FFA After High School

Hey Hey FFA!

For those of you who do not know me, my name is Corinne Ogle. I was the Alaska FFA State President in 2009-2010, which was also my senior year of high school, so I'm kind of a has-been. That being said, I've managed after all this time to still be involved in the FFA. I'd like to share with you my story and how, after high school, YOU can choose to still be a part of the FFA.

2009-2010 Alaska FFA State Officer Team

You face a big choice when you graduate high school in whether you want to be involved in FFA still. Of my state officer team, I am the only one still involved with FFA. There is nothing wrong with deciding that you want to move on and try something new. There are only so many hours in the day and you have to decide how you want to spend those hours. I did decide, though, that FFA was important not only to my life, but to the lives of those still in FFA and I wanted to give back and continue to be a part of the FFA. These are the avenues I chose:

Alaska FFA Alumni: This one is easy! You pay your dues (either yearly or lifetime) and then you are technically a member of the Alaska FFA Alumni. Your dues go toward Alaska FFA members - in other words, you make a financial contribution to the Alaska FFA Association that makes a difference in the lives of members. That's pretty awesome! Now, you can stop at paying dues, or you can keep going! You can donate money to pay for a member to go to state convention, to get their very own FFA jacket through the essay contest, and many more things! If you stay in Alaska after high school, you can help out at state convention as a judge, as a volunteer, and in many other ways! The avenue of Alaska FFA Alumni allows you to be as involved as you want to, from just paying your dues to volunteering your time. If you would like to further explore the option of becoming an Alaska FFA Alumni member, contact Hannah Harrison at ak.ffa.alum@gmail.com.

Alaska FFA State Staff and Alumni Develop Alaska FFA State Officers

National FFA Alumni: This one is easy as well. You pay your dues and then you are technically a member of the National FFA Alumni. Did you know that once Alaska FFA reaches a certain number of National FFA Alumni, then National FFA will pay for an FFA member from Alaska to go to a leadership conference in Washington, D.C. called the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC)? How cool is that?!

Collegiate FFA Member: This one is a little trickier than becoming an alumni only because this is only offered at certain colleges. I was fortunate enough that Cornell University has a very strong Collegiate FFA. Through Collegiate FFA, you help run events, conferences, state convention, and leadership workshops for FFA members of that state. You also have the option to compete in collegiate activities at the National FFA Convention. I'm sure that each Collegiate FFA chapter is different and their involvement and the opportunities they provide may vary, but I would highly recommend checking it out if the college you go to has a Collegiate FFA. It has helped me find many new friends and mentors as well as helped me grow as an individual.

 Collegiate FFA Members Volunteering at a Leadership Conference

Alaska FFA National Officer Candidate: This is a phenomenal opportunity that only one individual from the Alaska FFA can hold each year. Typically a National Officer Candidate has been a state officer in the past, but this is not a requirement. I'm not going to lie, it's a very honorable position to hold, but it is a rigorous one. Each state, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico can send a National Officer Candidate, with a possible of 52 candidates, all competing for only 6 National Officer positions. As the Alaska FFA National Officer Candidate, you have to have dedication and be willing to work hard. You have to want to serve as a National Officer, meaning taking a year off and traveling the United States to visit FFA members and sponsors. It's an experience of a life time that, if you're interested, you should definitely strive for. While the inputs are large, the outputs are incomparable. You make lifelong friends from across the country, develop your speaking and interviewing ability, and overall grow as a person. I was fortunate enough to hold the position as the Alaska FFA National Officer Candidate in 2012, and it was the best experience of my life. I would highly encourage you all to consider and strive to this position.

2012 Alaska FFA National Officer Candidate

The choice is yours!

- Corinne Ogle, Alaska FFA Alumni