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Winter 2011 Oklahoma Outlook Riley grew up in Woodward, where he showed cattle through 4-H then joined FFA as a fresh-man in high school. During his sophomore year, he was elected Reporter. As a junior, he was elected vice-president and as a senior, President. He then ran for NW District VP and won. Two years later he applied for national office and was chosen to be National President. A Year to Remember At that moment, Riley’s one year term of office began. After three days of team building, every-one goes back to his or her home state to finish the college semester – in just three weeks. Then it was back to Indianapolis for training, which lasted several months, with breaks for Thanksgiving and Christmas. A memorable moment from the first few months was meeting with U.S Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, who challenged the officer team to bring a new perspective to the next Farm Bill. “So this year, our platform is to do just that: To ask youth, state officers and advi-sors what they think about the farm bill, and how we could imple-ment those things from a non-biased perspective.” The team will present their findings to Secretary Vilsack in January. “After D.C., our team went to Japan for eleven days. While we were there, we were advocates for American agriculture, but we also got to see a lot of global agriculture. It was eye opening to see how United States agriculture affects global agriculture.” The Japanese people were very hospitable. “They welcomed us with open arms. We were guests there and they treated us like that. I’ll always remember that. I learned how to make an origami swan. Where else would I learn how to do that?” After Japan, the team came back home to participate in the state conventions. Riley attended conventions in eight states, includ-ing Hawaii, California and Oklahoma. When all the state conventions were done, the national officers conducted national leadership con-ferences for state officers. Then they went back to Washington D.C. to conduct the State Presidents’ Conference, which is “the longest national FFA event in history. The State President and one additional delegate from each state come to D.C. to determine the delegate issues that will be discussed at the next national convention.” With the delegate issues determined, the national officers go to work plan-ning and preparing the other aspects of the next convention. The Value of FFA Riley says that one of the best things about FFA is it helps people find their niche. “They become confident in their skills and they find a niche that they couldn’t find before. They couldn’t find it in school or in another organization or in a club or in a sport, but they find it here in FFA.” “It gives people that chance to succeed, and it’s teaching students to advocate, not just for them-selves, but for agriculture and agricultural education. If we give students that seed and we plant that seed, foster it and water it, then hopefully someday they can plant those seeds in other people.” “There are so many skill sets that FFA members rely on, and they build on throughout their FFA career. That’s what’s great about this organization that it keeps building on those skills. It’s not just for high school, it’s not just for col-lege, it’s for life.” You can read this interview in it’s entirety on our website: www.okffa.org An Interview with Riley Pagett A Tanner Miller Small Animal Production and Care Entrepreneurship/Placement Mulhall-Orlando FFA Brenna Brawner Equine Science Entrepreneurship Edmond FFA Brenna’s SAE program revolves around eleven Appaloosa horses that she breeds, conditions, trains, shows, and sells. Her proficiency lies in being able to see the potential in horses, working these prospects into quiet, accom-plished show horses, successfully breeding them, then re-investing to do it all again. Attending 12-20 horse shows a year gives Brenna the avenue to showcase the improvements she has made to her show stock. Brenna does much of her advertising on the Internet because it is relatively inexpensive and its reach is worldwide. She also works hard to build and maintain relationships with horse owners and trainers when she travels to shows. Brenna’s horses have attained an extremely high level of fitness because of proper feed and consistent exercise. She was able to decrease exercise time by 40% and went from winning one world championship in 2008 to winning three in 2010. Upon graduation from high school, Brenna plans to attend Oklahoma State University and earn an under-graduate degree in animal science with an emphasis in equine science. She then plans to complete studies in veterinary medicine with a specialty in equine orthope-dic surgery. Tanner raises high quality Pembroke Welsh Corgis to sell as quality pets and breeding stock. He started his enterprise with two registered females and a regis-tered male, knowing that any additional breeding stock would have to be raised or purchased with income from his own production. In order to offer a happy, healthy puppy, Tanner has a solid health program in place, with records to document vaccinations. Puppies leave his kennel with a shot record, a bag of food, and a registration certifi-cate if applicable. To date, Tanner has produced and marketed 30 Pembroke Welsh Corgi puppies to five different states using newspaper ads and the Internet to reach his cus-tomers. A portion of Tanner’s income has been used to modify his existing kennel facilities. He put insulation in the ceiling and walls in order to have a more con-trolled climate for the expectant females. This precaution has also helped protect puppies from expo-sure to temperature extremes that can be fatal. Upon graduation from high school in May 2013, Tanner plans to enter an undergraduate degree pro-gram in Agricultural Education at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. 