District Officers Fill their toolbox for their year of service ahead at district officer conference.
District officers traveled through time July 31–August 1 to gain skills and tools to bring back to the future for their year of service, preparing to leave a lasting impact on members across their seven districts.
The District Officer Conference (DOC), a collaborative event with Kansas State University’s (K-State) College of Agriculture, K-State Department of Communication and Agricultural Education, and Shawn Turner of Ottawa, provided Kansas FFA district officers with opportunities to strengthen their leadership skills, build relationships with their teams and prepare for the year ahead.
District officers had the privilege of learning from K-State Department of Communication and Agricultural Education professors Dr. Gaea Hock and Dr. Kris Rankin during a session focused on The Value of the Three-Circle Model. Officers explored the importance of the three-circle model and discussed how they can advocate for agricultural education and the FFA programs they represent.
Officers also had the opportunity to hear from Johanna Anderes of the Kansas FFA Foundation during a session on Telling the Story of Kansas FFA with Gratitude. The session challenged officers to recognize the people and experiences that have shaped their FFA journeys and carry that gratitude with them throughout their year of service.
For South Central District Sentinel Hunter Steindler of Andale, that opportunity to make an impact on others is one of the most exciting parts of serving as a district officer.
“I am most excited to encourage students in the South Central District to learn and get involved with FFA. Past SCD officers are the reason I have become so involved, and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be that person for someone else,” Steindler said.
Service was also an important part of this year’s conference. For the first time, district officers participated in a community service project during DOC at Catholic Charities in Salina. Officers packaged nonperishable food boxes and diaper bags, filled blessing boxes, prepared soap and wrote notes to members of the community.
Northwest District Vice President Mia Odle of Stockton found the community service project was a great addition to DOC, giving district officers the opportunity to make a difference together while building connections with fellow district leaders.
“It gave us the opportunity to work together on something that made a positive impact and showed what FFA is all about — service, leadership, and giving back to the community,” Odle said.
Officers also heard remarks from Kansas State University’s Dr. Dan Moser, the Eldon Gideon Dean of the College of Agriculture. Moser encouraged officers to consider their potential futures and recognize the impact they can make on others while wearing the blue corduroy jacket.
Throughout the conference, officers added a variety of leadership tools to their toolbox, including the Kolb Experiential Learning Cycle and CliftonStrengths. Officers learned how understanding their individual strengths and the strengths of their teammates can help them work together more effectively.
Southeast District President Lainey Prince of Girard said learning about her teammates’ strengths was one of the most valuable parts of the conference.
“My favorite part of DOC was learning about my teammates’ strengths, which will help us succeed during our year of service!” Prince said.
The tools gained at DOC will be put into practice as district officer teams prepare for Greenhand Conferences, district events and other opportunities to serve FFA members across Kansas this fall.
For Northeast District Vice President Ellah Stirton of Horton, DOC provided both preparation and confidence for the year ahead.
“DOC prepared me for the upcoming year of service and made me feel more confident about my role! Our team brought back some ideas for our district banquet as well as introducing chapter buddies to help us get more involved in our district!” Stirton said.
North Central District Secretary Casson Klover of Southeast of Saline also plans to take the lessons from DOC directly into his district’s events and workshops.
“What I found the most beneficial about DOC was that I was able to learn new leadership skills on a deeper level to fully understand and implement them into my own leadership. Our North Central District officer team was able to bring back the Kolb Learning Cycle strategy to plan and execute events and workshops more thoroughly. DOC was a very enjoyable and engaging experience for all of us, and each and every one of our officers benefited from one thing or another!” Klover said.
With their toolboxes now filled with new skills, ideas, and memories, Kansas FFA district officers are ready to travel back to the present and put their learning into action. As they begin their year of service, these officers will use the tools gained at DOC to create meaningful experiences and leave a lasting impact on FFA members across Kansas.