More than 70 current and past state FFA officers started the new year by exploring Australia and the various types of agriculture the country offers.
It was part of the International Leadership Seminar for State Officers, ILSSO, supported by FFA corporate donors Bungee and John Deere.
While in Australia, the students explored Sydney. Then they traveled to Canberra, where they visited with the counselor for agricultural affairs, agricultural specialists and agricultural marketing specialists based at the U.S. Embassy, a representative from the National Farmers’ Federation, and a representative from the Australian Rural Leadership Program. They visited perennial pastures, Reiland Angus and more. While visiting the Darlington Point District, they explored one of Australia’s most productive farmland, where rice and other cereal crops, fruits and vegetables, grapes, and citrus are grown. Students also visited Australia’s only independent agricultural college – Marcus Oldham College. They wrapped up their journey in Melbourne, where they explored the city and visited the Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary.
ILSSO immerses participants in the culture of the country they are visiting while facilitating learning opportunities while the students are there. Throughout the trip, they had opportunities to demonstrate foundational knowledge of global values and diversity while forming empathy and awareness of domestic and global conditions. Those who attended the trip also did pre-work to prepare for the experience.
Students who participate in the trip are:
Alabama
Jayden McMillian
Rachel Perry
Arkansas
Riley Swofford
Reese Mitchell
Colorado
Natali Boerner
Connecticut
Matthew Syrotiak
Delaware
Noah Dixon
Kyle Gares
Andrew Nowotny
Anya Phillips
Florida
Makenleigh Bledsoe
Mackenzie Cunningham
Kayelee Ehrisman
Jenna Larson
Iowa
Collin Bauer
Lauren Beyer
Josephine Kelly
Annabelle Newton
Holly Schmitt
Idaho
Hallye Duckett
Delainee Ellsworth
Josiah Knapp
Kamille Mirkin
Clayton Moore
Illinois
Haley Bode
Indiana
Mary Jones
Kansas
Kai Cox
Karli Neher
Cecilia Newby
Sage Toews
Kentucky
Casey Montgomery
Louisiana
Abbygail Davis
Maryland
Brandon Boyer
Abby Dinterman
Hope Mullins
Hailey Ogg
Michigan
Lillian Houtteman
Dakota Spink
Minnesota
Noah Erickson
Montana
Haley Rigler
Nebraska
Paige Bunn
Bethany Nichols
Abby Hodges
Thomas Perrin
North Carolina
Madeline Kluttz
Belle Merlo
New Jersey
Maisie Shimko
New York
Courtney Taibi
Ella Underberg
Ohio
Chloee Howard
Luke Jennings
Katelyn Kinsella
Anna Moeller
Kaydence Morris
Lauren Thornhill
Emma Wells
Oregon
Jael Cruikshank
Ryan Mizee
Kylie Temple
Mary Thiel
Tennessee
Lillie Cagle
Virginia
Adam Hawkins
Anne Martz
Kirin Miller
Liberti Sell
Jadyn Smith
Grace Walbroehl
Kelcey Weston
Nathan Zerkel
Washington
Nathan Heay
Kyia Hunter-Kanoff
Andrew Schulz
West Virginia
Garret Ammons
Coleen Mitchell
Wyoming
Larkin Williams
The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 945,000 student members as part of 9,163 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
