FYI

Find Your Way to WLC

The dates for the 2009 Washington Leadership Conference are:

Week 1 June 2-7
Week 2 June 9-14
Week 3 June 16-21
Week 4 June 23-28
Week 5 July 7-12
Week 6 July 14-19
Week 7 July 21-26

The cost for the conference is $660 per student. Many states have scholarship programs, and chapters can also hold fundraisers to raise money to attend.

To register for WLC or for more information, visit www.ffa.org and click on the WLC link.

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Living to Serve

Pack your bags for Washington, D.C.

Living to Serve

WLC participants help glean a field.



February 2009

Got any exciting plans for this summer? You do now.

The National FFA Organization’s annual Washington Leadership Conference takes place over seven weeks in June and July and gives FFA members a chance to explore our nation’s capital, make friends from across the country and learn to become authentic leaders.

“Students visit the monuments and places like Arlington National Cemetery and talk about those leaders – how they knew what their purpose was and how they took action,” says Whitney Danker, education specialist for leadership delivery for the National FFA Organization. “It can be an overwhelming experience to be in our nation’s capital. For many of them, it’s their first time.”

Besides visiting the U.S. Capitol and meeting their state senators and representatives, FFA members learn what it really means to be a leader. The five-day conference focuses on serving others and gives students the opportunity to create a “Living to Serve” plan to put into action upon their return home.

“We discuss how they can use their talents to better their communities,” Danker says. “We have an in-depth session where they discover a need in their hometown, state or even the world. It could be related to racism, poverty, teen pregnancy or drunk driving. They pick a need that tugs at their heart – something that makes them want to make a difference.”

The conference teaches students how to gather the resources and people they need to make their “Living to Serve” plans a reality.

After attending WLC in 2008, Asia Pruckler of Nevada, Iowa, came home and volunteered to clean up debris in Parkersburg, Iowa, a small town that had been completely destroyed by an F5 tornado in May. She also recruited volunteers.

“I got my dad to volunteer his plumbing ability for the people of Parkersburg,” Asia says. “Teachers in my school volunteered to drive students to Parkersburg every weekend so they could help clean up. My church also had a big part in raising and donating money. It was amazing to see a whole state come together and help a small town rebuild itself.”

Not only did Asia’s “Living to Serve” plan change the lives of the people in Parkersburg, it also changed hers.

“I always thought the world was too big for one person to affect it, but I know it’s possible now,” she says. “WLC changed my life for good. ‘People need me’ is my new motto. When I did good for others, it made me feel good about myself. It also made me more humble. I realize how fortunate I am to have everything I have.”

Story by Jessica Mozo


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The National FFA Organization is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Visit ffa.org