Introducing the Gem State Leadership Conference
Idaho FFA Welcomes New Leadership Conference!
The Idaho FFA Association is excited to announce that it will be welcoming a new interactive student conference to its roster of annual activities! The new Idaho FFA Gem State Leadership Conference is a dynamic replacement for the annually held National FFA Organization-hosted 212/360 Leadership Conference. This conference has been specifically designed to suit the needs of Idaho FFA Members with interactive, connective and influential activities. These activities facilitate leadership and learning opportunities in young adults; growing their capacity for self-improvement strategies, mental personal development, and positive influence through service-based-leadership.
Gem State Leadership is under current development with launch dates in January and February of 2020. The conferences will be held in both Boise and Fort Hall, Idaho during the same time frames and locations that the former 212/360 conferences have been held with the same networking and social opportunities for Idaho FFA members.
Enrich is the beginner track of the Gem State Leadership Conference. The Enrich track is developed for Freshmen and Sophomores in high school and can include any middle-school members who may attend the conference.
Enrich curriculum is based around personal development with an emphasis on self-improvement strategies and how those strategies can be used to create healthy relationships and habits as a leader. This track also includes a diversity and inclusion element that facilitates the growth of inclusion tactics in students.
Enrich is meant to leave students with a knowledge of accepting others and a strategy for improving their own lives as young leaders.
It is Idaho FFA’s mission to create learning opportunities for its members that will leave a long -lasting impact on the students themselves and their communities. The Gem State Leadership Conference is designed to meet this goal, and provide students with the necessary tools to make positive changes in their own lives and the lives of those around them. Registering students for this conference and attending this conference as a student is an excellent building block to student success.
DATES/PLACES TO KNOW:
REGISTRATION OPENS: Mid-December (Before Christmas Break)
REGISTRATION CLOSES: January 13, 2020
BOISE, ID CONFERENCE: January 27-28, 2020 at the Riverside Hotel.
FORT HALL, ID CONFERENCE: February 3-4, 2020 at the Shoshone Bannock Hotel and Casino.
Pursue is the advanced track of the Gem State Leadership Conference. The Pursue track has been developed to fit the needs of Juniors and Seniors in high school.
The Pursue track is meant to give students the information and personal skills to literally and figuratively “pursue,” their ambitions. The idea of teamwork in both leadership and personal situations is highly evaluated in this curriculum with the intention that students are able to utilize teamwork effectively in every area of their lives. This track also includes a diversity and inclusion element that is developed to help students create atmospheres of belonging in their lives.
Pursue will leave students with the concept of teamwork and ability to make a difference in all areas of their lives.
AN INTERVIEW WITH IDAHO FFA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: CLARA-LEIGH EVANS
CLARA-LEIGH EVANS
IDAHO FFA ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
A recent interview with Idaho FFA Executive Director, Clara-Leigh Evans sheds more light on the Gem State Leadership Conference. When asked why this conference is worth a student’s time and money to attend vs. the typical 212/360 conference that we have seen in the past, Evans had several remarks on the subject. She stated: “I feel like there’s a greater value because we’re customized to what we’ve learned about Idaho FFA members.” Evans also made sure to give a statement on why members should attend these leadership conferences in general: “We’re serving communities. But I really like bringing students in where you really take some time for them to make an investment in their personal account and fill their cup so they’re walking out of there ready to fill other’s cups.” Evans also had logistical information to share about the Gem State Leadership Conference in both the Boise and Fort Hall locations. She started by giving information about the location and lodging situations for both conferences. The Boise, Idaho conference will be held at the Riverside Hotel from mid-afternoon on January 27th and will run until about noon to one o’clock on the 28th. The Fort Hall conference will be held from mid-day February 3rd to mid-day on the 4th at the Shoshone Bannock Hotel. The students have the option to be housed at the conference hotel, and it is planned this year to supply a dinner at both of these conferences to be included with the student’s registration fee. Evans was also pleased to announce: “There’s going to be a good chance this year that we’ll also be adding some booths. Some exhibitor booths for companies to be able to come and spend time with members there and show some things about some companies as they are looking for high school students to be the pipeline for the hires in the near future in their businesses.” Along with that, Evans was sure to add that community service will be a component of this conference for students. She claimed: “We’ll be writing a grant soon with National FFA to try to secure a Days of Service Grant and looking at one or both of the types of conferences within each location participating in some sort of service project and also some social time Monday night with both conferences with music and the chance to play games or dance or just really members getting the time to socialize more.”
Evans was proud and excited to represent her opinion on the validity and importance of the Gem State Leadership Conference. She was happy to share details of the conference during the interview and ended the conference by saying: “I feel like this is going to be a great experience that is tailored more to our members. I feel like the topics we’re covering, everything from taking care of yourself and understanding your values and beliefs and your attitudes; to understanding the richness of diversity and the potential for what we can do when we’re being inclusive. And how differences actually bring us together and make us more robust in our thinking and empower students to then take all of that information and figure out how to walk out of that conference, with our facilitators help, with a more concrete way to make a difference in the lives of other people.”