2011 National FFA Proficiency Awards B State proficiency award applications are due February 15 Taylor Runyon Food Science and Technology Entrepreneurship/Placement Atoka FFA Ashlea Smith Agricultural Sales Entrepreneurship Cushing FFA Ashlea wanted an SAE that would be different from any others her chapter was doing so she went to a local retail garden center and asked the owners if there was anything she could sell them. They asked her to grow pansies for them to re-sell. The owners of the garden center were so impressed with Ashlea’s first crop of pansies, they awarded her their entire pansy demand for the following year. She is now their exclusive source of pansies, selling over 400 flats each year. Soon after she agreed to grow pansies for the gar-den center, she started selling sweet corn and other produce at a roadside stand. She has been selling corn for four years now. She sells about 90% of her corn for a healthy profit. The 10% that doesn’t sell she donates to a local homeless shelter. Ashlea won first place in Oklahoma’s Agricultural Sales proficiency in 2011. She has been very successful in the Proficiency Award program on both the state and national levels. Ashlea is a freshman in the College of Agriculture at Oklahoma State University, majoring in Pre-Med. She is planning for a future in the pharmaceutical field. Taylor’s work with scientists at the Lane Research Center and SOSU has given her the opportunity to be a part of many worldwide agricultural food science research projects and further her interest in this area. The overall goal for Taylor’s SAE was to gain knowledge about many different varieties of vegetables and fruits and also gain experience and knowledge about field and laboratory techniques. Taylor’s research has been highlighted in her local newspaper, at the Atoka County and Tulsa State Fairs and through agricultural awareness programs she con-ducted for the local elementary school. Taylor has competed in the State and National FFA Agriscience Fair competitions, winning her division on the state level 3 times and placing 3rd in 2008 at the national contest. She also received the State Agriscience Student of the Year Award in 2010 and was one of eight National Finalists for Agriscience Student of the Year. Taylor is currently attending St. Gregory’s University, after which she will transfer to Oklahoma State University to finish a major in agricultural engi-neering. She hopes to continue her research though college and develop a natural skin care product that may help prevent skin cancer. Oklahoma had 15 finalists at this year’s national convention. Here are four that you should know. There are 49 proficiency award areas, including a new area in Goat Production C I remember my first day of eighth grade just like it was yesterday. I was not worried about any class on my schedule except for third hour. I waited for the bell to ring, and then off I went. I was making my way to the Ag Building. I knew without a doubt this would be my favorite class. However, as I got closer I began to get extremely nervous. You see, my dad was going to be my teacher, and I was so afraid that he would embarrass me in front of my friends. That day we learned how to give a good firm handshake and look the other person in the eye. We faced our fears, stood in front of the class and talked about ourselves. From that point forward, I was hooked. I couldn’t wait to get involved and get my very own official blue and gold jacket! FFA members, like many of you, I developed a love for this organization at a very early age. And like me, each of you has the opportunity to get involved and to allow this organization to change your life for the better – just as it did mine. Your background, location, school size or financial means does not matter. FFA has something to offer each one of us! Just like catching a firefly in a glass jar at night, you need to take advantage of these opportunities while they are in front of you. Believe me when I say time truly does fly. So don’t wish these moments away. Spend extra time making sure you memorize your speech word for word. Work your animals just a little bit harder. Give an extra set of livestock judging rea-sons to your Ag-Ed instructor. It’s the little things in life that will make the biggest difference. Strive to be the best you can be in this organization and set your goals high! Always remember that noth-ing is impossible with God on your side! Your 2011-2012 Courtney Maye, State President Courtney’s favorite place to D eat in Stillwater is Buffalo Wild Wings In sixth grade, I was a banner carrier for the high school marching band, and the band got the opportunity to visit the Royal Gorge in Colorado. It is the perfect spot for a thrill-ride called the Sky Coaster. It swings you out over the gorge at a height of 1,150 feet. A few of the high school students ran to get on the Sky Coaster. But I was petrified of heights. So I devised a sure-proof game plan. I said I would do it if my mom would do it with me. I knew there was no way she would do it! Unbelievably, she called my bluff