The Colorado FFA Association is split into 16 districts. Aside from the local, district and state career and leadership development events (CDEs and LDEs), the association offers opportunities in leadership development. Each district also hosts an annual District Leadership Conference. The corresponding district team is responsible for planning, creating and running a day full of workshops. The purpose of this conference is to develop leadership skills, career readiness and introduce members to others from surrounding districts.
Meet Madison Collin
Madison Collin is a rising senior and president of the Montrose FFA Chapter, which is located in the Western Slope. She is also the 2025-26 president-elect for Colorado FFA District II.
Collin believes the District Leadership Conference is beneficial and a great introductory event. She describes it as, “More intimate and personal of a state event. That’s the beauty of it — it’s a really good networking event.”
District Leadership Conference has a much smaller attendance number, typically in the 200 range. This can be compared to state CDEs, which can have upwards of 1,000 people.
Additionally, the District Leadership Conference is typically held during the first semester of the school year. District II has its conference at the very beginning of the school year and hosts it in mid-September. Collin believes it’s a good way to kick off the school year and helps members prepare for the major events in the second semester of the school year, such as state CDEs and state convention.
Madison Collin and Sheldon Collin smile in their Official Dress.
The Colorado FFA Association’s regional and state events can potentially be intimidating to freshman and first-year members, but District II tries to tackle that problem early on. One of the ways it does this is by hosting a workshop specifically for freshman at the District Leadership Conference. Collin has also taken it upon herself to encourage underclassmen members to attend.
“Speaking from a similar experience, my first pull factor is that you get to miss school,” she says. “Most of the kids who are on the bridge about it are kids who are not sure if they fully want to involve themselves. The biggest thing as a chapter officer is telling about all the things that can benefit them and help others. There will be people there who are more than willing to take you under their wing. There’s always someone else to meet.”
Members of the Montrose FFA Chapter attend District Leadership Conference and hold the District II Champions award.
Collin also considers this an event with more flexibility, as members can choose to immerse themselves or watch and listen. Her priority as a previous attendee and now district officer is to ultimately show members the opportunities available in the organization. She believes that in a smaller event, members have the opportunity to learn, engage in small workshops, ask questions comfortably and interact with other chapters in a more relaxed setting.
“We want them to feel like the organization will be genuinely warming to them (the freshman),” Collin says. “The biggest thing is showing members that it’s not intimidating — there will always be a welcoming and friendly face.”
