• Article Photo. The 2023-2024 officer team from Left to Right: Juliana Luis, Alana Fleming, Andrew Pingenot, Will McKenna, Cooper McClintock, Grayce McClintock, Megan Schlitter, and Izzie Birker
    The 2023-2024 officer team from Left to Right: Juliana Luis, Alana Fleming, Andrew Pingenot, Will McKenna, Cooper McClintock, Grayce McClintock, Megan Schlitter, and Izzie Birker
  • Article Photo. The officers relax in the sun after a productive day working on planning the chapter activities
    The officers relax in the sun after a productive day working on planning the chapter activities
  • Article Photo. Cooper McClintock and Andrew Pingenot work together to cook dinner for their team.
    Cooper McClintock and Andrew Pingenot work together to cook dinner for their team.


By: Co-Reporter, Juliana Luis

¢â‚¬Å“I really enjoyed being able to spend time with my fellow officers and getting to know each other better. We made a lot of memories that will last a lifetime! ¢â‚¬ � is how Co-Reporter Juliana Luis described her time while at the Vinton-Shellsburg annual Officer Retreat.

The Officer Retreat started Friday, August 4th at 7:30 a.m. with a workshop on professionalism at the high school. Afterward, the team traveled to a few local agriculture businesses to learn more about the services they contribute to the community, potential SAE learning opportunities for students, and future career opportunities. Then, they returned to the school to learn more about team-building activities as well as get prepared for the upcoming school year.  Once they wrapped up their activities at the school they headed to McGregor for some fun.

Once the team arrived they took time to hang out with each other before dinner. Throughout the retreat, officers worked in pairs to prepare meals for the group and further their communication skills.

The rest of the day was filled with conversations about the theme for the FFA ¢â‚¬â„¢s 2023-2024 school year which is; Go Beyond. The following day the officer team made their way to the Mississippi River for a fun day in the sun. Officer retreat helped pull the entire team together and the officers can't wait to meet new FFA members and help their chapter continue to advance to the next level.