and said we should go! I was scared out of my wits when they har-nessed me up and strapped me in. I was so scared that I literally cried as they pulled us back. Ready to launch, they yelled “3-2-1-FLY!” FFA members, it required facing my fears to wit-ness one of the most beautiful sights ever! I set a goal my first year in the FFA to serve as a state officer. I knew there would be important steps and lots of hard work along the way to accomplish this goal. When December of my senior year rolled around, I began filling out the application. I “experienced” the Nominating Committee in February and prepared for the state FFA convention during the first week of May. Thoughts of “I can’t do this” and “I’m not qualified” constantly entered my mind. At the convention, I gave my three-minute cam-paign speech and waited. I had made the first cut! I then gave my one-minute runoff speech, but I had to wait until the closing session of convention to hear the results. I worked my way through the 3-2-1 process. Emily Beanland opened the envelope and yelled my name. I flew from the stands. I flew up on the stage. I have been flying high ever since that moment. FFA members, I want you to know that you, too, can fly if you set your goals high and work to achieve them. So I encourage each of you to start with “3” by setting your goals. Work hard to accomplish your goals with “2.” And when you reach “1,” I know you will fly. State Officers! Joshua Conaway, Northwest District Vice President Joshua is a mama’s boy and proud of it! E The them e of this year’s conference was “Represent,” specifically referring to how FFA members can better represent themselves, their community and the Oklahoma FFA association. The keynote address was delivered by FFA mentor and former state president, Kelly Barnes, who told us, “My keynote focused on the “little things” that make the big difference, for instance, how members act when they are wearing their official dress and also when they are living a regular everyday life of a student. “How involved are they in the community and in the organization through competitive events, leadership activities and their SAE?” The title of Kelly’s speech was “Make it a Habit”. It centered on the idea that “success is the result of small efforts repeated day in and day out.” He challenged members to think about the seemingly small things they did on a daily basis and asked the question, “If these habits are repeated on a daily basis, what will be the result in 10, 20, 30 years?” When Kelly’s speech concluded, the attendees were divided into four groups for breakouts, led by the state officers, who challenged the students “to represent themselves, their community and FFA by being positive role models to other students through their actions.” “We encouraged FFA members to become ambassadors for the FFA in their communities by getting involved in community outreach and seeking out members of the community to get involved in FFA activities.” “Finally we looked at the FFA as a whole, looking for some new ways members can get involved as individuals, and what can they do to get their chapter members involved.” Over 2000 chapter officers attended this year’s COLT Conferences. Chapter Officer Leadership Training The 2012 COLT Conference F will feature a keynote address by What did you learn today? • How to represent my chapter and FFA to the best of my abilities • That the way we present ourselves to others reflects on the FFA • How we represent ourselves makes a big difference in our community What will you do differently after this training? • Work hard to be excellent • Have a lot of integrity • Be a better role model and be more helpful to the younger members • Do more with my community • Get the officer team to work together to make a better chapter Highlights from Kelly’s keynote: Success in the FFA is not measured by the amount of awards you win but by the person you become in the process. No one ever looked back on graduation night and said to themselves, I wish I had done less, not tried as hard or been less of a role model. Those of us with the ability to achieve success and prosper also have the duty to reach down and pull others up in the process. Represent . . . Your Image, Our Image, The Image state senator and former state FFA president, Josh Brecheen. G Influence “For influence, you need to be involved and active. You need to have weekly duties where you are helping to grow the chapter and helping other members get involved. Ask yourself, “What have I done as an offi-cer? What has been my activity? Who have I met with, what meetings have I gone to, what meetings have I coordinated?” Spirit “For spirit, you need to make sure the FFA class-room looks good. You need to make sure the FFA is doing community visual things like adopting a high-way or making a welcome sign outside of town. You need to be enthusiastic about the FFA. “It’s both personal as well as public. Am I someone who others enjoy being around? Am I a person with a smile on my face and love in my heart? Am I sharing those good feelings with others? Am I communicating with others the good things that my chapter is doing?” Class “For class, you need to make sure that you are stand-up person, that you are a positive leader in the jacket and out of the jacket.” Class is about remember-ing that whenever you wear your FFA jacket, you are representing FFA to the world. It’s about “being hon-est, staying away from drugs and alcohol ... having a strong work ethic, looking good in your FFA jacket.