By Morgan Anderson, OCJ FFA Reporter
For over 50 years, the National FFA Organization has provided members across the country with a world-class leadership experience in the nation’s capital and introduced them to the rich history of Washington, DC.
Known as the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC), the 5-day event is attended by thousands of students each summer. Focused on leadership, citizenship, service and action, the conference provides FFA members with the opportunity to grow personally, experience active involvement and learn about new opportunities.
Two members of the Amanda-Clearcreek FFA Chapter were able to attend the conference free of charge after applying and interviewing. Their attendance was made possible through a memorial fund set up by the Chapter.
Emma Strickler, junior and reporter for the chapter, said she knew she wanted to apply because of the positive experiences of previous participants in her chapter.
“I had heard others in my chapter talk about their experiences and how life-changing they were,” Strickler said. “I wanted to grow as a leader and learn to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations.”
From leadership and advocacy work to visits and service projects, the students, Catherine Buckley, sophomore and the chapter’s academic advisor, said they have done it all.
“There were 13 sessions in total throughout the week, some with the large group and others with our community groups,” Buckley said. “Our community groups were pre-arranged, smaller groups where we talked more in depth about certain leadership qualities. In our community groups, we created our individual Living to Serve plans that we will implement in our home communities. In addition to improving our leadership skills, we also toured the National Mall and Capitol Hill. On our last day, Saturday, our group of 200 members participated in a service project and made food bags for the community.”
At the end of the week, FFA members not only have new knowledge and experiences, but they also have a Living to Serve plan they can implement in their communities. Both Buckley and Strickler created their plans based on the needs they saw in their community.
“I want to work with my team to adopt a family during the holidays and provide them with food, hygiene items, clothing, gifts or other everyday necessities,” Strickler said. “My team and I will raise funds and then use the funds to purchase the items the family wants. We will work with the local food bank to find a family in need that my local chapter can support.”
“My Living to Serve plan is all about mental health and supporting people who may be struggling,” Buckley said. “Last year we had a mental health-related incident and our community didn’t really know how to respond. By raising awareness and providing support, our community will help prevent further incidents.”
Strickler and Buckley participated in the program along with 200 other FFA members from across the country. They said the lessons they learned have been invaluable to their development as leaders – both within FFA and beyond.
“One lesson I learned at the Washington Leadership Conference that really resonated with me was that you don’t expect perfection all the time,” Strickler said. “I tend to put pressure on myself to be perfect all the time; however, that’s an unrealistic expectation. At home, I’m going to apply that lesson to my life and instead of focusing on being perfect, I’m going to learn from my mistakes and grow from them.”
“I’ve learned that one action, no matter how big, can have a huge impact on someone’s life,” Buckley said. “As a leader in FFA, sports and extracurricular activities, I realize how my actions can impact those around me. I have to do my best to help, encourage and build everyone up so they can succeed and the organization as a whole is successful.”
