Local Reps Attend FFA Alumni Development Conference

WAITSBURG – Local residents Rebecca Hoffman, Christy Poirier, and Waitsburg High School FFA Advisor Nicole Abel joined others throughout the region to help determine how they could better support agricultural education and their local FFA chapters at an Alumni Regional Development Conference in Burbank on June 25.

The National FFA Alumni Organization hosted the conference to provide professional, personal, and alumni program development to local and state members. The conference was also a time for alumni members to network and share local visions with other alumni chapters and state associations.

"As alumni, it is our responsibility to serve as a source of relief for our agriculture educators as well as attract new volunteers and supporters to help our FFA programs, said National FFA Alumni Executive Director Josh Rusk. "Our hope is that the regional development conferences will give alumni the tools and support they need to be successful in that endeavor."

Abel said that national FFA staff would probably never be closer than Burbank and she wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about alumni chapters.

"The kids and I have been talking about starting an alumni chapter in Waitsburg for years, we've just never got the ball rolling. This is our kick start and we plan to start our alumni chapter in September," Abel said.

"The important thing to know about the alumni chapters is that they are not just for FFA alumni. Anyone who supports agriculture education or the FFA organization is welcome to be a part of the alumni chapter," Abel added.

Abel said there was interest from a lot of people who were interested in participating and that they will start reaching out in earnest once school starts.

The Burbank conference was one of six to be held this year. The locations for the conferences include Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Ankeny, Iowa; Oxford, Ohio; Atlanta, GA., and Rochester, New York.