Trio of Colby FFA members attend ‘Boiling Point’ event

Three Colby FFA members attended the “212/360” conference in Wisconsin Dells, Nov. 16-17. Olivia Weiland, Alexis Gumz and Leah Houk represented the chapter. During the two-day conference, they worked on personal development and gathered ideas to bring back to the chapter.

Houk said the opportunity not only taught them about leadership, but gave them the chance to meet new friends and learn how to encourage others around them to be leaders.

“The conference is broken down into sessions, where staff from National FFA guide students through the leadership program,” Houk said. “The majority of our time is spent in these sessions, but there is also social time that includes a dance and games sponsored by Wisconsin FFA Alumni.”

The 212 conference refers to the boiling point of water. As National FFA describes the conference “at 211°, water is extremely hot, but just one more degree gets us to the next level: the boiling point. 212 degrees – the temperature at which water boils – focuses on taking students to the boiling point of leadership. This conference focuses on the development of the individual student.” In the 360 conference, the title refers to the number of degrees in a full circle, comparing that to taking students full circle in chapter leadership. This conference, which is designed for upperclassmen, helps students look at planning and developing activities for their chapters. It also places focus on recruitment and getting all members involved in chapter activities.

All three Colby members participated in the 212 conference. They said they look forward to opportunities in the future to attend 360 and other FFA conferences.