JENKS, OKLAHOMA (FFA Today) — One Oklahoma FFA chapter is finding a creative way to connect with students across the country. Jenks FFA has launched a pen-pal-style project, sending “flat FFA members” to all 50 states and beyond to learn more about agriculture across different regions.
Chapter advisor Chelsea Shelton and members Kara Black and Sutton Brown joined us on Monday’s FFA Today to talk about the program.
Shelton says the idea came from something she remembered doing as a kid: “When I was in elementary school, I did the Flat Stanley myself and sent it to my aunt, and I loved sending it to her and then having it come back and seeing where he went and all the things she did with it. I thought it would be a cool connection with my Ag Communications class for them to see agriculture in different states and learn a little bit more about that.”
Students say the response has been bigger than they expected.
Black says hearing back from places like Alaska has been especially meaningful, while Brown says the project has reached all 50 states, including Puerto Rico.
Shelton says the experience has helped students see just how different agriculture can look from place to place.
“I do think this is something that a lot of other chapters are going to continue to do because it’s a cool project, especially learning about all of the different states in agriculture, because it’s very different across the world.”
Shelton believes that other chapters should adopt the project because of the connections that it creates.
