Eight Greene County FFA members and their advisor Katie Akers traveled to New Hampton Jan. 12 for a presentation by Temple Grandin followed by book signings.
The Temple Grandin Experience was hosted by the New Hampton FFA Chapter. Grandin spoke about her experiences as a child growing up with autism and how it affected her life and how it helped her to be able to observe how animals move and what animals look at which might distract them while being handled.
She also spoke about how the “world needs all kinds of minds,” meaning that being a visual thinker is just as important as a mathematical thinker such as when creating new plans and layouts for facilities. The creator needs to create it and the mathematical thinker needs to put numbers together so it is possible.
Grandin gave advice to not just FFA members, but everyone, giving advice to students recommending them to be involved in different internships, trying them out to figure out what you actually like.
“Different minds think differently. We need to stop focusing on what kids can’t do and figure out what they can do. Get them into a job, get them successful at something, and you’ll never have to worry about innovation. It just happens,” she said.
Some upcoming events are the free will donation community pancake breakfast to celebrate National FFA Week at 7 am on Feb. 24. Also the free will donation community fish fry on March 3. The Greene County FFA Chapter invites the public to attend. They will be held at the Greene County High School Ram Restaurant. ~Brian Rasmussen, chapter reporter
