By Case De Jong, Turlock Christian Chapter President & Tri-Rivers Sectional Vice-President
Each summer, thousands of FFA members descend on the nation’s capitol to participate in one of FFA’s most exciting leadership experiences—Washington Leadership Conference (WLC). The core tenets of the program are to explore, encourage, advocate, and serve.
This year, FFA members from the Turlock-Christian chapter decided they would take the next step in their leadership development and attend WLC. “I wanted to attend this conference because I wanted to not only take that next step in my FFA journey, but I wanted to be a true force for positive change in my chapter and community,” said Case De Jong, Chapter President. “My goals going into the conference were to leave with a different perspective on how to impact my community as well as how I can better serve those around me.”
During sessions at WLC, facilitators guide participants through the process of developing a “Living To Serve Plan,” a plan formulated to help FFA members meet the needs of their chapters and communities. “WLC was amazing because we got to learn how to be a leader by being a changemaker in our own town so that our communities could change for the better,” explained Ben Bylsma, of the Turlock-Christian FFA Chapter.
In addition to the capstone service learning component, FFA members explored Washington, D.C. where they visited the Smithsonian National Museum and connected with legislators to advocate for agriculture. Relationship building was another important aspect of the conference, and members were encouraged to meet and connect with FFA members from across the nation. “This conference was also unique because we had enough time to develop relationships with other members from around the country, not just meeting them but bonding and having meaningful conversations,” explained Bylsma.
If FFA members are interested in impacting their communities and truly investing in themselves as leaders, then WLC is an essential part of the FFA experience. To learn more about WLC, including important dates for next summer’s program, visit www.ffa.org/conference/washington-leadership-conference-wlc/.
