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2016 Convention

11 FFA Members Slated for 2016-17 State FFA Officer Team

The 2016 State Officer Screening Committee slated 11 high school seniors as candidates for state FFA office, April 12-13, 2016 at the Florida FFA Leadership Training Center in Haines City.  28 student members participated in the rigorous interview process.  These members were challenged with a personal interview, written exam, individual problem-solving exercise, advocacy stand and deliver practicum, state degree  interview, agricultural education interview and a conversational exercise.  The selected candidates will seek election at the 88th Florida FFA State Convention & Expo, June 13-17, 2016.

Presidential Candidates

  • William Jameson, South Sumter
  • Emily Little, Sebring

Area 1 VP Candidate

  • Mason Taylor, Cottondale

Area 2 VP Candidates

  • Hunter Burnsed, Baker County
  • Cale McCall, Dixie

Area 3 VP Candidates

  • Catharin MacFarlane, Deltona
  • Sierra Smith, Forest

Area 4 VP Candidate

  • Brett Vorheis, Wekiva

Area 5 VP Candidates

  • Anna Conrad, Plant City
  • Kasey Lewis, Newsome

Area 6 VP Candidate

  • Mariah Alvarez, Sebring

FFA members elect their own officers and plan and conduct activities with supervision from their chapter advisors. A maximum of eight state officers, all recent high school graduates taking a year off of college, play a key role in sharing FFA and agriculture’s message, traveling more than 300 days of their year of service.  State Officers present workshops and deliver presentations focused on the importance of agriculture and leadership development.

State Officers make an effort to visit every chapter each year to educate students about FFA and agriculture.

About the Florida FFA Association

The Florida FFA Association is a premier youth, leadership organization with nearly 18,000 middle and high school student members – as part of over 300 local FFA chapters across the state. FFA members participate in nearly 50 leadership and career development events each year.

The Florida FFA Association is a resource and support organization that does not select, control, supervise or approve local chapter or individual member activities except as expressly provided for in the Florida FFA Association Constitution and Bylaws.

The FFA Mission

FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

2016 Delegate Committee Issues Announced

Five delegate committees have been appointed for delegates to be a part at the 88th Florida FFA State Convention and Expo this summer.

The delegate committee issues and leadership delegates for each were announced at the 2016 State Leadership Summit.

Evaluation of the Delegate Process – The purpose of this committee is to better the delegate process by helping all members clearly understand their objective and be able to have a stake in our organization, therefore increasing participation and improving the delegate experience.
Extending Brand Awareness to Community Partnerships – The purpose of this committee is to promote a positive image of Florida FFA to business partners, potential and current members, the general public, anti-agriculturalists, and school districts.
Increasing Career and Leadership Development Event Preparation Opportunities – The purpose of this committee is to enhance the quality, availability, diversity, and feasibility of CDE/LDE preparation resources.
Enhancing Communication between the Association and Members – The purpose of this committee is to bridge the disconnect between Florida FFA and our state association including state staff, the board of directors, and state officers.
Enhancing Opportunities for Urban Programs and Members – The purpose of this committee is to provide programs and opportunities to reach a more diverse population within urban areas to increase membership and involvement in the FFA while enhancing agricultural experiences for those members.

What’s next?  Here’s a brief outline of what the leadership delegates will be up to through convention and what happens to the committee’s recommendations:

  • Issue Research Conducted – Leadership Delegates generate questions regarding the issue, including background information, data, impact, etc.
  • Issues Published – Staff publishes issues and supporting information to the Florida FFA Association.
  • Delegate Committee Hearings – FFA Stakeholders are invited to testify on the issue at the State FFA Convention.
  • Delegate Committee Meetings – Voting Delegates take action on issues and make a recommendation to the FFA Board of Directors.
  • Delegate Business Session – Chairperson of each Delegate Committee shares committee report with the general delegate body.  Delegates transact business as necessary at the State FFA Convention.
  • Delegate Recommendations to Board of Directors – Staff presents delegate recommendations to the FFA Board of Directors.

The Role of a State FFA Delegate

Delegates to the State FFA Convention & Expo are charged with representing the interests of FFA members within their district, sub-district or chapter while working to forward the progress of the entire Florida FFA Association.

There are two types of delegates, leadership delegates and convention delegates. Leadership delegates are comprised of those individuals who attend and participate in the annual State Leadership Summit.  The job of a leadership delegate is to facilitate the work of the delegate committees.

Convention delegates represent the remainder of a state association’s delegation. These delegates are responsible for driving the direction of their delegate committee. They serve as the architects of the committee recommendation.

The delegate process is an opportunity for members to direct the work of FFA. It is important for the delegates to maintain focus on serving the best interests of members from every FFA chapter. Since delegates represent each of the 300 chapters in Florida and bring to the process a variety of experiences and perspectives, it can be challenging for members to synthesize these varying viewpoints for the sake of progress. A delegate coordinator will be appointed help facilitate the process and maximize the potential of the delegate