INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, June 2, 2026/National FFA Organization) – This summer, thousands of FFA members from across the country will gather in Washington, D.C., for the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC), a premier leadership experience for students that exposes them to the rich history of our nation’s capital. This year’s conference will take place between June 2-July 10, with five week-long blocks. Over 1,800 members and 250 chaperones have registered. The conference in our nation’s capital comes at a meaningful time as the country reflects on the enduring principles established at the founding of the United States nearly 250 years ago.

WLC inspires FFA members to become changemakers in their communities. Each day of the conference focuses on a different principle taught through the context of our nation’s capital. These principles include exploration, encouragement, advocacy and service. At the end of the week, members leave with a Living to Serve Plan they can implement in their communities.

Each day of the conference has a different theme, with the first day being focused on what WLC is and what goes into a Living to Serve plan. Day two explores leadership, introspective values, recognizing the power of local service and wraps with a tour of seeing the National Monuments. The third day includes a visit to Capitol Hill and group work on Living to Serve Days. WLC concludes with a tour to Arlington National Cemetery or the National Mall Museums and a reflection on the WLC experience. Several students from last year’s conference saw successes from their experience, including:

CALIFORNIA – Abby Woods of the Galt-Liberty Ranch FFA Chapter attended WLC in 2024. Her Living to Serve Plan, the Elementary School Revitalization Project, supports local schools by creating engaging and educational spaces for young students. In early 2025, Abby received a $375 Mini-Living-to-Serve Grant to expand the project, which includes building an outdoor area for one-on-one learning, planting greenery and adding bird feeders. The experience has shown Abby the power of service and the impact one person can have in creating a better environment for learning and growth.

IOWA – Blake Van Der Kamp attended WLC in 2019, and focused his Living to Serve plan on creating the Samson-Curtis Drive School Supply Drive. To make the plan a reality, Blake set up collection boxes around the local community. Once received, he and volunteers sorted materials, put them into backpacks and dropped them off at a local food pantry and clothing closet. To date, the project has supplied an estimated $25,000 in school resources to families in need. The school supply drive celebrated its sixth year in 2024!

WISCONSIN – Sam Mell of the DeForest FFA Chapter attended WLC in 2023. To help farmers and other agriculturists with disabilities in Wisconsin, Sam decided to strengthen FFA Alumni Family Fun Night, an event that he had been part of the previous year. Sam’s sister was involved in a farm accident in 2022 that left her paralyzed from the waist down. At the fundraiser, Sam gathered a diverse array of handmade foods, objects and experiences donated by businesses and individuals and auctioned off the basket to benefit AgrAbility of Wisconsin and the DeForest FFA Alumni.

The 2026 Washington Leadership Conference is sponsored by Arthur M. Bank Family Foundation, Corteva Agriscience, Farm Credit, Syngenta and Meals of Hope.

For more information, visit FFA.org/WLC.

The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 1,042,245 student members as part of 9,407 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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About National FFA Organization
The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 1,042,245 student members as part of 9,407 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. For more, visit the National FFA Organization online at FFA.org and on Facebook and Twitter.

About National FFA Foundation
The National FFA Foundation builds partnerships with industry, education, government, other foundations, and individuals to secure financial resources that recognize FFA member achievements, develop student leaders, and support the future of agricultural education. Governed by a 19-member board of trustees composed of educators, business leaders, individual donors and FFA Alumni, the foundation is a separately registered nonprofit organization. About 82 percent of every dollar received by the foundation supports FFA members and agricultural education opportunities. For more, visit FFA.org/Give.