State Officer Candidates

Congratulations on your decision to run for state office in North Carolina. It has been said many times before and it still holds true – “It is an honor to be an officer in the FFA.” Serving as a state officer is an honor that many FFA members aspire to achieve, but one that is afforded to few. Past state officers will tell you without hesitation that the rewards of serving our great organization and holding a position of influence with more than 36,000 members in North Carolina and hundreds more across the nation, was a life changing experience – one they will cherish forever.

"We set young leaders up for a fall if we encourage them to envision what they can do before they consider the kind of person they should be."
- R. Ruth Barton

Those same officers will tell you that juggling all of your priorities can be challenging at times, because your days are consumed with planning and attending FFA events, practicing your skills, doing class assignments, attending meetings and managing your minimal amount of free time. Serving as a state officer means that you are always representing the FFA, including moments when you are performing behind the scenes work. This includes office work, scheduling appointments and visits, keeping up with correspondence, and other essential tasks. Many people will depend on you to follow through with your commitments and manage your time effectively. Once you figure out how to do that, your year of service will be extremely rewarding.

Perhaps the best part of becoming a state officer, are the bonds you build with your teammates, state FFA staff, and most of all, FFA members throughout North Carolina. From Murphy to Manteo, state officers meet friends and mentors to form relationships that last a lifetime. One of the most amazing and perhaps unexpected joys of holding state office is the inevitable transformation that occurs in individuals because of their year of service. The thousands of people you meet from around the state and nation along with remarkable experiences inspire profound growth and maturity in most every officer.

This page is designed specifically for candidates who are preparing to run for state office in North Carolina. It has documents and resources to assist you in the time consuming process of preparing yourself and increasing your skill level to be the best possible officer to represent the FFA and its members. It is recommended that you chose a mentor (usually your FFA advisor, agriculture teacher, or other experienced FFA supporter) to assist you in your preparation. You might consider creating a schedule detailing your objectives and goals in order to maximize your time. Become familiar with agriculture and education issues in North Carolina and the facts and figures. Practice your leadership and communication skills. Familiarize yourself with the goals and objectives of FFA and agricultural education and know and understand the issues facing the profession. It might also be beneficial to know FFA history, both nationally and in North Carolina. Successful state officers are knowledgeable and skillful in many different facets.

As you prepare to serve North Carolina FFA, please peruse this webpage and become familiar with its contents. Doing so, will be the first step in your exciting journey to joining a unique brotherhood and becoming the next in a long line of North Carolina FFA State Officers.