The big district contest came and went this week. There were surprises and disappointments and new chances to learn. I decided to attend last minute and showed up to find advisors asking for Harold's extemp notebook. This book can be up to 100 printed pages and has information on 30 current events in agriculture. It's interesting and time killing to put one together. Anna had mostly prepared her own, I found a few topics but was pleased she put so much effort into her preparation this year. I assumed they would share as that has happened in years past. In stead he needed his own, thus after Aliza told me I would make her nervous watching her speak, turned on my heel and headed home on snow covered roads to make a notebook in one hour. Quickly I clicked and printed and put the notebook together.
I slowly quickly drove back to town on slushy roads and handed the notebook to the advisor. She whisked it away to check and I helped serve pizza lunch to 100 hungry FFA kids. After lunch the next round of leadership events began. I watched the beginning parliamentary team contest. IT looked promising but quickly became clear these were beginners. I hurried out to see Harold speak. He had a hard topic, and later disclosed he never saw the newly made notebook so spoke from his head. He made the two minute mark and field questions well but knew he was out of the running for a banner. I hurried back to the parli contest in time to see Aliza take the chair.
She was clearly the boss. She commanded the meeting and held the room in order. She knew she was right when point of order was called only once and she kept the show running smoothly and respectfully. It was a pleasure to watch her. At the end she got tricked up on how to vote on amendments but all in all she was the winner. I missed entering to hear Anna's speech by seconds but watched through the door and was happy to see her confident, and collected. She gestured and spoke long enough she appeared to know what she was doing. She has been working ont his contest for three years so the practice pays off.
And to banners they went. Anna first in extemporaneous. Aliza and her friend/nemesis second and first respectively. She reported the judges really liked her topic and speech, the girl in first was memorized Aliza was not yet. That's her distant cousin on her left.
Advanced parli teams. The team that won got attacked in point of orders and appeals by Harold and his teammate Brock.While it stopped the show and brought her to tears it was not a good maneuver and thus Vale got second.
The beginning team got disqualified as Aliza and another team member had competed last year in beginning. She was sad and mad. I reminded her she had invaluable experience competing this day and should be thankful to have competed. She will go into next year more confident and ready to be the advanced chair. This was a new rule change happening only a few days before but it worked out to let more kids participate at district.
Harold and I watching the parliamentary contest after his speech. It's hard to have a hard time. I truly enjoyed spending time with this great guy who seems to not get a break in FFA. It's hard to have sisters right next to you and have limited spots to participate.
I love what they learn, I'm thankful they will try, and I know the lessons learned are for life not just the moment. They are smart, they are more well informed than they were last week. They had a good day even if the outcome wasn't what was hoped for. Life is good and we are thankful for the many ways we get to grow.
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