For those of you who were at the 83rd National FFA Convention, you understand the relevence of the "and a goat" portion of this note. For those of you who were not in attendance, please bear with me as I attempt to interest you with 25 facts about Wyatt Nick DeJong.
1) Both of my nieces were born when I was at FFA events (South Dakota Leadership Retreat as the State Secretary and when I was in Zambia, Africa this past summer for FFA GO: Africa).
2) I know how to crochet.
3) I finished a half marathon this past September (didn’t quite run all 13.2 miles, I walked 2.5 of it).
4) Kip Littau and I made the champion cold pie at the county fair (Watermelon Pie)!
5) My home is 15 miles away from the nearest paved road.
6) I was homeschooled K-8th grades. Then I went to high school in Winner and stayed with my Beppa (that is Dutch for grandma) during the week because we live 28 miles from town.
7) I love Maine-Anjou cattle.
8) One of the first pigs that I ever showed would laugh if he was tickled.
9) I love chess, cards, and puzzles.
10) I have never been on a roller coaster.
11) I have never broken a bone.
12) I have never had a nickname.
13) In high school, I was named the best supporting actor.
14) Tuba…enough said!
15) Between my three older sisters and me, we have been to 6 continents.
16) This last year I was on South Dakota State University’s livestock judging team.
17) I used to love stuffed animals (like the toy kinds) and would always want another for Christmas.
18) I still have so many toy horses that I keep hidden in my top dresser drawer.
19) Woodworking is one thing that I really enjoy but don’t ever seem to have time to do it. My senior project in Ag Structures was a cedar chest.
20) I love collecting things. When I was younger I had a variety of collections (rocks, bouncy balls, paper, even Smokey Bear pencils, ect…)
21) Neck ties are awesome!
22) Laughing is a lifestyle.
23) When I was roughly in the third grade, most of my family members had eye-glasses and I wanted some too. So, I complained that my eyes hurt, when the really didn’t. When I was at the eye doctor, I purposely chose some of the more blurry lenses so that I could get glasses (yeah, I was a brat back then). Now I do not use or even need to use glasses.
24) I do sing Christmas songs all year round (but only to myself:-)
25) Basketball is my favorite sport. MARCH MADNESS IS THE BEST!!!! But I really don’t have a team that I go all out for (if I would have to pick one…it would be Gonzaga!!!! Go Bulldogs).
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Experience Week in Tennessee = Truly Amazing People/Friends...
Sunday 1/2/11 at South Dakota and Indy
Loading the plane again back to Indy after a great break with family and friends. I was able to be at home for two weeks were a great Christmas was had and 2011 was brought in with my two of my sisters (one in California and the other in China)…I love webcamsJ It was really cool being in the Sioux Falls Airport because I was able to see several friends from SDSU that were on my same flight to Chicago. They were on their way to Argentina. I also saw one of my professors that I had this last semester and she is doing very well.
Shannon and I both had long lay overs in Chicago so we were able to see each other in the airport for a while (crazy that we both have the same destination but we were on different planes). We both landed about the same time in Indy so we road together from the airport to the hotel…which turned out to be a little more adventurous than we first thought. So I started driving like normal and things were dandy to say the least. We were catching up on what each of us did on break and what not and then we had to make a decision, 465 South or North (we could not remember). We both had a gut feeling to go on 465 North and as we took the exit ramp there was a whole bunch of construction and things just didn’t look right. We made the decision to turn around before we got too far. Yes, I know that we both had access to a map but we wanted to try and figure this out on our own. We drove for a spell and this didn’t look right at all and after a multitude of discussion and U-turns, we finally navigated our way around the entire city because 465 goes around the city in one big loop. This gave Shannon and I some great bonding time…she is one amazing individual! We finally made it back to the hotel and grabbed a bite to eat before bedding down for the night.
Monday 1/3/11 at Indy
We spent the entire day gearing up for Experience Week. This is one week were all of us national officers travel across one state (this year it is Tennessee) and we basically do everything that we would every have to do throughout our year in this one week and we get some great feedback and coaching. It did take us the whole day to finish flip charts, gather supplies, go over some brand new curriculum, develop a greetings and a close, work on our keynotes, complete some odds and ends (like business expense reports and such), and also write some thank yous-always need to make time for those!
