Fifteen enthusiastic students from Waterville Jr./Sr. High School recently participated in the prestigious FFA Ignite Conference, an event designed to inspire and cultivate leadership skills among young agriculturalists.
The conference was held on Jan. 11 and hosted by South Jefferson FFA. This event brought together future leaders from across the region for a weekend of hands-on workshops, networking opportunities, and motivational sessions.
The FFA Ignite Conference provided Waterville students with valuable experiences focused on personal growth, effective communication, and career readiness. The conference focused on student development and featured three tiers of leadership engagement: exploration for middle school students, self-leadership for emerging high school leaders, and an advanced level for upperclassmen emphasizing leadership of others and impact within local communities.
“Attending the conference helped me build my leadership skills and showed me the impact I can make in my community through agriculture,” said Cooper Patterson, a Waterville senior. “I’m excited to bring what I learned back to our FFA chapter and make a difference.”
The FFA Ignite Conference is part of the National FFA Organization’s mission to prepare future generations for the challenges of feeding a growing world population. The event empowers students to take the lead in addressing critical issues in agriculture, fostering a sense of responsibility and initiative.
