covering all the possibilities. Every time JW spoke he started with, "Yes, I agree with that and...OR... You are right and I think....OR....As I'm sure you are well aware....." He was driving this whole cooperative thing home.

He was a finalist in the first go around and I was so proud. Then he was put to the test in the finals competing with five other seniors who all had experience in this event. He held his own and did a great job although the competition was tougher because they all had things to say. He could hardly get a word in edgewise.

I asked Mr. E. who his top three contestants were. He picked JW and two other experienced boys. That was not my pick....I didn't think JW had enough experience and wouldn't be able to hold it with the big boys at the state competition. In the end, I was right, JW didn't make it into the top three....they picked three seniors to go to the State Farm Bureau Annual Meeting to compete against other regional winners.

The good news is that he has two more years to compete in this and when we got done we asked him if he would do it again...his answer was a resounding "YES...that was fun!" I don't supposed his enthusiasm had anything to do with the cute moderator who is also the State FFA President who he happened to be hitting on in between competitions.....:)