Fourteen students and two AHS staff attended the annual National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. This year, the chapter found a way to give back while on their trip. AHS teacher and trip chaperone Lisa Sonntag set up a Venmo code where the money they raised would go to the group’s server for their dinner that night. This was shared on Facebook where it caught the attention of many. They tipped three different nights totaling $1,600. Night one’s tip was $500, night two was $200, and night three was $900.
Seeing the excitement and gratitude on the faces of the servers was something they would never forget. When a group of 16 people head into a restaurant, it can be overwhelming. “It was nice when a table of 16 comes in and someone takes our table and we are able to make it worth their time,” said senior Colton Becker. Becker was responsible for giving a speech and presenting the money to the server each night.
Atlantic FFA vice president Lola Comes was also on this year’s trip. Doing this at first, just for fun and to feel good, soon turned into something Comes will always remember. “When I first heard the plan to raise money for tips on our National Convention trip, I was excited to continue to do good deeds as a chapter. However, I didn’t realize how quickly the news would spread throughout our community and donations soon came flowing in. Our tips had an incredible impact on the people who received the money, and it was a valuable experience for every Atlantic FFA member,” she said.
Sonntag was the one who decided this would be a great idea for the Atlantic FFA Chapter. She said, “Last summer, two friends of mine went on a girls’ trip for a week and they posted on their social media an experiment about the power of social media. Using Facebook and Twitter (now known as X), they asked for donations to use as a tip for their nightly waiter or waitress.” This is where the idea really sparked and she decided the group should do it on this trip. The impact made on “complete strangers” is a good feeling. “I presented it to the kids, and they were up for a challenge,” said Sonntag. The most fulfilling part of this for Sonntag was seeing “the emotion that was created at the moment and the wonderful conversations the kids had about how it made them feel,” she said. Since being back from the trip, she has had several community members approach her and tell her how watching the videos on Facebook impacted them too. Another AHS staff member told her that he got “goosebumps” while watching the videos. “The experience was a great example of using social media for good,” said Sonntag.
After night three, a Facebook post was made reminiscing on the night. It was the largest amount of money they had tipped all week. The very grateful and lucky recipient, commented on the post expressing her gratitude towards all of the Atlantic FFA Chapter. She expressed how incredibly generous and kind it was of them, and that this money was going to help her so much. She privately sent a message to Lisa Sonntag stating that she had just moved to the area and was struggling with money. “I am 20 years old and I just moved to the area by myself. I’ve been going through a lot and in some money struggles right now so I needed this very much,” said the server.
