In May 2023, the PSPA speaker will be Jessica Herr, a first-year student at Penn State and a member of the  National FFA Organization’s officer team as secretary for 2022-23. Jessica will update PSPA members on what is happening nationally and locally in DE, MD, NJ, and PA with the help of officer teams from those areas.  Representatives from local officer teams will also join the May 4, 2023 meeting at the Union League.

Delegates at the National FFA Convention and Expo annually elect six students to represent the organization as national officers. As they lead the organization during the following year, officers meet business and industry leaders, as well as thousands of FFA members and teachers. They also interact with corporate sponsors, government and education officials, state FFA leaders, and the public. The officer team leads personal growth and leadership training conferences for FFA members nationwide. They also help set policies that will guide the future of FFA and the next generation of leaders.

“FFA is a student-led organization, so national officers help our executive board make decisions about the future of our organization,” said Herr. “They serve as advocates for agricultural education, the agricultural industry and the FFA. This takes place through industry tours with our corporate sponsors, legislative visits and visiting student members across the country.”

Herr noted that she is most excited to experience agriculture in corners of the country that she’s not familiar with and to visit state FFA conventions throughout the year.

Herr, who is from Lancaster County, is a third-generation FFA member.

“My grandpa served as a state officer in 1965-66,” she said, adding that her father and sister also were active FFA members. “We were all members of the Garden Spot FFA chapter at Lampeter-Strasburg High School. It was a natural transition for me to join FFA. I’m taking part in the family tradition and stepping into the rich community that FFA members experience.”

Herr is exploring her career path but is interested in careers in agricultural communications or leadership, specifically in an agricultural youth development organization similar to the FFA.

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