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If you walked into the Anaheim Convention Center today, you would have found yourself surrounded by adolescents donning blue jackets with yellow lettering. Not just a few teenagers either, but swarms of them on the upper and lower levels of the building. These students are all a part of Future Farmers of America, or FFA.
The purpose of this national organization is to instill core leadership values in students, while simultaneously educating them on various aspects in the agricultural field. Their motto reads, "Learning to do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve." These words continuously motivate the members as they discover the plethora of opportunities that FFA offers. As for why the students are currently in Anaheim, that is because they are attending the 91st Annual State FFA Leadership Conference. The California FFA Association is hosting this event from April 25 - 28. Members will have the opportunity to witness keynote speakers share words of wisdom. Those who have shown great dedication to the program and the study of agriculture will receive awards to highlight their success. Because this is a student -led organization, participants from different chapters vote on legislation to further develop the FFA. This association has the ability to shape individuals and strengthen their character. In Priscilla Briseno's case, she became more socially adept. "It's made me more interactive with people," she says. "I have also made many friends." She attends the competitions in her Linden Chapter, where she gets to experience Creed Speaking, a category in which contestants must read 5 paragraphs detailing the core values of the FFA. Ultimately, this helps students better their public speaking skills and gain self confidence. The California FFA Association's annual conference works tirelessly to bring students from each chapter of the state together. They acknowledge that each student believes in something different, but they essentially want to make sure that everyone can share values that inspire unity. Over 7,000 members, visitors, and mentors are in attendance, and they will experience this opportunity that offers many tools to ensure the growth of FFA for years to come. |
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