At the Pennsylvania Farm Show on Jan. 12, more than 50 first-year area FFA members received the most iconic piece of clothing in agricultural education — and the pride in the room was loud enough to fill the arena.

Area FFA chapters included Big Valley, Juniata and East Juniata.

They were part of a record-setting crowd of 1,436 first-year FFA members statewide receiving jackets this year, a milestone that reflects both the strength of agricultural education in Pennsylvania and the growing enthusiasm among young people entering the National FFA Organization.

For Big Valley FFA advisor and agricultural sciences teacher at the Mifflin County Academy of Science and Technology in Lewistown, Nicolette Cusate, the moment was especially meaningful.

Submitted photo
First-year Juniata FFA members who received their FFA jackets at the Pennsylvania Mid-Winter Convention held on Jan. 12 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg included from left, Brea Beward, Paige Martin, Grace Miller, Harlee Shellenberger, Willow Aurand and Ella Zimmerman; middle, Marissa Popp, Halle Finkenbiner, Mackenzie Wray, Riley Delancey, Kaiden Goshorn, Keury Castro-Gonzalez and Payton Oberlin; back, Jackson Imes, Jensen Noss, Bryce Harlon, Thomas Houser, Jayce Rice, Jeffrey Fischer, Tyler Zimmerman, Matthew Myers and Paul Imes. Amaya Diaz and Anthony Spade were absent.

“This is the highest number of jacket recipients our chapter has had in the last three years,” Cusate said of this year’s Mid-Winter Convention. “I am excited that every sophomore enrolled in the agricultural sciences program at The Academy took advantage of the opportunity to become active in FFA and apply for their jacket. They all have the passion for agriculture that will take them far throughout their next three years in FFA and beyond.”

For these students, the jacket is more than a uniform — it’s a rite of passage. It marks the beginning of their journey in an organization with nearly a century of history and more than 16,000 members across Pennsylvania. The jacket is a symbol of unity, leadership and pride, worn by generations of students who have gone on to careers in agriculture, science, business, education and countless other fields.

Earning the jacket

Before receiving their jackets, Big Valley members completed an application process that paired them with local sponsors. Students were asked to reflect on three questions:

• Why they are interested in agricultural education

Submitted photo
First-year East Juniata FFA members who received their FFA jackets at the Pennsylvania Mid-Winter Convention held on Jan. 12 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg included from left, front, Sandra Graybill, Clay Snyder, Cohen Apple, Rylan Feehrer, Emily Goodling (Keystone Degree recipient), Maddie Kerstetter, Mazie Neimond, Piper Jamison and Kaylee Perrine; back, Chase Fisher, Shay Brininger, Jonny Hoffman, Chase Hoffman, Byron Trent and Cooper Arnold. Thad Auker and Cody Nipple were absent.

• What goals they hope to achieve in FFA

• What the FFA jacket means to them

Their answers revealed a group motivated by curiosity, ambition and a genuine love for agriculture.

Big Valley FFA members expressed gratitude to the sponsors who made the jackets possible: Mifflin County Farm Bureau, Mifflin County Conservation District, Betsy Casner, Amy Spickler, Rebecca Seaholtz, Seaholtz Handyman Services LLC, Dan and Maggie Palopoli, the Wright Family, Colleen Filson and Michaela Weaver.

What the jacket means to them

Each of the 12 students brought their own story — their own spark — to the moment they put on the blue corduroy for the first time. Here’s what they shared:

Elle Halfpenny joined FFA out of “a pure passion for agriculture and a drive to be a part of something great.” Wearing the jacket, she said, means representing her chapter, community, state and nation “with a passion driven solely for faith and the future of agriculture.”

For Ava Neff, FFA is a path toward discovering her future career. Receiving her jacket means becoming “part of one big agricultural family that will support and help me along the way.”

Nyah Shirk joined to deepen her knowledge of animal science and build friendships. Her jacket makes her “feel completely a part of the group and chapter,” opening opportunities she’s excited to explore.

Elysia Glick discovered that agricultural education is about more than farming — it’s about confidence, community and personal growth. Wearing the jacket, she said, means representing not only her school and county, but also “past members and other people in the Ag community… carrying on something that has been passed down since 1928.”

For Makalah Stuck, the jacket represents the memories, friendships and opportunities that drew her to FFA. “All my hard work to get there and receive my jacket is just one more step to success,” she said.

Chloe Fisher has dreamed of becoming a veterinary technician since childhood. Her jacket symbolizes the first step toward that goal.

Kobi Weber sees the jacket as a symbol of “new beginnings and possibilities.”

Noel Haines joined FFA because she knew it would give her the skills to grow into her own person. For her, receiving the jacket marks a turning point. “Having my FFA jacket, to me, means it’s the beginning of a new journey in my life,” she said.

For Torri Maclay, joining FFA has long been a goal. Receiving her jacket is “a big milestone” and “the gateway to countless opportunities.”

Braylin Walters hopes to show animals at the fair, and the jacket marks “a new chapter” and a meaningful accomplishment.

Gio Rivera joined to build a strong agricultural foundation for his future career. His jacket gives him “a sense of accomplishment and motivation to push myself above and beyond.”

And Julia Parmley, who dreams of becoming a florist, said the jacket represents the chance to “open new doors and push myself harder to learn and become the best version of myself.”

A beginning, not an ending

For these 12 students, the jacket is only the start. Ahead are leadership conferences, competitions, community service projects and the kind of hands-on learning that defines FFA.

But for one day at the Farm Show — surrounded by thousands of other first-year members — they stood shoulder to shoulder in matching blue corduroy, part of a tradition bigger than themselves.

And that’s the power of the jacket: it doesn’t just mark who they are today. It signals who they’re becoming — the next generation of thinkers, doers and leaders who will shape the future of agriculture long after the Farm Show lights go dark.

Jackets for Juniata FFA

The Juniata FFA chapter set a record with 24 jacket recipients at the Mid-Winter Convention.

“In 2016, we had 21 recipients, but 24 is the highest we ever had,” said Jessica Morgan, agriculture teacher at Juniata High School and co-advisor for Juniata FFA. “We have great supporters of the program at Juniata High School that made this possible this year.”

Jacket recipients included: Willow Aurand, Brea Beward, Keury Castro-Gonzalez, Riley Delancey, Amaya Diaz, Halle Finkenbiner, Kaiden Goshorn, Paige Martin, Grace Miller, Marissa Popp, Payton Oberlin, Harlee Shellenberger, Mackenzie Wray and Ella Zimmerman.

Additionally, the following members also received jackets: Jeffrey Fischer, Bryce Harlon, Thomas Houser, Jackson Imes, Paul Imes, Matthew Myers, Jensen Noss, Jayce Rice, Anthony Spade and Tyler Zimmerman.

Jackets for East Juniata FFA

The East Juniata FFA Chapter had 16 jacket recipients at the Mid-Winter Convention. Jacket recipients included: Rylan Feehrer, Sandra Graybill, Maddie Kerstetter, Mazie Neimond, Piper Jamison and Kaylee Perrine. Additionally, the following members also received jackets: Cohen Apple, Cooper Arnold, Thad Auker, Shay Brininger, Chase Fisher, Chase Hoffman, Jonny Hoffman, Cody Nipple, Clay Snyder and Byron Trent.