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.
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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)