Tuesday 1/4/11 at Indy and Nashville, Tennessee
Today was very similar to Monday in that we worked and prepared as well as focused on packing once again for the next trip. It was nice to have two full days to hammer out all of what we needed to get done.
Wednesday 1/5/11 at Indy and Nashville, Tennessee
Once again the day started with loading up on the plane…I loved Big Bird growing up but had no idea I would be spending a year one my life with big birds! We landed in Nashville Tennessee and were picked up by Mr. Mosley and Mr. Lannom who are state staff for Tennessee. We had one large van and let me tell you, we have become expert packers with suitcases and people. The van ride was short and we checked into our hotel then were on our way to eat dinner with some of the state officers. It was amazing getting to meet Julie, Emily, Caycey, and Heath. For the first time ever I had fried pickles; they are great!
Thursday 1/6/11 at Columbia, Ellington Ag. Center, and other areas around Tennessee
We started out the morning at the Tennessee Farm Bureau which is the largest state Farm Bureau in the nation. After some greetings and workshops we hit the road again for some more time with FFA members and visit the state department of Ag. It was a beautiful facility and we then toured the agricultural museum. It was a neat setup and very educational. They had an old tree saw there and Heath and I as well as James and I tried our hand at being a lumberjack.
Friday 1/7/11 at the Wilson Central HS (James’s school) and Tennessee Tech
Another day filled with workshops and speeches. We arrived at Wilson Central HS which is James’s home chapter and they provided us with breakfast before the day’s events. We met another state officer: Todd (which it was kind of crazy to learn that he was in South Dakota two years ago with the Red Angus Jr. Nationals and sat in on a workshop that I did for it in Sioux Falls at Falls Park). I gave my keynote to several of the students there in the auditorium. It was fun to talk about becoming a superhero…”GO GO POWERANGERS!!!!”
We then traveled to Tennessee Tech where many FFA members from around the area came to visit with us and attend some of our workshops and we also met up with another state officer: Marissa. It was a lot smaller audience than we were expecting because many schools had called off school for the day for snow and bad weather. It was still a great time that is for sure.
We then were able to go change and relax at Dr. Frazier’s home. I have heard so much about Dr. Frazier and it was a pleasure to finally meet him. Another of the state officers also met us there: Westlee. Later on that night was ate again with the state staff and officers and has a great time where I ate alligator (I have had it before but I love it). After our meal, we traveled to Camp Clements which is the state FFA camp. We spent the evening setting up for our day conference. Also, the state officers and all of us had a nice litter dance party to bring the day to a close…
Saturday 1/8/11 at Camp Clements
Today was the start of something great. We started the day off with a very great breakfast and then geared up for “CSI Agent Tennessee.” We met the eighth and final state officer: Syrena. Again, the weather turned out to keep some from making it to the camp but we had about thirty super cool members that were ready to investigate themselves and make some great decisions. One of the decisions was a commitment that a group of us made. Heath, Lauren, Gina, Peyton, Lindsey, Chelsea, and I made an agreement to try to write one thank you note a day. This team is focused and driven to try our best at doing this and to keep each other accountable. I am very thankful for these friends to help me become better and more appreciative of the people and blessings in my life.
After goodbyes, we had a great evening with the state officers that remained at the camp and would be with us throughout the next few days. Before some of the officers had to leave, they introduced us to Moon Pies and Sun Drop pop (like Mountain Dew on steroids…you can just imagine what caffeine like that did to me for the rest of the nightJ). Those who did stay were Emily, Marissa, and Westlee. We had a great time playing four on a couch and just hanging out. If there is one thing that I love, it is late night conversations about life and what makes people happy. I was blessed to have such a conversation with Westlee and was very impressed by how driven he is for service and others (two things that make me smile).
