Student leaders of the FFA (formerly known as Future Farmers of America) from Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont gathered in South Portland earlier this month for an intensive start-up leadership training conference conducted by the National FFA Organization.
The training, known as “Blast Off,” is intended to prepare each Student State FFA Officer in time management, responsibility, and communication. This helps reconfirm their commitment to teaching other students about opportunities in agriculture and natural resources with the FFA.
Maine’s representatives included State FFA President Dayna McCrum and State FFA Vice President Kaley Norsworthy, with assistance from State FFA Advisor Doug Robertson from the Maine Department of Education. The conference was hosted by former National FFA Vice President Joenelle Futrell and National FFA Staff Representative Cindy Hefner.
Following the conference FFA student leaders, joined by peers from the northeast region, continued their training in upstate New York with a focus on team management, goal setting and speech delivery. This continued training aids in participants’ upcoming efforts to work with secondary and middle school students enrolled in courses related to agriculture and natural resources.
For more information on Maine’s agriculture and natural resources education, please contact the Department’s FFA Advisor Doug Robertson at doug.robertson@maine.gov or 624-6744.