Amanda-Clearcreek FFA members travel to nation’s capitol – Ohio Ag Net | Ohio’s Country Journal

By Morgan Anderson, OCJ FFA Reporter

For over 50 years, the National FFA Organization has provided members across the country with a premier leadership experience in the nation’s capital, exposing them to the rich history of Washington, D.C.

Known as the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC), thousands of students attend this 5-day event each summer. Focused on leadership, citizenship, service, and action, the conference allows FFA members to practice personal growth, witness advocacy in action, and experience new opportunities.

After completing an application and undergoing an interview process, two members from the Amanda-Clearcreek FFA Chapter attended the conference for free, courtesy of a memorial fund set up by the chapter.

Emma Strickler, a junior and the chapter’s reporter, said she knew she wanted to apply because of the positive experiences shared by previous attendees from her chapter.

“I had heard others from my chapter talk about their experience and how life-changing it was,” Strickler said. “I wanted to grow as a leader and learn to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations.”

From leadership and advocacy work to sightseeing and service projects, Catherine Buckley, a sophomore and the chapter’s student advisor, said they did it all.

“Over the week, there were a total of 13 sessions, some with the large group and others with our community groups,” Buckley said. “Our community groups were predetermined, smaller groups where we talked more in-depth about certain leadership characteristics. In our community groups, we created our individual Living to Serve Plans, which we will implement back in our home communities. Alongside improving our leadership skills, we also toured the National Mall and Capitol Hill. On our last day, Saturday, our group of 200 members participated in a service project, making meal bags to give to the community.”

By the week’s end, FFA members are armed with not only new knowledge and experiences but also a Living to Serve Plan to pursue in their communities. Both Buckley and Strickler created their plans based on the needs they saw in their community.

“I want to work with my officer team to adopt a family during the holiday season and provide them with food, toiletries, clothes, gifts, or any other basic necessities,” Strickler said. “My officer team and I will hold fundraisers to raise money and then use the funds to purchase the items the family has requested. We will work with the local food pantry to find a family in need that my chapter can support.”

“My Living to Serve Plan is centered around mental health and giving support to those who may be struggling,” Buckley said. “This past year, we had an incident regarding mental health, and our community didn’t really know how to react. Raising awareness and providing support will help our community prevent any more incidents.”

Strickler and Buckley participated in this programming alongside 200 other FFA members from across the country. They said the lessons they learned were invaluable to their growth as leaders — both in FFA and beyond.

“One lesson I learned at the Washington Leadership Conference that deeply resonated with me was that perfection is not always expected,” Strickler said. “I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself to constantly be perfect; however, this is an unrealistic expectation. Back home, I will apply this lesson to my life, and instead of focusing on being perfect, I will learn and grow from my mistakes.”

“I learned that no matter the size of an action, it can still greatly affect someone’s life,” Buckley said. “Being a leader in FFA, sports, and extracurriculars, I realize how my actions can affect those around me. I need to try my best to help everyone, encourage them, and lift them up so they can thrive, and therefore, the organization as a whole thrives.”