“ Being sure that “the language you use with others is clean, powerful and positive.” Legacy If you do all these things and do them right, you will create “a legacy of excellence in your chapter. Chapter officers can actively create that by not being so concerned about everything good happening their year.” Sometimes you just plant the seed, but the fruits of your labor may not be obvious for several years. That’s your legacy. Rhett Laubach is a leadership mentor and consultant. He went to high school in Laverne, Oklahoma, where he served as FFA Chapter Reporter twice, Chapter President, NW District VP, then State President. These days, he teaches leadership across the country and continues to work with FFA on the state and national level. Are leaders born or made? “Leaders are born and then unmade. A lot of the major things that you need to have to be influential with people are things you were born with. Look at children. Children are happy, they’re creative, imagi-native, friendly and trustworthy. “But as we grow up we lose our creativity, we lose our imagination, our ability to take risks, to talk to a stranger, sometimes even to just enjoy the day. Those are fundamental things that get switched off, because life switches them off. And that diminishes our ability to be influential with people.” How do we regain those fundamentals? You need to work on your influence – make it posi-tive. You need to work on your spirit, make it energetic, joyful, engaging, and friendly. You need to work on your class – your etiquette, integrity, classiness, being a classy person. These three will feed in to the fourth one, which is legacy – having a legacy of influence.” Rhett’s latest book, “Leaders In Gear” includes 230 specific tips for better leadership. It is available at www.yournextspeaker.com. Leadership Fundamentals An Interview with Rhett Laubach You can read this interview H in it’s entirety on our website: www.okffa.org
Object Description
Okla State Agency | Career and Technology Education, Oklahoma Department of |
Okla Agency Code | '800' |
Title | The Outlook |
Alternative title | Outlook : Oklahoma FFA |
Authors |
Future Farmers of America. Oklahoma Association. Oklahoma FFA Association. |
Publisher | Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education |
Publication Date | 2006; 2007; 2008; 2009; 2010; 2011 |
Publication type | Newsletter |
Serial holdings | Electronic holdings: 2006-2011 |
Subject | Agricultural education--Oklahoma--Periodicals. |
Purpose | official publication of the Oklahoma FFA Association |
Notes | issues through 2011 |
OkDocs Class# | E2215.6 O94 |
For all issues click | E2215.6 O94 |
Digital Format | PDF, Adobe Acrobat required |
ODL electronic copy | Downloaded from agency website: okffa.org |
Rights and Permissions | This Oklahoma state government publication is provided for educational purposes under U.S. copyright law. Other usage requires permission of copyright holders. |
Language | English |
Date created | 2009-11-19 |
Date modified | 2012-11-01 |
OCLC number | 192175778 |
Description
Title | Outlook winter 2011 |
OkDocs Class# | E2215.6 O94 Winter 2011 |
Digital Format | PDF, Adobe Reader required |
ODL electronic copy | Downloaded from agency website: http://www.okffa.org/NHI/OUTLOOK%20Winter%202011.pdf |
Rights and Permissions | This Oklahoma state government publication is provided for educational purposes under U.S. copyright law. Other usage requires permission of copyright holders. |
Language | English |
Full text | Winter 2011 Oklahoma Outlook Riley grew up in Woodward, where he showed cattle through 4-H then joined FFA as a fresh-man in high school. During his sophomore year, he was elected Reporter. As a junior, he was elected vice-president and as a senior, President. He then ran for NW District VP and won. Two years later he applied for national office and was chosen to be National President. A Year to Remember At that moment, Riley’s one year term of office began. After three days of team building, every-one goes back to his or her home state to finish the college semester – in just three weeks. Then it was back to Indianapolis for training, which lasted several months, with breaks for Thanksgiving and Christmas. A memorable moment from the first few months was meeting with U.S Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, who challenged the officer team to bring a new perspective to the next Farm Bill. “So this year, our platform is to do just that: To ask youth, state officers and advi-sors what they think about the farm bill, and how we could imple-ment those things from a non-biased perspective.” The team will present their findings to Secretary Vilsack in January. “After D.C., our team went to Japan for eleven days. While we were there, we were advocates for American agriculture, but we also got to see a lot of global agriculture. It was eye opening to see how United States agriculture affects global agriculture.” The Japanese people were very hospitable. “They welcomed us with open arms. We were guests there and they treated us like that. I’ll always remember that. I learned how to make an origami swan. Where else would I learn how to do that?” After Japan, the team came back home to participate in the state conventions. Riley attended conventions in eight states, includ-ing Hawaii, California and Oklahoma. When all the state conventions were done, the national officers conducted national leadership con-ferences for state officers. Then