LHS Student Begins Service as Area FFA Officer

This story was contributed by Abby Needham, Loganville High School Agricultural Education FFA Advisor.

Samuel Peraza, a member of the Loganville High FFA chapter, began his term as the North Region Area II President on Aug. 5-6, when the Georgia FFA area officers met for the Area Officer Training Conference.

Fifty new area officers from six areas of the state attended the two-day training conference held at the Georgia FFA/FCCLA Center near Covington. The objective was to orient the new officers to their position as area leaders. Each area team met with a member of their regional agricultural education staff, as well as the Georgia FFA leadership program specialist and FFA executive secretary, to discuss their roles and responsibilities. The officers explored their leadership styles, discovered what it means to be an ambassador for the FFA, and began setting goals for the coming year.

Throughout the school year, Samuel and his/her fellow officers will have the opportunity to represent Area II FFA members at a variety of teachers meetings, career development events, leadership conferences and area training activities.

The first assignment given to the new area officers was the FFA Day at the Fair program. On Oct. 11, more than 1500 middle school students will meet in Perry to attend FFA Day at the Georgia National Fair. Their hosts for the event will be the Area Officers. Each officer team has been charged with creating booths and displays that showcase the benefits of FFA and agricultural education.

Next spring, each Area Officer team will be responsible for conducting their respective Area banquet and award assemblies. The officers will also serve as courtesy corps at the 84th State FFA Convention in Macon on April 26-28, 2012.

The Georgia FFA Association has a membership of more than 31,000, making it the third largest association in the nation. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.