Participating Hawai`i FFA members smile for a group photo during one of the leadership workshops. Photo courtesy of Lakeisha Quitog.

Every Saturday morning this past September, the Hawai`i FFA state officer team met at the airport and hopped on a flight. Their mission was to visit chapters in each of their state’s four counties — Kaua`i, Hawai`i Island, Maui and O`ahu — and deliver engaging leadership workshops that inspire attendees to make a difference. 

“Agriculture looks really different in an urban area like O`ahu, compared to a rural area like the Big Island,” says Lakisha Quitog, who’s serving as the current Hawai`i FFA state secretary. “Hearing from other FFA members about their experiences helped us think of things we could do that will apply to everybody, and how we could help [on the state level] was really important.”

The Saturday workshops were filled with information and activities that helped members develop skills in public speaking and planning a Program of Activities, and they provided insight into the competitions and opportunities offered through FFA. The tools were designed to increase participation and enhance the FFA member experience.

Hawai`i FFA members share their ideas with fellow workshop attendees. Photo courtesy of Lakeisha Quitog.

The workshops are a long-standing Hawai`i FFA tradition, and have become especially important as the number of FFA chapters on the islands have increased. For current Hawai`i FFA state treasurer Landon Nii, who joined FFA in his sophomore year of high school, the workshops’ value was personal. 

“We just get to go there and basically soak up all the knowledge,” he says. “Having that information early on in a chapter’s life can really help them.”

Workshop attendees complete an activity led by Hawai`i FFA state officers. Photo courtesy of Lakeisha Quitog.

The state officer team also benefitted from the opportunity to visit different counties and meet members from other chapters. Current Hawai`i FFA state president Nicholas Nishimura believes the experience, “showed every single one of our members in every county that their opinions and experiences were valued and respected … and helped us understand each other.”

Beyond lessons and leadership development, the workshops were about connection. 

“Leadership workshops aren’t so much an opportunity to teach as they are to connect,” Nishimura adds. “In an organization as diverse as FFA, it’s really important for members at all levels to connect and understand one another, and that’s what the spirit of aloha is all about.”

Brainstorming and sharing ideas helped Hawai`i FFA members sharpen their public speaking skills and learn from one another. Photo courtesy of Lakeisha Quitog.

Energized and Empowered

There’s always room for you to grow as a leader. Check out how Chapter Officer Leadership Training Conferences instill valuable skills in members in Arizona, Georgia and Maryland.