Representative April Connors (center) meets with Washington FFA state officers.
Most people don’t join their local FFA chapter expecting it to land them on the floor of their state House of Representatives, but for April Connors, it did just that. Connors represents Washington’s 8th Legislative District and serves as the House Republican Floor Leader — a role that traces back to her FFA years. Her early service as a state FFA officer, she says, “is the reason I was always interested in going into public service. FFA was a life-changing experience — something that I’ve carried with me ever since.”
Connors grew up on a five-acre farm in Finley, Wash., where agriculture had just about everything to do with her daily life. Starting off in 4-H, she later followed her family’s footsteps and joined FFA — a move that, she says, “felt like a natural fit. I loved the speaking contests, the leadership part and being around people who wanted to make a difference,” she says.
Throughout her time in FFA (and, inevitably, to this day), her biggest mentor and inspiration was her agriculture teacher, Mr. Gerald Ringwood, who guided her from chapter competitions to district camp and, ultimately, state office. During her senior year of high school, she was elected the 1988-89 Washington FFA state vice president.
After serving as a state officer, Connors decided to take her leadership to the next level by running for national office, where she placed among the top ten candidates nationwide. Soon after, National FFA offered her a position in Washington, D.C., leading workshops for six weeks at the Washington Leadership Conference. The experience immersed her in the heart of government and public service.
“Students at WLC learn about leadership, our nation’s history and how our government works,” Connors says. Later, she returned to leadership circles as an adult — participating in ALEC and the GOPAC emerging leaders program — and even toured the Reagan Ranch as part of legislative leadership events. For Connors, those experiences are not souvenirs, but continued training in civic life.
The clearest continuity between FFA and Connors’ career is practical: FFA taught her leadership, public speaking and teamwork, which are the tools she uses on the House floor today. “You cannot read your speech on the House floor,” she says, and urges students to practice extemporaneous speaking so they can think on their feet.
As floor leader, she does more than a typical legislator: she manages debate order, directs amendment strategy and coordinates speakers during chaotic floor sessions. Competing in FFA competitions like prepared public speaking and parliamentary procedure made her early years in the legislature much easier because she had already developed those skills.
One of Connors’ proudest legislative efforts has been expanding opportunities for students in Career and Technical Education (CTE). She sponsored student-focused bills that remove state rules blocking 16- and 17-year-old CTE students from using certifications they’ve earned. This legislation directs agencies to revise barriers so qualified minors can work toward careers as certified nursing assistants, begin EMS coursework earlier or take firefighter certification exams at 17 — creating clearer pathways from classroom to job, while helping address local workforce shortages.
Connors says the work grew directly from her FFA experience. “To me, it’s about the kids,” she adds. “It’s about vocational/technical kids. It’s about every kid. That space is really close to my heart.”
If there is a single through line to Connors’ work, it is service to her community and to future generations. She recruits students for the page program, speaks in classrooms and maintains small rituals of connection, such as spotting a fellow blue jacket and stopping to talk.
“The biggest part for me is just serving our community,” she says. That creed, learned on a five-acre farm and polished in a blue jacket, remains the engine behind a life truly spent living to serve.
