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Leadership
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FFA
Events to Remember:
Alabama National Fair
October 6 – 15, 2006 –
Montgomery
National
FFA Convention
October 25 –
28, 2006 – Indianapolis, Indiana |
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The
FFA organization is known for developing youth leadership. Young people
have experiences and training that help them to become the leaders of
tomorrow. Much of this summer, for the Alabama FFA Association, has been
spent providing leadership-building exercises for many FFA members.
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The
newly elected state officers started their leadership experience with
Blast Off training, held in Montgomery from June 5-8, 2006. Blast Off is
an intensive leadership-training course for state officers, which also
included state officers of the various other Career/Tech student
organizations. The officers received instruction on developing and
delivering a speech, time management, written correspondence, building
partner relationships, etc. |
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On
June 15th, the state FFA officers met for training at the National
Leadership Conference for State Officers (NLCSO) in Raymond,
Mississippi, which is facilitated by the National FFA Officers. Alabama
participates in NLCSO along with Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
The state officers spent the better part of a week involved in
leadership training exercises to prepare them to train other officers |
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The
Alabama FFA Officers with the trainers of the 2006 National Leadership
Conference for State Officers. (From left) Jerika Buttram, State
Treasurer; Salora Wright, State President; (rear l/r): Ryan Peterson,
National FFA Eastern Region Vice President; Brandon Smith, State
Secretary; Travis McGowin, State Vice President; Justin Posey, State
Reporter; Caleb Colquitt, State Sentinel; and Erica Der, National FFA
Southern Region Vice President. |
Alabama
District and State FFA Officers at the District Officers’ Leadership
Conference in Columbiana on June 30 and July 1, 2006. |
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later
in the month.
The
state officers were invited to conduct workshops during the ALFA Youth
Leadership Conference in Columbiana on June 23-25. The ALFA Young
Farmers used this opportunity to share some fun activities with youth
from all across the state, giving the officer team an opportunity to
work with other students before their next training experience. |
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The
District Officers Leadership Conference (DOLC) was held June 30 and July
1. DOLC is a training program that provides district FFA officers from
the North, Central, and South with a leadership workshop. The district
officers in turn prepare to conduct Chapter Officer Leadership Workshops
(COLWs) in each of their respective districts. At least one COLW was
held in each if the three districts in order to provide an opportunity
for the officers of local chapters to come together and participate in
leadership building activities. These workshops are usually a one-day
activity held at a local school or community college within the
district.
Later
this summer, Salora Wright, State FFA President and W. Brandon Smith,
State FFA Secretary had the privilege of attending the State President’s
Conference (SPC). This is a program where select state officers from
around the nation converge |
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on
our nation’s Capitol in Washington, D.C. While there, the national FFA
officers and staff guided the young men and women through various
activities and attractions in the city. The conference also facilitated
scheduling and visiting with representatives from our state’s senators’
and representatives’ offices. The state officers also had the
privilege of attending a forty-five minute meeting with President George
W. Bush.
As
you can tell, the FFA is an organization for youth that provides many
experiences to its members that they might not ever have the opportunity
to experience otherwise.
Jacob Davis is the Executive Secretary of the Alabama FFA Association.
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State
FFA Officers from across the United States posed with President George
W. Bush. Salora Wright, Alabama State FFA President, and W. Brandon
Smith, Alabama State FFA Secretary, were fortunate to participate in the
forty-five minute meeting with the President. |
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