Parker travels to D.C. for FFA conference
Editor’s note: for the purposes of full disclosure, Lorene Parker is a correspondent with the Standard Journal. We celebrate her’s and all of our local youth’s accomplishments as we hear about them. Have something to share? Email info to kmyrick@polkstandardjournal.net today.
A Rockmart student attended the National FFA Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) last week and returns eager to share the details of the impactful experience.
Lorene Parker, a rising senior at Rockmart High School, was one of 30 FFA members selected to represent Georgia and attend WLC in Washington, D.C., and as well seems to be the first to represent Polk County at the conference.
WLC is a week-long premier leadership event offered by the National FFA Organization in our nation’s capital. Throughout the conference, 370 FFA members from across the U.S. work together with national leaders and legislators to learn how to become effective leaders, take action, and serve others.
Aside from focused large and small group sessions each day, attendees enjoyed trips into the city, touring historical monuments and museums and learning about our past leaders.
Parker said the the most memorable session of the conference for her was the civic engagement activity where participants applied what they had learned at the conference to real, hands-on projects. Last week, 370 members were able to pack 69,120 meals for Meals of Hope, write191 cards to hospitalized kids, decorate 238 bags for Meals on Wheels, and write 124 thank you letters to FFA supporters.
“It was mind-blowing to realize how many meals we created and packaged in less than two hours, in addition to the other service projects that took place,” Parker said.
She added that she also enjoyed meeting and making connections with students from all over the country who all have similar ideas, interests, and goals.
Overall, though, the focus of the conference was to lead and encourage the FFA members to identify a need and take action in their own communities by carrying out their Living to Serve project plans.
Parker stated that her Living to Serve project idea is to work with local farmers and FFA members to create a community garden in order to provide fresh and healthy food items for the local food pantries.
“I feel creating a community garden would be the perfect way to make an impact by bringing farmers and students together to make a difference for those facing poverty and hunger,” Parker said.
Parker also stated that her experience at WLC will be beneficial to her and the Rockmart FFA officer team as she serves as Chapter President for the upcoming year.
After graduation in spring of 2020, Parker plans to attend the University of Georgia for a degree in Agribusiness in order to pursue a career as a lobbyist in the agriculture field, which is why the conference was enjoyable and important to her.
“WLC gave me and other FFA members the knowledge and confidence to be leaders in our FFA chapters, schools, and communities,” Parker said.
“The experience will be invaluable to me as I continue to network and further my exposure to ag-related issues affecting Georgia,” she added.