Washington Leadership Conference

WASHINGTON DC - Waitsburg students Alyssa Hollingsworth and Cedar Stegall attended the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) in Washington, DC, from July 9 to 13. Tracy Barron traveled with the girls as chaperone.

The National FFA Association-sponsored event provides members with a premier leadership experience while exposing them to the rich history of Washington, DC.

The WLC inspires FFA members to become changemakers in their communities. Each day of the conference focuses on a different principle taught through the context of our nation's capital. These principles include exploration, encouragement, advocacy, and service. At the end of the week, members leave with a Living to Serve Plan they can implement in their communities.

Hollingsworth said she learned a lot about herself and how she fits into a team aspect during the 13 mini-sessions at the conference.

"I really enjoyed learning about how everyone comes from different backgrounds and has different views and opinions, and how that is what makes a strong team and a strong community," said Hollingsworth.

Waitsburg High School senior Hollingsworth will serve as FFA President during the 2024-2025 school year. She said her favorite part of the conference was the sessions where she learned new things and met amazing people from all over the country. At one session, they talked about empathetic leadership, the importance of seeing where others are coming from, and being open to new ideas.

"That was my favorite session," she added.

Stegall said she learned a lot about serving her community. She plans to identify an issue in her community that she is passionate about and find a realistic solution to help solve it.

Stegall, a senior at Waitsburg High School, will be Vice-President of the FFA and the ASB President. Her favorite experience on the trip was walking through the Arlington National Cemetery and watching the changing of the guards. 

"It was amazing," she said.

While in DC, the girls visited with members from FFA Chapters from other states and learned how their FFA is run. They made new friends and made lasting contacts.  

When not in session, they visited the Lincoln Memorial and the reflecting pool, the Washington Memorial, the Smithsonian, and the Holocaust Museum and took a tour of the US Capitol Building.

Hollingsworth and Stegall will create a slideshow of their conference experience for presentations at an FFA Chapter meeting and to the school board.