Officers of the Checotah FFA chapter participated in the 2023 Oklahoma FFA Chapter Officer Leadership Training Conference Sept. 12 at the Glenpool Conference in Glenpool, Oklahoma.

The eight state FFA officers planned and conducted this year’s conference, which was based on the theme “Empower.” Elected officers from each of the 92 high school FFA chapters in the Northeast area attended the conference. The event aims to encourage students to know their role, identify their strengths and carry their weight as chapter FFA officers.

Kelly Barnes, from Edmond, Oklahoma, served as the keynote speaker for the conference. Barnes is an accomplished professional speaker and leadership coach who served as the state FFA president in 2003-2004.

“In today’s society, individuals are presented with a multitude of opportunities to lead,” said Caleb Horne, state FFA president. “However, we often lose confidence in ourselves to step up and take action. This year’s COLT Conference theme, ‘Empower,’ aims to equip students with the confidence they need to be leaders in their local communities and FFA chapters. We all have special gifts and talents. As future leaders, it is imperative that we empower our youth to make the most of every leadership opportunity they are given so that they, in turn, can empower others to do the same.”

Officers attending from the Checotah FFA chapter were: Ryan Miles, President Rocky Sallee-Hicks, Vice President Alexis Horton, SecretaryD alton Johnson, Treasurer Chayda Carpenter, Reporter Rachel Stauffer, Sentinel Zachary Ilbery and Erica Goodson, FFA Advisers Ilbery and Goodson are new advisors to the Checotah FFA program this year, and are excited to be a part of the Checotah team as they help to empower future leaders.

“The Northeast Area COLT conference is an event that our officers look forward to each year,” Ilbery said. “While there they have the ability to learn and hear from other individuals across the state on how to effectively help in building the success of the local FFA Chapter.”

COLT Conference is sponsored by Public Service Company of Oklahoma as a special project of the Oklahoma FFA Foundation. FFA is an integral part of the agricultural education division of the Oklahoma Department of CareerTech Education. There are 29,213 Oklahoma FFA members in 367 high schools statewide. For more information visit www.okffa.org .