Delegates Perfect the Process of Parliamentary Procedure
Through the Delegate Experience at the 99th National FFA Convention & Expo, representatives selected from 52 states and territories utilize parliamentary procedure during Delegate Business Sessions to conduct business in a structured manner.
A total of 449 official delegates were recorded present at the first business session of this year’s convention. Among them were the Alaska FFA Association’s Layla Harrison and Braxtyn Clark, both eager to lend their voices to advocating for outcomes that positively impact the National FFA Organization.
“Something that we both find very rewarding and thankful for in this program is being able to represent our state,”Harrison says.
“I hope that through this experience I can gain more courage and become a better leader,” Clark adds.
Three mandatory Delegate Business Sessions take place throughout the convention, during which six committees present recommendations for consideration, discussion and debate by the delegation. Committees are formed annually based on initiatives relevant to the organization, with this year’s committees focusing on topics like inclusivity, experiential learning and operational success.
Once adopted by the delegates, recommendations are referred to the national FFA executive management team for implementation and to the board of directors for direction.
Order is a Top Priority
“Parliamentary procedure is a big, important part of a lot of different aspects of FFA, from the chapter-level meetings, state-level meetings, all the way up to the national business sessions where we’re having the delegates create recommendations to the board,” says National FFA Organization program specialist Joe Martin. “It’s important for us to have that parliamentary procedure knowledge for our students.”
Yet, for the National FFA Organization, parliamentary procedure is not just an etiquette standard; it’s also one of the organization’s most competitive Leadership Development Events. The intense display of knowledge of “Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, 12th Edition” challenges teams of six individuals through a multiphase competition featuring a written exam, problem-solving exercise and successive rounds of presentations spanning preliminaries, semifinals and finals.
“It’s so much fun to watch,” says Kay Crews, a professional parliamentarian that has offered her expert judgement to the competition for many years.
Whether showcased through competition or practiced during business sessions, parliamentary procedure empowers delegates to represent FFA members nationwide, upholding the organization’s grassroots mission and shaping decisions that impact local chapters long after convention adjourns.