Sunday 1/9/11 at Camp Clements and Greenville, TN
The alarm did not go off near as early this morning and I was very appreciative for a little R&R. We spent most of the day traveling, eating, and chatting it up (three things that I am a huge fan of). Traveling much further east in Tennessee was beautiful. The mountains and tree make me see God’s AWEsome power. There is something about seeing the beauty of nature that reminds me of God’s greatness as well as His love for people. I totally understand why so many farmers and ranchers love working in with nature…so much for the eyes to behold.
Monday 1/10/11 at Greenville, Chucky-Doak HS, and Jonesboro, TN (the International Storytelling Center)
The night brought with it more snow which caused some cancellations in the schedule but we were still able to go the Chucky-Doak HS and visit with several members over breakfast. These members came to school in Official Dress even when school had been cancelled…that is dedication for success. After a couple hours with these members, we blazed a trail to Jonesboro which is home to the International Storytelling Center! A couple of my teammates gave their keynote messages and James gave a workshop to the members that once again braved the weather and the roads to get there. I was pretty excited about a comment that was given to me and two members that I was sitting by over lunch; Julia and Jessica. One advisor sat down at our table with a couple other gentlemen and she said that she wanted to sit at the adult table…I think that means that I am growing up and maturing?!?!? Maybe…
Tuesday 1/11/11 at Knoxville and Arkansas
Our last morning in Tennessee was bitter sweet. I have really enjoyed my time here and have really made some long-lasting friendships with many. That is one thing I am learning as a national officer; it is always hard to leave the people that I have already grown to love and appreciate but I know full well that where we are going, I will meet even more great people. Stay amazing Tennessee!!!!
The plane ride was delayed from bad weather but we were able to get to Dallas, TX and get a different flight to Northwest Arkansas still that night. I sat by Rita on the plane ride to Arkansas and she is one of the sweetest people that I know. Not only was she very encouraging to me but she was very interested in learning more from me. She and her husband are now retired but they have lived in so many places (including North Dakota) in the US and overseas as he was in the military. We talked about finding the value in each person that we meet and to never have stereotypes. We arrived late into Arkansas but we made it to the hotel with all of our bags.
Monday, December 27, 2010
The First Keynote, Singing to Dr. Case, and Rest at Home...
Wednesday 12/15 at Tyson headquarters in Arkansas: We worked with Josh again today and actually gave part of our speeches that we had developed. We tweaked some and then added more and finally got the delivery on one of our stories done. After Josh left then, we spent the remainder of the day finalizing, practicing, and timing our keynotes so that they would be ready for the next day…lookin’ forward to see students tomorrow!!!
Thursday 12/16 at Har-Ber High School in Arkansas: Back to the classroom today! It was so great to spend time at Har-Ber High School in Arkansas. The day began right away in the morning where we entered a lecture type room that we would give our first keynote speeches in. Kelsey King, President at Har-Ber FFA did a great job at introducing us and we also had a blast being able to meet so many great FFA members from not only Har-Ber but also some surrounding schools.
Tiffany was the first one up and she definitely set the bar high with her message. It is amazing how all of the speeches really came together over the course of just a few days and also being able to see the improvements from each of my teammates (and myself). James quickly followed suit and nailed his talk as well. There was a quick video played about science in FFA and then I was up. I must admit that I was a bit nervous. Still, I was very happy with how things went and my time was right on (I was a bit worried about that because I have a tendency to talk longJ) Anywho, there was a break then where we had some time to has a few refreshments, visit with more members, and just hang out. While this was all going on, some of the students had to leave to finish some of their semester tests while students from surrounding schools also went back.
After the break, Shannon, Landan, and Riley all concluded their own speeches and it was then off to the Ag classroom for lunch (yes, the noon meal is called lunch not dinner…still trying to get used to that). We were able to spend about the next 45 minutes to an hour eating with members, taking pictures, and just getting to know them more. I was very impressed by each of the members there and it was a bit hard to say good-bye.
Later that day we went over some coaching, I took a nap, and finally celebrated that night at dinner. Overall, today = success!!
Friday 12/17 at Tyson headquarters in Arkansas & Indy: After breakfast at the hotel, we went to Tyson’s headquarters again and wrapped up our training over the last three weeks. Tyson representatives talked to us about the company and we were able to ask more questions and to close out our time at Tyson, Ms. Durham shared some parting thoughts about how we have prepared for what lies ahead and that we are “ready” for things to start happening after the first of the year.
