News : Vinton-Shellsburg FFA Expands Their Leadership Skills at IAT

FFA member, Wesley McKenna shares with his group his ideas for the activity.

FFA seniors attending the IAT Leadership Conference included Annabelle Newton, Jeana White, and Christopher Fleming.

The freshmen attending the Ignite conference were Rylee Manning, Copper McClintock, Kaden Kerkman, Chloe Sanders, Ben Buhr, Calhen Christenson, Ben McGowan, Will McKenna, Andrew Allsup and Wesley McKenna.

The freshmen attending the Ignite conference were Rylee Manning, Copper McClintock, Kaden Kerkman, Chloe Sanders, Ben Buhr, Calhen Christenson, Ben McGowan, Will McKenna, Andrew Allsup and Wesley McKenna.

Alana Fleming and Austin Noe collaborate with other people from different schools to figure out the answer to riddles.

By: Co-Reporter, Alana Fleming

On November 12th, 2022, individuals from Vinton-Shellsburg FFA attended the IAT Leadership Conference.

They were separated by grade level into three different groups. The freshmen who attended were taken to the Ignite part of the conference. The Sophomores and Juniors that attended the conference were taken to the Amplify portion. Lastly, the Seniors attended the Transform portion of IAT.

Throughout the day each group attended six sessions where they learned different things about their futures and ways to step up to become a leader in their FFA chapters. After the second session they were fed a full lunch including pulled pork sandwiches, salad, mac and cheese, and cookies.

The state officers took turns throughout the day facilitating each session. For the seniors' Transform group, they took time to think about their futures and look back in their past to see what people have made the most impact and how they were able to help them. This really made them realize how important it is to choose who they make connections with well as they are the people that will support you and have your back, so they need to choose wisely.

Senior, Annabelle Newton, said "I really enjoyed spending time thinking about the people who got me where I am today, it made me realize how fortunate I am." In the sophomores' Amplify group, they took time to think about what you want your future to hold and the steps you have to take to get there. Lastly, in the Ignite group they worked to learn skills about teamwork, and how they are the future leaders of agriculture. FFA members enjoyed spending time with others finding out more about agriculture and learning how they can leave an impact on their home, school, and community.