State Officer Candidate Application

Each year the Washington FFA Association elects six outstanding individuals to serve as the Washington FFA state officer team. The purpose of this team is to promote FFA, the agriculture industry, and agricultural education to our members, partners, and the public. The state officers are held to the highest levels of moral & ethical conduct, professionalism and healthy lifestyles as those are the standards by which the state association is measured.

*If tailored, the officer covers added costs. Please provide all required measurements here:

1. Resume (not to exceed 2 single-sided pages) that includes:

• Career Objective
• Previous FFA offices held (including title & dates)
• FFA awards & activities
• High school activities & awards
• College/post-high school activities

2. Essay Responses -- Please limit responses for all prompts to 4 total pages single-sided and formatted in 12 pt. Times New Roman font, 1.5 line spacing, 1 in. margins. All responses must be original, unique work.

1. What does being a servant-leader mean to you?

2. Describe your most meaningful experience in each of the three areas (Classroom, FFA, SAE) of agricultural education.

3. What do you believe is the most paramount issue the agricultural industry faces today?

4. What aspect of Washington FFA are you most proud of and what do you think could further be improved?

5. What do you believe is the most important factor in team trust & functionality?

6. Describe yourself at your worst (bad behaviors/tendencies) and at your best (good behaviors/tendencies).

3. Scanned copy of your current Washington State driver’s license and valid vehicle insurance. 

4. Scanned copy of your current Medical Insurance card

5. Scanned copy of a current, official school transcript (high school and college if applicant has taken college courses)

The following items are commitments required of all Washington FFA state officers:

1. Be dedicated and committed to FFA and the total program of education in agriculture.

2. Willingly commit my entire year to state officer activities – FFA shall be my #1 priority – which will require a hiatus from academic and/or work endeavors.

3. Forego all alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and illegal substances at all times during the year of service to FFA.

4. Avoid places or activities that in any way would raise questions regarding my morals, character, or conduct.

5. Forego dating/physical relationships (real or perceived) with current FFA members/state officers.

6. Observe the FFA Code of Ethics found in the Official FFA Manual.

7. Wear the FFA jacket and official dress as described in the Official FFA Manual.

8. Maintain proper dress and good, professional grooming for all occasions.**

9. Be willing to take and follow instructions as directed by those responsible for FFA.

10. Use wholesome and appropriate language in all speeches and informal conversations.

11. Regularly and on time write all thank you notes, emails, and other correspondence which are necessary and desirable.

12. Show caution and care when taking part in social media in order to portray a positive image of myself & FFA.

13. Maintain and protect my health.

14. Seek and accept constructive criticism and evaluation of my total performance.

15. Through preparation and practice, develop myself into an effective public speaker and project a desirable image of FFA at all times.

16. Strive to improve my ability to carry on meaningful and enjoyable conversations with individuals of all ages and walks of life.

17. Treat all FFA members equally by not favoring one over another.

18. Conduct myself in a manner that commands respect without any display of superiority.

19. Maintain my dignity while being personable, concerned, and interested in contact with others. Periodically evaluate my personality and attitudes making every effort to improve myself.

20. Serve as a member of the team, always maintaining a cooperative attitude.

21. Work in harmony with fellow FFA officers, and not knowingly engage in conversations detrimental to other FFA members, officers, and adults.

22. Become knowledgeable of agriculture, FFA, industry, and Ag education. Keep myself up to date on current events.

23. Avoid expressing personal opinions regarding political or controversial subjects when representing the Washington FFA Association.

24. Be punctual and prepared for all assignments and activities.

25. Be unwed, nor be the father or mother of a child at the time of serving as a state officer; further understood that I will resign my office if there are any changes in marital or parenthood status.

I have read and understand the intent and spirit of the State Officer Guidebook (Joy of Corduroy) and the items listed in the Agreement above. I have also read and understand the Washington FFA Constitution and Bylaws that guide our state association. If elected to office I commit to the handbook, agreement, and procedures outlined. I recognize that if I do not satisfactorily follow these established standards or that breaking the agreement/policies may result in limitations being set on my roles as an officer or the possible removal of office by the Executive Director/State Advisor and/or Board of Directors.

The candidate and their parent(s)/legal guardian(s) must read the Washington FFA Association State Officer Guidebook (Joy of Corduroy) as well as the Constitution and Bylaws, focusing on Article VII, Duties of Board of Student Officers, Sections A-F. Article VIII, Procedures for Electing the Board of Student Officers, Sections A-E. View a copy of the constitution and bylaws at: washingtonffa.org/association

By signing below, I/we approve of our student running for and serving as a Washington FFA State Officer. I/we believe this student meets the qualifications and will represent Washington FFA with the highest level of professionalism and maturity, and will uphold the agreements and responsibilities of the Association outlined in the Guidebook (Joy of Corduroy) and Constitution & Bylaws.

By signing below, I affirm that the applicant meets the qualifications and has my approval to be a candidate representing my/our FFA chapter. Further, should the applicant be elected, they will uphold the State Officer Agreement, meet the expectations and professional standards of a Washington FFA State Officer, work well as a member of a team, and make a positive impact on the lives of FFA members across the state.

By signing below, we recommend this applicant for consideration as a Washington FFA State Officer. We believe this student will represent our school and Washington FFA with the highest level of professionalism and maturity. The applicant is currently making satisfactory progress toward completion of all requirements for graduation from high school and I anticipate at this time that they will graduate on time.

I authorize the FFA State Advisor and/or FFA State Executive Director to release any and all information relating to my conduct to the person(s) named below. My authorization remains in effect until I retire or am removed from state office.

This application and all components are due as PDF file(s) by 11:59pm March 1 via this form.

Submissions that are mailed in hard-copy or non-PDF format will not be accepted.

For questions about this application, please reach out to Tamara Whitcomb, WA FFA Executive Director at tamara@washingtonffa.org.