Building the Next Generation of Leaders: Texas FFA Excellence Conferences
Texas FFA members at one of the Texas FFA Association’s Excellence Conferences.
Whether it’s winning at a competition or being elected to an officer position, FFA members are constantly striving for excellence. However, it can be hard for students to find their footing when there is just so much out there. Such was the case for the Texas FFA Association. Texas FFA has consistently had a high membership, making it hard to ensure that every member got the most out of their time in the blue jacket.
Former Texas FFA Association Executive Director Austin Large recognized that the Texas FFA Association wasn’t doing a great job of serving the incredible number of members in the state. Large moved to Texas from California, where he was an FFA member and an agriculture teacher. In California, there were Integrated Leadership Development Programs (ILDPs). These programs set out to provide timely and relevant leadership and personal development training to young people. That was something Texas FFA was lacking at the time. Area and district associations held Greenhand Camps; however, those were only for first-year members. Then, the only other opportunity for real development was to be elected to district or area office.
The idea that came was to provide area associations with resources for a Greenhand Leadership Conference or Greenhand Camp. Then, the state association would host sophomore/junior and senior leadership experiences.
Thus, the Texas FFA Excellence Conferences were born. Initially supported through an annual gift to the Texas FFA Foundation from a past state officer, the content was also honed in through a partnership with the Ziglar Foundation. Today, there are three different excellence conferences for sophomores, juniors and seniors: Made For Excellence, Building Excellence and Executing With Excellence. All conferences are hosted together at six universities across Texas. This ensures Texas FFA members from the panhandle to the Gulf Coast have access to these opportunities for growth.
Texas FFA members share what they loved about attending Excellence Conference.
Today, the Texas FFA Excellence Conferences are doing more than filling a gap; they are shaping the future of our organization. Members who walk into these conferences unsure of their place leave with a sense of purpose, stronger confidence and the skills needed to lead in their chapters, schools and communities.
By intentionally investing in members, Texas FFA is ensuring that every member, no matter where they come from, has the opportunity to grow. Through these experiences, members aren’t just striving for excellence; they are learning how to live it, and carrying the values of premier leadership, personal growth and career success far beyond the blue jacket.
