Q&A: National FFA Central Region Vice President Paxton Dahmer

INDIANAPOLIS – The first half of his term in office may not have been what Paxton Dahmer expected as the 2020-2021 National FFA central region vice president, but Dahmer has still kept very busy.

He shared with AgriNews how the year has been going, for him and his teammates.

Since being elected to office in October, how have you been able to still connect with FFA members across the country with strict regulations and restrictions in place to help stop COVID-19?

“This year has proved that while we are having to change our methods, we’ve never changed our purpose. My purpose is to help members reach their full potential, and I feel that we’re still doing just that. Even with COVID-19, we’re still able to connect virtually with students to meet with them, hear their stories and help them fine-tune their leadership skills.”

Obviously, this isn’t how you thought your time would go, but what have you accomplished so far that makes you proud to serve as a National FFA officer?

“I believe that although we aren’t able to travel and experience a traditional national officer year, we’re still able to positively represent the organization and our membership. I’m proud of my team’s adaptability. We’ve had to be flexible as we navigate these times, but we are still able to be a student voice on the National FFA Board of Directors, we’re still training for virtual workshops and we’re still planning on virtually delivering content of all types to students. Regardless of what the rest of our year looks like, I’m proud of our ability to bloom where we’re planted and make the most of any situation.”

What are some events and activities you and your teammates have planned for 2021?

“Even if the events are virtual, our programming this year will be very similar to any other year. We’ll still hold leadership workshops with student members across the nation so that they’ll be able to develop their leadership skills and apply them to their lives, so that our industry can continue to prosper well into the future.”