The weeklong program helps FFA members improve their leadership skills and prepare
for leadership roles in their chapters, communities and future careers. They attended
sessions on developing authentic leadership, serving their communities and participating in civic engagement. They also participated in service learning events. This year students gleaned corn fields and donated two semi-trucks loads of ears to those living in poverty in the D.C. area. “We live in an increasingly competitive world,” says Dr. Larry Case, National FFA Advisor and Coordinator, Agricultural and Rural Education with the U.S. Department of Education. “Tomorrow’s leaders must develop skills in these areas to effectively compete. Every student leaves WLC with an advantage because it gives those young people cutting-edge leadership skills and valuable insight for productive citizenship.”
The National FFA Organization coordinates WLC, with the sponsorship of Monsanto,
which attracts participants from across the country. This summer, more than 2,000 FFA members will attend one of the conference’s seven weeklong sessions. Monsanto is dedicated to the future success of agriculture by investing more than one million dollars to the National FFA Foundation in 2009, as well as supporting a number of agricultural youth each year.
Students also increase their understanding of the nation’s heritage with visits to
Arlington National Cemetery, the National Archives, Library of Congress, the Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt Memorials, Holocaust Museum, World War II, Korean and Vietnam War Memorials and other historic sites in Washington, D.C.
A highlight of the week was a visit to the office of their local elected Congressman, Representative Greg Walden. The FFA members were privileged to sit down in the caucus room with Rep. Walden at the Capital Building during a brief House recess and discuss the future of agriculture and how the decline in the economy is affecting rural Oregon. Congressman Walden has always been a supporter of FFA. He made time in his busy schedule last March to fly back to Oregon to be the keynote speaker at the Oregon State FFA Convention in La Grande.
This year’s conference theme was Becoming Authentic Leaders – Finding Our Purpose. Raven Waldron, North Lake FFA member, stated that “I learned about the needs of the world and how we can make a difference. We learned what the FFA motto ‘Living To Serve’ really meant, and we created plans to help the needs in our community.” Raven said one of her focuses next year will be on raising community awareness of the number of children and teens in our area that are not enrolled in school or fulfilling the home-school requirements. She expressed concern that these young folks are not receiving the skills and knowledge necessary to become successful and contributing members in an ever increasingly technological and academic society.
The trip wasn’t all about work and no play. Before the conference, our Lake and Klamath County FFA representatives traveled to New York City. They spent five days immersed in the East Coast culture touring the city and visiting the sites, including the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Central Park, Trump Tower, Ground Zero and the Rockefeller Center. Students had the opportunity to participate in noon Mass at the famous St. Patrick’s Cathedral on 5th Avenue, and attend a Seattle Mariner/New York Yankee baseball game at the new Yankee Stadium. Students spent time shopping on Canal Street in China Town. They were surprised and shocked at the thousands and thousands of knock-off brand bags, purses and watches being peddled. Brittney Alves, of the Henley FFA Chapter made the comment on the flight home, “Every night I go to bed and all I dream about is purses. I may need professional counseling when I get back home…”
Perhaps the highlight of the New York stay was experiencing all the authentic foods such as New York Pizza, cannolis and gelato in Little Italy, the “Cat-on-a-Stick” at Times Square, and curry chicken and roti in Brooklyn from a Trinidadian immigrant family.
The National FFA Organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, is a
national youth organization of 507,763 student members – all preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture – as part of 7,439 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The National FFA Organization changed to its present name in 1988, in recognition of the growth and diversity of agriculture and agricultural education.
The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Visit www.ffa.org for more information.
Mr. Waldron participating in the community service project.
Chad Waldron, Kori Worthington, Raven Waldron, Brittney Alves
Kori Worthington, Brittney Alves, Raven Waldron and Janet Waldron enjoy an authentic gellato in the Little Italy District in Manhattan New York.
Chad Waldron and Raven Waldron take time during their visit to D.C. to pay respects at the Vietnam Memorial. They looked up and did a rubbing of River Boat Captain, Howard W. Bannister who died in action on July 11, 1967. Captain Bannister was the commanding officer and a close friend of Phillip Dowsett.