MEET THE FACILITATORS OF THE 2020 GEM STATE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
2019-2020 IDAHO FFA STATE OFFICER TEAM
The 2019-2020 State Officer Team
The 2019-2020 State Officer team is excited to compose the majority of the facilitation team for the Gem State Leadership Conference. The team consists of six members, trained and experienced in facilitation technique and each equipped with a passion for educating FFA members on the topics to be presented at Idaho’s newest leadership learning opportunity. President, Herman Roberts, originates from the Preston FFA Chapter. Vice President, Shalani Wilcox, is from the Madison FFA Chapter. Secretary and Reporter, Sydney and Cassidey Plum are a set of twins, hailing from the Meridian FFA Chapter. Katie Hettinga, originally from the Kuna FFA Chapter, serves as the Treasurer. In the Sentinel position, from the Troy FFA Chapter, is Katy Doumit.
Past Idaho FFA State Officers
There will be two other past Idaho FFA State Officers facilitating beside the current State Officer team in order to meet the needs of the expected registration for the Gem State Leadership Conference. Saydee Longhurst, served as the 2018-2019 State President and is now an Agriculture Education major at the Utah State University and is originally from Shelley, Idaho. MaKenna Wilson, originally from Castleford, Idaho served as the 2016-2017 State Sentinel and is now an Agriculture Science, Communication and Leadership major at the University of Idaho.
MAKENNA WILSON 2016-2017 STATE SENTINEL - SAYDEE LONGHURST 2018-2019 STATE PRESIDENT
MEET THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM OF THE GEM STATE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
HENRY AND MAKENNA WILSON
GEM STATE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT TEAM
The development team for the Gem State Leadership Conference consists of two Idaho FFA past State Officers under the leadership of Clara-Leigh Evans, both of which served as the State Sentinel in back-to-back years and have now been married for two years. Henry and MaKenna met through FFA and have a joined passion for FFA, young agriculturalists and advocacy for agriculture and beyond.
Henry Wilson served as the 2015-2016 State Sentinel for the Idaho FFA Association. He is originally from Kuna, Idaho but now lives in Moscow, ID as a graduate student majoring in Agriculture Economics with an emphasis in Agribusiness at the University of Idaho. He has worked for the National FFA Organization for a summer in the intensive position of a Washington Leadership Conference Facilitator in Washington DC. He is also employed currently by National FFA as a 212/360 Conference Facilitator.
MaKenna Wilson originates from Castleford, Idaho. She served as the 2016-2017 Idaho FFA State Sentinel. She now lives in Moscow, Idaho studying as an undergraduate in Agriculture Sciences, Communication and Leadership. She has also worked for the National FFA Organization as she is going into her second season as a 212/360 Conference Facilitator and will be facilitating enrichment curriculum at the National FFA Convention. She has experience developing leadership curriculum for the Idaho and Washington FFA Associations and regularly assists at Idaho FFA state leadership events.
Henry and MaKenna have paired their experiences and skills together with their knowledge of Idaho FFA members to create a dynamic, interactive, original and overall fun new set of curriculums and are looking forward to seeing the curriculums effect on student lives and to seeing the growth possible with tailored curriculum in their home state.
MORE INFORMATION TO COME!
More information on the Gem State Leadership Conference will continue to be released in the coming weeks primarily with the use of social media platforms so be sure to follow the social media tags for the Idaho FFA Association listed on the following page and share information for others!
Conference registration dates, registration fees, logistical information, and other announcements will be released as the development process nears its end. Any questions, comments or concerns can be directed to either Clara-Leigh Evans, whose contact can be found on the Idaho FFA website or to MaKenna Wilson who can be reached at the following email: makenna.idahoffa@gmail.com
We value your questions and can’t wait to unveil more detail about this opportunity!
RILEE WILSON
IDAHO FFA MEMBER DURING A TEAM-BUILDING ACTIVITY AT SOLR; SUMMER 2019.
IDAHO FFA MEMBERS DEFINED:
When it comes to FFA members, each state is different. Different traditions, friendships, and experiences that make each state FFA association unique in its own ways. So, what is it that makes an Idaho FFA member different from all the rest?
Idaho FFA members are known for being not only creative and adventurous; but for being kind, curious and for seeking new opportunities for growth in new areas. Idaho FFA members are known for being energetic and for taking curriculum to a deeper level therefore it is fitting that Idaho members will have the opportunity to experience a curriculum set that has been developed for them to gain from.
To truly define any FFA member is a difficult task, but the photo to the right does a great job of depicting the definition of an Idaho member: winners. This photo was taken during a team-building activity at the first annual Idaho FFA Summer Outdoor Leadership Retreat, summer of 2019. Without a doubt, Idaho FFA members like the ones exhibited in this photo, are problem solvers, creative thinkers, reflective and positive. They can simply be defined as: winners.