they went back to Washington D.C. to conduct the State Presidents’ Conference, which is “the longest national FFA event in history. The State President and one additional delegate from each state come to D.C. to determine the delegate issues that will be discussed at the next national convention.” With the delegate issues determined, the national officers go to work plan-ning and preparing the other aspects of the next convention. The Value of FFA Riley says that one of the best things about FFA is it helps people find their niche. “They become confident in their skills and they find a niche that they couldn’t find before. They couldn’t find it in school or in another organization or in a club or in a sport, but they find it here in FFA.” “It gives people that chance to succeed, and it’s teaching students to advocate, not just for them-selves, but for agriculture and agricultural education. If we give students that seed and we plant that seed, foster it and water it, then hopefully someday they can plant those seeds in other people.” “There are so many skill sets that FFA members rely on, and they build on throughout their FFA career. That’s what’s great about this organization that it keeps building on those skills. It’s not just for high school, it’s not just for col-lege, it’s for life.” You can read this interview in it’s entirety on our website: www.okffa.org An Interview with Riley Pagett A Tanner Miller Small Animal Production and Care Entrepreneurship/Placement Mulhall-Orlando FFA Brenna Brawner Equine Science Entrepreneurship Edmond FFA Brenna’s SAE program revolves around eleven Appaloosa horses that she breeds, conditions, trains, shows, and sells. Her proficiency lies in being able to see the potential in horses, working these prospects into quiet, accom-plished show horses, successfully breeding them, then re-investing to do it all again. Attending 12-20 horse shows a year gives Brenna the avenue to showcase the improvements she has made to her show stock. Brenna does much of her advertising on the Internet because it is relatively inexpensive and its reach is worldwide. She also works hard to build and maintain relationships with horse owners and trainers when she travels to shows. Brenna’s horses have attained an extremely high level of fitness because of proper feed and consistent exercise. She was able to decrease exercise time by 40% and went from winning one world championship in 2008 to winning three in 2010. Upon graduation from high school, Brenna plans to attend Oklahoma State University and earn an under-graduate degree in animal science with an emphasis in equine science. She then plans to complete studies in veterinary medicine with a specialty in equine orthope-dic surgery. Tanner raises high quality Pembroke Welsh Corgis to sell as quality pets and breeding stock. He started his enterprise with two registered females and a regis-tered male, knowing that any additional breeding stock would have to be raised or purchased with income from his own production. In order to offer a happy, healthy puppy, Tanner has a solid health program in place, with records to document vaccinations. Puppies leave his kennel with a shot record, a bag of food, and a registration certifi-cate if applicable. To date, Tanner has produced and marketed 30 Pembroke Welsh Corgi puppies to five different states using newspaper ads and the Internet to reach his cus-tomers. A portion of Tanner’s income has been used to modify his existing kennel facilities. He put insulation in the ceiling and walls in order to have a more con-trolled climate for the expectant females. This precaution has also helped protect puppies from expo-sure to temperature extremes that can be fatal. Upon graduation from high school in May 2013, Tanner plans to enter an undergraduate degree pro-gram in Agricultural Education at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. 2011 National FFA Proficiency Awards B State proficiency award applications are due February 15 Taylor Runyon Food Science and Technology Entrepreneurship/Placement Atoka FFA Ashlea Smith Agricultural Sales Entrepreneurship Cushing FFA Ashlea wanted an SAE that would be different from any others her chapter was doing so she went to a local retail garden center and asked the owners if there was anything she could sell them. They asked her to grow pansies for them to re-sell. The owners of the garden center were so impressed with Ashlea’s first crop of pansies, they awarded her their entire pansy demand for the following year. She is now their exclusive source of pansies, selling over 400 flats each year. Soon after she agreed to grow pansies for the gar-den center, she started selling sweet corn and other produce at a roadside stand. She has been selling corn for four years now. She sells about 90% of her corn for a healthy profit. The 10% that doesn’t sell she donates to a local homeless shelter. Ashlea won first place in Oklahoma’s Agricultural Sales proficiency in 2011. She has been very successful in the Proficiency Award program on both the state and national levels. Ashlea is a freshman in the College of Agriculture at Oklahoma State University, majoring in Pre-Med. She is planning for a future in the pharmaceutical field. Taylor’s work with scientists at the Lane Research Center and SOSU has given her the opportunity to be a part of many worldwide agricultural food science research projects and further her interest in this area. The overall goal for Taylor’s SAE was to gain knowledge