Future Farmers Of America

THE MARYLAND FFA ASSOCIATION, INC MAKES A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF STUDENTS BY DEVELOPING THEIR POTENTIAL FOR PREMIER LEADERSHIP, PERSONAL GROWTH, AND CAREER SUCCESS THROUGH AGRICULTURE EDUCATION. SIGNIFICANT EVENTS INCLUDE: STATE AND REGIONAL CONFERENCE, IN-CLASSROOM WORKSHOPS.

STATE CONVENTION AND STATE CDE'S (CAREER DEVELOPMENT EVENTS) - THE PROGRAM SERVICE AREA INCLUDES THE ANNUAL MARYLAND STATE FFA CONVENTION AND THE ASSOCIATED CAREER DEVELOPMENT EVENTS (CDE'S) HELD THERE AND AT VARIOUS OTHER TIMES AND LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THESE CDE'S RANGE FROM FORESTRY TO AGRICULTURE SALES AND AGRICULTURE MECHANICS TO FOOD SERVICE. PUBLIC SPEAKING, JOB INTERVIEW, AND PARLIMENTARY PROCEDURE ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE CDE OFFERINGS. THESE EVENTS SUPPORT THE STUDENTS CAREER SUCCESS THROUGH DIRECT REAL-WORLD EMPLOYMENT SCENARIOS AS WELL AS LEADERSHIP, JOB PLACEMENT, AND PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS ALL THROUGH A COMPETITVE ENVIRONMENT. THE MARYLAND STATE FFA CONVENTION ALSO SUPPORTS THE MISSION AND EXEMPT PURPOSE BY PROVIDING OTHER LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS THROUGH WORKSHOPS AND THE DELEGATE PROCESS WHERE STUDENTS CONDUCT THE BUSINESS OF THE ORGANIZATION AND HELP TO DETERMINE THE ORGANIZATIONS FUTURE DIRECTION.

STUDENT LEADERSHIP - THIS PROGRAM SERVICE AREA INCLUDES THE REGIONAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCES, CHAPTER OFFICER LEADERSHIP TRAINING, STATE OFFICER TRAINING, AND THE STATE OFFICER PROGRAM OF WORK. THESE EVENTS ALL FOCUS ON THE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT OF THE MEMBERS. STATE OFFICERS RECEIVE EXTENSIVE TRAINING AND THEN TRAVEL THE STATE CONDUCTING LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS INSIDE CLASSROOMS. THIS ALLOWS FOR GREATER REACH AT A LOWER COST TO INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS. THE REGIONAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCES ARE A SERIES OF ONE DAY CONFERENCES HELD AROUND THE STATE WHERE STUDENTS HAVE THE ADDED BENEFIT OF INTERACTION WITH STUDENTS FROM OTHER SCHOOLS IN THEIR LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS. CHAPTER OFFICER LEADERSHIP TRAINING IS LESS EXTENSIVE THAN THE STATE OFFICER TRAINING BUT HELPS TO PREPARE THESE STUDENTS TO EFFECTIVELY COORDINATE CHAPTER ACTIVITES AT THE HOME SCHOOL.

NATIONAL AND REGIONAL EVENTS - THIS PROGRAM SERVICE AREA INCLUDES THE NATIONAL FFA CONVENTION AND EASTERN STATES EXPOSITION. BOTH OF THESE EVENTS SUPPORT THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION BY PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTICIPATING STUDENTS IN THE AREAS OF AGRICULTURE AS WELL AS LEADERSHIP. ADDITIONALLY, STUDENTS AND TEAMS PLACING FIRST AND SECOND IN THEIR CAREER DEVELOPMENT EVENTS ATTEND THESE TWO EVENTS. THESE EVENTS, LIKE THE STATE EVENTS DESCRIBED ABOVE, ALLOW STUDENTS TO APPLY THEIR CLASSROOM LEARNING TO REAL-WORLD CAREER SITUATIONS IN A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT, SUPPORTING THE PURPOSE OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT.