PAST STATE OFFICER SPOTLIGHT

To any aspiring FFA state officers,

If you’re reading this, it’s likely that you're nearing the end of your high school career, and with that comes the end of your student FFA career as well. There’s a good chance that this will be one of the most exciting, busy, and hectic parts of your life so far. There will be tough decisions to make: If you’re pursuing higher education, where will you go? Do you want to spend your free time making some extra cash at a part-time job? And as for the rest of your free time, what are you going to do to make sure that your senior year isn’t one to forget? As an experienced FFA member, there may also be the question of whether or not you want to serve as a state officer. If you’re anything like I was at the time, state office probably sounds like a really exciting opportunity, but you may be worried about how it could affect your high school experience. Will you have time for sports and/or clubs? What is your support system going to look like? What exactly will you be getting out of the experience?

First, let’s talk about time. It would be a blatant lie to say that your year of state office won’t be a big time commitment. It definitely will be. There will be workshops and presentations to prepare, meetings to attend, sponsors to thank, and at the end of it all a convention to plan and execute. Don’t panic, however, because the good news is that not all of this responsibility is going to fall on you. You’ll have a truly awesome support network that will consist of your fellow state officers, state officers of neighboring states, your advisor, Maine chapter advisors, Maine FFA Alumni (that’s me!), and the list goes on. These people will be more than willing to help you wherever you may need it most. Your fellow officers and advisor will help shoulder the office workload. Other officers, advisors, and previous members will be available to answer any questions you may have and give opinions. Although there is much to do, the amount of work will never become unbearable. I myself had time to work a part-time job and play both high-school golf and baseball during my office tenure. If you manage your time effectively, I think you’ll find that you’ll have more of it than you realize!

But why become a state officer to begin with? What’s in it for you? The state office position has many benefits including fantastic professional development, networking opportunities, and amazing travel destinations. Leadership trainings, which you’ll participate in with fellow New England state officers, will teach you skills that will not only assist you during your state office year, but also in your chosen profession after you leave office. You’ll learn how to be an influential speaker, how to best connect with audiences and those you work with, and how to develop gripping presentations and workshops - all skills that are heavily sought after in the workforce! You’ll have the opportunity to travel to several exciting destinations such as Washington D.C. for State Officer Summit, Indianapolis for the National FFA Convention, and state events such as the agricultural trades show. With these travel opportunities comes the chance to network with State Representatives and Senators, owners of local businesses and sponsors, and the National FFA board and office team. Not to mention, you’ll make new friends for life in the form of neighboring FFA officers. There’s no shortage of positives to a state office term.

There’s likely a lot on your mind as you plan your senior year, but if you are at all interested I would highly recommend state office for your consideration. As a college student seeking an internship to get a start in my field of computer science, I have benefitted immensely from the skills I learned and opportunities I had during my time as an officer. Whatever you decide, I wish you all the best, and I can’t wait to see you in either the Maine FFA Association or Maine FFA alumni jacket soon.

Sincerely,

Graham Berry
2018-2020 Maine FFA President