about many different varieties of vegetables and fruits and also gain experience and knowledge about field and laboratory techniques. Taylor’s research has been highlighted in her local newspaper, at the Atoka County and Tulsa State Fairs and through agricultural awareness programs she con-ducted for the local elementary school. Taylor has competed in the State and National FFA Agriscience Fair competitions, winning her division on the state level 3 times and placing 3rd in 2008 at the national contest. She also received the State Agriscience Student of the Year Award in 2010 and was one of eight National Finalists for Agriscience Student of the Year. Taylor is currently attending St. Gregory’s University, after which she will transfer to Oklahoma State University to finish a major in agricultural engi-neering. She hopes to continue her research though college and develop a natural skin care product that may help prevent skin cancer. Oklahoma had 15 finalists at this year’s national convention. Here are four that you should know. There are 49 proficiency award areas, including a new area in Goat Production C I remember my first day of eighth grade just like it was yesterday. I was not worried about any class on my schedule except for third hour. I waited for the bell to ring, and then off I went. I was making my way to the Ag Building. I knew without a doubt this would be my favorite class. However, as I got closer I began to get extremely nervous. You see, my dad was going to be my teacher, and I was so afraid that he would embarrass me in front of my friends. That day we learned how to give a good firm handshake and look the other person in the eye. We faced our fears, stood in front of the class and talked about ourselves. From that point forward, I was hooked. I couldn’t wait to get involved and get my very own official blue and gold jacket! FFA members, like many of you, I developed a love for this organization at a very early age. And like me, each of you has the opportunity to get involved and to allow this organization to change your life for the better – just as it did mine. Your background, location, school size or financial means does not matter. FFA has something to offer each one of us! Just like catching a firefly in a glass jar at night, you need to take advantage of these opportunities while they are in front of you. Believe me when I say time truly does fly. So don’t wish these moments away. Spend extra time making sure you memorize your speech word for word. Work your animals just a little bit harder. Give an extra set of livestock judging rea-sons to your Ag-Ed instructor. It’s the little things in life that will make the biggest difference. Strive to be the best you can be in this organization and set your goals high! Always remember that noth-ing is impossible with God on your side! Your 2011-2012 Courtney Maye, State President Courtney’s favorite place to D eat in Stillwater is Buffalo Wild Wings In sixth grade, I was a banner carrier for the high school marching band, and the band got the opportunity to visit the Royal Gorge in Colorado. It is the perfect spot for a thrill-ride called the Sky Coaster. It swings you out over the gorge at a height of 1,150 feet. A few of the high school students ran to get on the Sky Coaster. But I was petrified of heights. So I devised a sure-proof game plan. I said I would do it if my mom would do it with me. I knew there was no way she would do it! Unbelievably, she called my bluff and said we should go! I was scared out of my wits when they har-nessed me up and strapped me in. I was so scared that I literally cried as they pulled us back. Ready to launch, they yelled “3-2-1-FLY!” FFA members, it required facing my fears to wit-ness one of the most beautiful sights ever! I set a goal my first year in the FFA to serve as a state officer. I knew there would be important steps and lots of hard work along the way to accomplish this goal. When December of my senior year rolled around, I began filling out the application. I “experienced” the Nominating Committee in February and prepared for the state FFA convention during the first week of May. Thoughts of “I can’t do this” and “I’m not qualified” constantly entered my mind. At the convention, I gave my three-minute cam-paign speech and waited. I had made the first cut! I then gave my one-minute runoff speech, but I had to wait until the closing session of convention to hear the results. I worked my way through the 3-2-1 process. Emily Beanland opened the envelope and yelled my name. I flew from the stands. I flew up on the stage. I have been flying high ever since that moment. FFA members, I want you to know that you, too, can fly if you set your goals high and work to achieve them. So I encourage each of you to start with “3” by setting your goals. Work hard to accomplish your goals with “2.” And when you reach “1,” I know you will fly. State Officers! Joshua Conaway, Northwest District Vice President Joshua is a mama’s boy and proud of it! E The them e of this year’s conference was “Represent,” specifically referring to how FFA members can better represent themselves, their community and the Oklahoma FFA association. The keynote address was delivered by FFA mentor and former state president, Kelly Barnes, who told us, “My keynote focused on the “little things” that make the big difference, for instance, how members act when they are wearing their official dress and also when they are living a regular everyday life of a student. “How