I feel
that I am speaking on behalf of all my teammates when I write that State
Officer Summit in Washington DC this past July was an incredible experience
that none of us will ever forget. The amount of leadership exemplified by state
officers from across the nation, as well as our national officers in just four
days is unforgettable. I met so many people and had conversations that truly
changed my outlook on life. I walked away with three valuable lessons from my
time at summit: Having the desires to learn, lead, and love others.
Learn: Ironically, during summit I
quickly learned that there is always more to learn. No matter how much you
think you know about a subject, somebody else might have a different
perspective. I learned that it is important to recognize everyone’s backgrounds
because we all have different experiences that we can bring to the table.
Learning from others, as well as learning from our mistakes is important.
Without searching for knowledge or having the desire to acquire wisdom from others,
there is no room for growth.
Lead: As state officers, we are called to
set a standard of leadership for FFA members from across the state of Indiana. Our
actions and attitudes set the tone for Indiana FFA this year. As your State
Sentinel, I can confidently write that our team is so excited to lead the over
12,000 members and 219 chapters we have. Each of us are so grateful to have the
opportunity to lead and are humbled that we were chosen for this role. State
Officer Summit helped me realize that my leadership is needed, as well as the
leadership from every member that steps foot into FFA.
Love: Without love, learning from others
and leading members is impossible. A selfless kind of love can be hard
to maintain but choosing to love people highlights your ability to learn from
others and lead others. I saw selfless love in multiple ways during summit.
Whether it was the late nights and early mornings our national officers put in
to make sure that we had an amazing time at summit or somebody simply holding
the door for a stranger, love was a common theme during our time in Washington
DC. I know that my goal during state office, as well as the rest of the team is
to exemplify this kind of love for the rest the year.
To my
team, to my roommates, to my new friends from across the country, to state
staff and National FFA, thank you for making State Officer Summit a chance for
me to learn, lead, and love. We made so many memories and bonded so much more
as a team. I am so excited to see what the rest of the year for Indiana FFA
looks like. For anyone reading this, I encourage you to implement these three lessons
in your FFA chapter, district, section, and life in general. By learning,
leading, and loving others on a daily basis, your impact will reach so many
more people than you could ever imagine.
Your State
Sentinel,
Jaden Maze
Check out
the link below to see more of our State Officer Summit experience!
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