A24-L*ncaster Fanning, Saturday, May 15, 1999 Lancaster FFA Members Experience Good, Bad Characteristics Of Leaders At Conference ANDY ANDREWS Lancaster Farming Staff EPHRATA (Lancaster Co.) Membcr-clccted officers of Lan caster County FFA chapters took the day “off,’' so to speak, to learn important skills in leading any organization, instill friendship, build trust, and bring out the best in themselves here at the annual lead ership conference. On Wednesday, about 100 lead ers of almost a dozen FFA chapters in the county attended the daylong conference hosted by the Cloister FFA at Ephrata High School. Beth Frey, county president from Manor FFA, told the presi dents and vice presidents during the afternoon workshop that mem bers “look up to you, they follow you —that's what leadership is.” She told all members, at the beginning of the conference, “We challenge you to go home from the conference a better leader.” Tire conference hosted work shops that fine-tune the skills FFA’cts will need throughout life, according to Sam Hayes, state sec retary of ag, at the conference. As a member of the Warriors Mark FFA, Hayes recalled how important learning professional skills were. “To this day I still call up the skills set I learned in FFA,” he told the FFA members. He told FFA members to “avail yourself of the kaleidoscope of programs in FFA.” Hayes, a state House leader, told the FFA members that to be good professionals, you need to under stand the “technical aspects of the profession.” FFA members, his Sam Hayes, secretary of agriculture, told the FFA mem bers that to be good professionals, you need to understand the “technical aspects of the profession.” County officers, front row, from left, Beth Frey, county president and Aman da Overly, reporter. Second row, Andy Molt, student adviser and Chuck Beam, chaplain. Third Row, Rueban Hartman, . . , .... _ treasurer and Jim Mullen, sentinel. Back row, Dayna Wein- t ® ! C^ C |^ GrasslandFFA •* Garden Spot High School, led his kstiri u i.. mru t Mow.. team to victory in grass skiing during the ropes competition. nuio, norm Vice picsiocni, • •«««»«#• • » mm*. I'lmwifj w r* <r^ivj r urrfi«r««ivlfiTir.#tmrvrkvivlv|ii#Tv 1 fiTir.#tmrvr k viv 1 v|ii#T tory has noted, have proven them selves to be “some of our best citi zens,” he said. Hayes spoke about his work try ing to obtain international markets for Pennsylvania ag products, with the logo, “Products For the Planet” For FFA members, there are more job titles than ever before in the history of agriculture. The state agriculture secretary noted how, in his travels here and abroad, Lancaster County agricul ture and areas around Lancaster County arc recognized worldwide. During a question and answer session, Hayes spoke about the very successful ag preservation program, which is preserving farms at “a rate greater than any other state,” he said. Policy is being put in place to “double that rate,” with aggressive new strategics. As for international trade, despite Far East recession woes, Pennsylvania food products are still in demand, even in Japan. And neighboring countries such as Mexico are markets which the state seeks out for Pennsylvania agriculture products. He told FFA members that win ning “away” games are just as important as the home games, and that, such as the events hosted by the leadership school, you have to “compete to get better.” During the workshop skills ses sion with county presidents and vice presidents, Beth Frey, county president, and Brittany Robinson, state vice president, reviewed a “checks and balances” list for lead ers. The list, compiled from com mentary by county leaders. As a member of the Warriors Mark FFA, Sam Hayes, state secretary of agriculture, far right, recalled how important learning professional skills were. “To this day I still call up the skills set I learned in FFA,” he told the FFA members. State officers at the conference, from left, Dan Kreider, chaplain; Travis Donough, sentinel; Allyson Cole, reporter; and Brittany Robinson, vice president included the “good” and “bad” qualities of leaders. FFA members listed the ability to keep organize, set priorities, instill self-discipline, leading by example, being enthusiastic, learn ing to delegate, and handling stress as some of the good qualities. “You will experience, as presi dent, an awful lot of stress,” Robinson told the county presi dents and vice presidents. Bad qualities including leading fay dictatorship, being disorgan ized, not listening or communicat ing well, and trying to take on too much work. The FFA handout included a quote by Dwight Eisenhower, for mer U.S. president “A leader is Solanco FFA leaders, from left, Brian Mull, president; one who has the ability to get peo- Jessica Schmidt, vice president; and Ben Flahart, vice pletodowhatyouwantthemtodo, president but in a way they also want to do H Robinson noted the importance lo^ ng l for ****-, self.” she said. FFA leaders must of a personal organizer/calendar to She spote about delegating work as a team and presidents need help build a strong organization. to those capable of doing to be able to delegate. She urged them all to purchase one ' ... Outside ropes competition, a and use in their office. She also Y °“ wIU “Pf o"** 0 "** cxtrcmc staple of FFA leadership schools, spoke about the importance of sttcss lf > u takc 11 M u P° n y our - (Turn to Pag. A4O)
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