involved are they in the community and in the organization through competitive events, leadership activities and their SAE?” The title of Kelly’s speech was “Make it a Habit”. It centered on the idea that “success is the result of small efforts repeated day in and day out.” He challenged members to think about the seemingly small things they did on a daily basis and asked the question, “If these habits are repeated on a daily basis, what will be the result in 10, 20, 30 years?” When Kelly’s speech concluded, the attendees were divided into four groups for breakouts, led by the state officers, who challenged the students “to represent themselves, their community and FFA by being positive role models to other students through their actions.” “We encouraged FFA members to become ambassadors for the FFA in their communities by getting involved in community outreach and seeking out members of the community to get involved in FFA activities.” “Finally we looked at the FFA as a whole, looking for some new ways members can get involved as individuals, and what can they do to get their chapter members involved.” Over 2000 chapter officers attended this year’s COLT Conferences. Chapter Officer Leadership Training The 2012 COLT Conference F will feature a keynote address by What did you learn today? • How to represent my chapter and FFA to the best of my abilities • That the way we present ourselves to others reflects on the FFA • How we represent ourselves makes a big difference in our community What will you do differently after this training? • Work hard to be excellent • Have a lot of integrity • Be a better role model and be more helpful to the younger members • Do more with my community • Get the officer team to work together to make a better chapter Highlights from Kelly’s keynote: Success in the FFA is not measured by the amount of awards you win but by the person you become in the process. No one ever looked back on graduation night and said to themselves, I wish I had done less, not tried as hard or been less of a role model. Those of us with the ability to achieve success and prosper also have the duty to reach down and pull others up in the process. Represent . . . Your Image, Our Image, The Image state senator and former state FFA president, Josh Brecheen. G Influence “For influence, you need to be involved and active. You need to have weekly duties where you are helping to grow the chapter and helping other members get involved. Ask yourself, “What have I done as an offi-cer? What has been my activity? Who have I met with, what meetings have I gone to, what meetings have I coordinated?” Spirit “For spirit, you need to make sure the FFA class-room looks good. You need to make sure the FFA is doing community visual things like adopting a high-way or making a welcome sign outside of town. You need to be enthusiastic about the FFA. “It’s both personal as well as public. Am I someone who others enjoy being around? Am I a person with a smile on my face and love in my heart? Am I sharing those good feelings with others? Am I communicating with others the good things that my chapter is doing?” Class “For class, you need to make sure that you are stand-up person, that you are a positive leader in the jacket and out of the jacket.” Class is about remember-ing that whenever you wear your FFA jacket, you are representing FFA to the world. It’s about “being hon-est, staying away from drugs and alcohol ... having a strong work ethic, looking good in your FFA jacket.“ Being sure that “the language you use with others is clean, powerful and positive.” Legacy If you do all these things and do them right, you will create “a legacy of excellence in your chapter. Chapter officers can actively create that by not being so concerned about everything good happening their year.” Sometimes you just plant the seed, but the fruits of your labor may not be obvious for several years. That’s your legacy. Rhett Laubach is a leadership mentor and consultant. He went to high school in Laverne, Oklahoma, where he served as FFA Chapter Reporter twice, Chapter President, NW District VP, then State President. These days, he teaches leadership across the country and continues to work with FFA on the state and national level. Are leaders born or made? “Leaders are born and then unmade. A lot of the major things that you need to have to be influential with people are things you were born with. Look at children. Children are happy, they’re creative, imagi-native, friendly and trustworthy. “But as we grow up we lose our creativity, we lose our imagination, our ability to take risks, to talk to a stranger, sometimes even to just enjoy the day. Those are fundamental things that get switched off, because life switches them off. And that diminishes our ability to be influential with people.” How do we regain those fundamentals? You need to work on your influence – make it posi-tive. You need to work on your spirit, make it energetic, joyful, engaging, and friendly. You need to work on your class – your etiquette, integrity, classiness, being a classy person. These three will feed in to the fourth one, which is legacy – having a legacy of influence.” Rhett’s latest book, “Leaders In Gear” includes 230 specific tips for better leadership. It is available at www.yournextspeaker.com. Leadership Fundamentals An Interview with Rhett Laubach You can read this interview H in it’s entirety on our website: www.okffa.org |
Date created | 2011-12-19 |
Date modified | 2012-03-19 |