Happy Friday Ag Teachers,
Again this year, Georgia FFA is taking a bus trip to Washington D.C. for the Washington Leadership Conference. WLC is the premier leadership event offered by the National FFA Organization. It is a week of outstanding leadership training and touring our nation’s capital. Students work with other FFA members from across the nation and are led by a conference staff made of former state and national FFA officers. It is an incredible experience, and I hope you’ll encourage leaders in your chapter to attend.
The dates for the WLC bus trip are June 18-24, 2018. The student conference fee is $1,125 and the advisor fee is $1,214. This fee covers most meals, lodging, conference material, and bus transportation. A registration form is attached. All WLC registration material is due to the State FFA Office by April 5. A $450 deposit is due with the registration form. The remaining balance for WLC is due to the State FFA Office by May 10. Please make all checks payable to the Georgia FFA Association. Do not use the Ag Career Network to register. Please send all registration information to the State FFA Office.
Thanks to the Georgia FFA Foundation and its generous sponsors, several scholarships are available. The scholarship application is attached and can also be downloaded from the Georgia FFA website. The scholarship application process is competitive. Priority is given to 10th and 11th grade FFA members. Students who have previously attended WLC are not eligible to receive scholarships. Scholarship applications are due to your region office on March 1, 2018. Please have students submit a copy of the WLC Registration Form along with their scholarship application. Submitting the registration form along with the scholarship application will not register your student for WLC. However, it will ensure that we have registration information for scholarship recipients prior to the April 1 deadline.
In addition to scholarships, students can help raise money for the trip by conducting fundraisers or working with sponsors, such as their local FFA Alumni, local businesses, and other FFA supporters. A list of fundraising ideas is on the Conferences page of the Georgia FFA website.
Each year, participation in the WLC bus trip has grown. With only 45 student spots available, I encourage you to send your registration information in early to secure your member’s spot. Advisors can attend WLC as well! The conference is a great opportunity to tour our nation’s capital and network with other teachers from Georgia and around the country. Advisors can also earn PLU credit for attending.
Please encourage your members to attend this life-changing week of the Washington Leadership Conference. It will be a decision they never regret. If you or your students are interested in more information or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at (706) 552-4457.
Have a great weekend,
Makinizi Hoover
Interim Leadership Program Specialist
Georgia FFA Association
(706) 552-4457
The Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter is excited to announce that we will be hosting the first GNFA Ambassador Program. This program is open to all 4-H and FFA exhibitors that have shown livestock and/or equine at our Facility. It’s open to any student enrolled in 9th grade- 12th grade for the 2017-2018 school year. They will serve a one year term beginning at the 2018 State Livestock Show and Rodeo and ending at the 2019 State Livestock Show and Rodeo. During their year of service they will be involved in many of our events and will have the opportunity to have a firsthand look at what it takes to put on several of these events from start to finish. Our goal is to provide each student with the chance to build leadership skills, networking opportunities, and for a chance to advocate for something they believe in. Please share this information with all local advisors, teachers, parents and anyone that you feel would be a great fit in the Ambassador Program. The deadline to have all materials submitted will be January 19th, 2018 at 5:00pm. I have attached a schedule of events, the application,  and our guidelines. Philip and I look forward to working with our youth and having the chance to learn from them as well through this experience. If you have any specific questions please feel free to reach out to myself or Philip Gentry, we will be happy to answer any questions. Thank you again for your help in spreading the word on this new and exciting opportunity.
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Merry Christmas and we look forward to seeing you all very soon!
Keaton G. Walker
Georgia National Fairgrounds & Agricenter
Marketing and Sponsorship Director
401 Larry Walker Parkway
Perry, Ga. 31069
478-988-6483 office
478-988-1053 fax
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