Branch named National FFA Western Region VP
Riley Branch believes that success is not measured by the rewards you receive but by the people you help. While he may not have a cabinet full of fancy trophies, he does have the drive, passion and desire to help others see their true potential""the best reward of all. He will have the chance to inspire others to do the same when he serves in his role as the 2008-2009 National FFA Western Region Vice President.
For the next year, the Aspermont FFA Chapter member from Lubbock, Texas, will devote his time to helping more than 500,000 fellow FFA members realize their potential. He was elected today at the 81st National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. He was among six individuals selected from a field of 38 to hold a national office. He is the son of Robert and Janet Branch, and his FFA advisor is Rodney Brents.
National FFA Officer. Fulfilling his position will require traveling more than 100,000 miles; meeting top leaders in business, government and education; visiting approximately 40 states; and participating in an international experience tour to Japan. His responsibilities will include providing personal growth and leadership training for students, setting policies that shape the future of the organization and promoting agricultural literacy.
The national FFA officer selection process is intense and represents an assessment of years of academic and extracurricular accomplishments made by each student running for office. Nominees must first qualify on the state level to represent their particular state FFA associations.
Agricultural Leadership. They then submit a thorough application, detailing their accomplishments and contributions to the community, along with an essay explaining their desire to be elected to national office. Once at the convention, candidates participate in five rounds of interviews, take an in-depth written test on the organization and agricultural education topics and complete two writing exercises.
A panel of nine state FFA officers comprises the nominating committee that proposes the slate of six officers for approval by the convention delegates. A student at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, Branch is majoring in agricultural leadership with a minor in agricultural economics. He was elected to represent the collegiate FFA chapter on the Student Agricultural Council and is a member of Alpha Tau Omega leadership fraternity.
Changing World. While in FFA, Branch's supervised agricultural experience (SAE) program consisted of market livestock, including swine, goats and stocker yearlings. He was chapter president in 2006 and served as Texas State FFA vice president in 2007.
"I hope that I will be able to grow personally, making myself and the people I meet better because of it," says Branch. "I understand that the best way for me to give back to this organization is showing the people of this country the value of FFA members to a society that is growing up in a new and changing world."
Positive Difference. The National FFA Organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, is a national youth organization of 507,763 student members "" all preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture "" as part of 7,439 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
The National FFA Organization changed to its present name in 1988, in recognition of the growth and diversity of agriculture and agricultural education. 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.
Written by Julie Adams
For more information, click www.ffa.org
Davis College NewsCenter
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