Tyson friends have been so good to us and they sent us off with a heart-felt appreciation. We then made our way to the airport and got ‘home’ to Indy in time for us to repack and get ready for Dr. Case’s retirement/Christmas party at the National FFA Center. It was a great time and our officer team even sang a medley of Christmas songs that we changed the words. Dr. Case closed with some remarks about how excited he is for the future of FFA/Ag-Ed/Agriculture as well as sharing his love of others and his thanks to God.
Saturday 12/18 at Indy & HOME: We got up for the last time in Indy in 2010 and prepared to leave. Thankfully we all made it home safe with only minor delays!
BREAK 12/19 – 1/2 at HOME: I have been spending time at home and I must say that it has been great to be with family and just relax a bit. I have been feeling great and things have been going well but I am glad to get caught up on sleep/emails/and all other things. I still have a pretty lengthy to do list before I fly back January 2nd but it all seems manageable. I have had a great Christmas with friends and family and am all geared up for 2011. I thank the Lord for all of the wonderful friends and family that He has blessed me with, sending Jesus down to earth, and the prayers and encouragement that so many people have given me over this year! See you in 2011…
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Classrooms, Speeches, and Frog Legs...
Tuesday 12/7 at Indy: We started to finalize our workshops. I must admit that I am nervous for the next few days but I am very excited to me in the classrooms again. Knowing that the workshop that I have developed with a lot of help from Ms. Durham, Ms. Jill, Ms. Whitney, Alex Henry, and my teammate will be the workshop that is done at conventions brings adrenaline to me. We were also able to visit with many individuals serving on the foundation. It was a fun evening where I learned more about how the foundation operates and the personal qualities of each individual that we met.
Wednesday 12/8 at Indy: Last day to finish preparations. Quick stop to pick up supplies, finish making our posters, and presenting different parts of our workshop to make sure that our directions, connection, and applications are where we need them and the day is all wrapped up. Of course I cannot forget the Chili contest in the National FFA Center. Let me tell you…team/staff members in the National FFA Center sure know how to make some Chili!!!!!
Thursday 12/9 at Lebanon High School in Indiana: We went into classrooms to give our workshop for the first time from start to finish with FFA members. It was great getting to spend time learning from them by sharing stories and ideas. Shannon, Landan, and I went to the Lebanon High School in Indiana. All of the members and Ag students that we saw were great. My workshop went well but it also showed me what I need to improve on as a presenter and facilitator. Mr. Ernest is one of the Advisors there and he has a great way of relating to students and encouraging everyone. He and everyone else made me feel welcomed. Later that night, we had dinner with Dr. Armstrong and his wife to get to know them better. They are both individuals that have a heart for service and agriculture/education/FFA…great people!
Friday 12/10 at Shenandoah High School in Indiana: ANOTHER VISIT!!!! This time, the same three of us went to Shenandoah High School. We visited his a bit larger classes and we did it in the cafeteria area. This was one fun party that is for sure. We had more room to use which allowed us to have more space for activities. Again, this group was fired up to get involved and make a difference. After our visits, we made our way to the airport and arrived in Arkansas (first time for me) in the late evening. On the way, I sat by a wonderful lady that has served in the Army and is now with the Veterans Hospital. She has totally given her life for serve to our county, service to soldiers, and service to everyone that she meets…THANK YOU!!!!!!
Saturday 12/11 at Arkansas: The first full day in Arkansas started with us being able to sleep in and have all day to rest and get caught up on things or work on whatever we needed too. I must say that it was nice to be able to have a little room to get some things done (including sleepJ)
Sunday 12/12 at Arkansas: Two words…FROG LEGS!!!!!!! Yes, that is right. We had a dinner at the Catfish Hole and had very traditional Arkansas style food. Ms. Durham is our coach and she is originally from the area. She wanted to give us the full experience of Arkansas and I decided to go all in and enjoy frog legs. The verdict…I don’t think that I will order them again but I must admit they did not taste bad at all (I still like my steak though).
Monday 12/13 at Tyson headquarters in Arkansas: We arrived at the Tyson headquarters which is where we are having our training for speech development, business and industry training, and etiquette practice. Tyson’s headquarters definitely has a family feel to it and everyone has been so nice to us. After a full day of learning and practicing business visits, I was able to try Buffalo wings for the first time as well (we do have them in South Dakota but I just haven’t had them yet). Two thumbs up here!!
Tuesday 12/14 at Tyson headquarters in Arkansas: Today we really focused on speech development and delivery. We were privileged to have Josh Sundquist be our trainer for today and he will be working with us a couple hours tomorrow as well. He is such a talented speaker and person. I feel much more equipped already to deliver a stronger, more powerful message. We are now practicing part of our speeches tomorrow. It will be a great learning experience and I am very excited to try on new techniques that Josh has shared. Check him out on youtube! He spoke at the 2009 National FFA Convention.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Videos, Workshops, and Christmas...
It is remarkable to believe that we are done with one full week of training already! To recap a bit…
Monday 11/29 at Indy: Logistical management was the theme for today. Everything from expense reports to understanding the different departments at the FFA Center and the various teams and team leaders. So many things to remember!
Tuesday 11/30 at Indy: We received FFA phones and computers today and learned more about staying connected with my new email: wdejong@ffa.org. In the evening, we went to Conseco Fieldhouse and filmed FFA Week promotional videos and feature videos. It was quite a fun but I don’t feel as though I am ready for show bizJ
Wednesday 12/1 at Indy: Some training at the center followed by all staff Christmas decorating. Then…team bonding activity around Indianapolis! We were sent on a mission to become more familiar with Indy as well as the areas that make up convention. One high light was of course eating at Steak and ShakeJ We had a great waitress, Brenda, that shared a joke, engaged us in conversation, and went out of her way to serve us.
Thursday 12/2 at Indy: Today was fun! We really opened up and talked about the value of diversity. This led to us preparing for our goodwill tour to Japan by learning what our schedule will be like while we are over there. I am very excited for our stay with host families and seeing a farm over there. To wrap up our day, we experienced an authentic Japanese meal. I must say that I am starting to get better with chop sticks but I need to work on my posture when sitting on the floor for my meal.
Friday 12/3 at Indy: We visited the FFA Merchandising Center. It was great seeing how it all came together to put out high quality products. It was pretty neat to learn that one of the worker’s mother actually hand sewed FFA jackets when she worked for the National FFA Organization.
Saturday 12/4 at Indy: WORKSHOP DEVELOPMENT!!!! We had picked out our topics for the workshop that will be developing over the next few days. I was a bit nervous as I selected my topic and started to learn how it would all come together…time will tellJ
Sunday 12/5 at Indy: Attended Sunday school and worship with the team. In the evening we had our team Christmas party and enjoyed home-made chili and had a great time playing a couple rounds of Catch Phrase…sadly, my team did not win.
Today 12/6 at Indy: It was a full day of training about how facilitation all worked. We went in depth and started to prepare so that tomorrow we will start practicing our workshops in front of our teammates and coaches. To wrap up the day, we went to a Pacers game where we met with Conseco Fieldhouse managers so we would be familiar with some of the background information while we plan for next convention (yes we are already in the planning stages…any ideas?).
Tomorrow 12/7 at Indy: Hold on to your hats ladies and gentlemen!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
And We're Off!!!!
Today was the first day of our training in Indianapolis. We started by attending a local church where we sat in on Sunday school followed by the service. After worship, I was able to catch up with my teammates and my coach that will be working with all of us the most this year: Ms. Durham. She is an intelligent and talented person that is committed to improving us and challenging us beyond what we have faced. We spent three hours today getting prepared for what training will look like for the next three months, discussed expectations, saw our cubicles for the year, and had some time to unwind. There are three cubicles, so we each are paired up. I am with Landan Shaffert!
After learning more about expectations for training, I feel like this will be a challenging time that every moment will be a time of discovery and learning. I am ready to hold on and see what all happens. Tomorrow is when we start to dive into understanding more personally our talents and also get into workshop planning. I am more definitely excited to see what tomorrow holds…
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