Morgan's Service to Society Experience at the National FFA Convention and Expo #SuperBowlLDE

As part of my service to society experience, I had the opportunity to expand my knowledge in the National FFA Parliamentary Procedure Leadership Development Event. As part of this experience, I got to assist the event aside from other collegiate interns from the Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Idaho. Although the national finals event was limited in the number of teams who got to compete due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I still had a great time being immersed into the #SuperBowlLDE! 

The week’s events started off with a flight to Indianapolis, Indiana, where the National FFA Convention and Expo were held. After arriving and settling into Indy, I and some of the other Penn State collegiate assistants got to help Dr. Foster and the other event chairs set up for the contest. It was very nice to meet the judges and event chairs in advance of the event and become comfortable in the room. We worked on preparing envelopes for each team with their awards and result cards. We also counted award pins and organized papers for the following morning.  

The morning of the semi-final and final team rounds, we were up early in preparation for the rooms and to learn our specific duties for the day. I was tasked with timing both the semi-final and final rounds throughout the day. We helped to set up the semi-final rooms by setting up chairs and the stage for the event. I got to learn how the official timers work for the event, and practice using the remote to ensure I could fix it when issues arose. During the semi-final rounds, it was so intriguing to watch and learn from each of the finalists. I was not ready for the fast pace and precision each team brought to the table, but it was very fun to watch. While also timing each of the teams, I got to replace the motion cards on the stage and reset the stage for the next team to begin. I think my favorite part about the semi-finals was getting to hear each of the teams complete the questioning round. This is where I felt each of the team’s knowledge of parliamentary procedure flourished. It was very impressive to hear their depth of knowledge and passion for parliamentary procedure. 

As we transitioned into the final rounds of the top 4 qualifying teams including California, Ohio, Nebraska, and Missouri, is when the fun really began. As I oversaw the timing of the final rounds, that meant I also had to sit on stage in the final hall, which was a bit terrifying. Overall, the final rounds on the big stage went well with no technical or timing issues, the first time in many years I was told that nothing went wrong! After the finals round concluded, we took a short break and then returned to help set up for the awards banquet. We helped to set out plaques and the awesome Parli Pro artifacts that Dr. Conners worked on gathering. The banquet was a great time to watch the students and educators celebrate all of their hard work throughout the year! 

Throughout this service experience, I got to learn from many different individuals, and see how the national event runs, along with networking with individuals from the Parli Pro family on a national level. Before arriving in Indy, I had no idea what to expect, having this been my first time assisting with a National Leadership Development Event, I feel that I learned a lot about all the work and time that goes into prepping for the event, the logistics of running the event, and the awards banquet that occurs afterward. It took many individuals to make this event a success and I was honored to meet some of them through assisting with this event. I got to build lasting connections with students, educators, and professionals in the field through this amazing service experience!

Morgan Bear

Agricultural and Extension Education 2023

AEE 216

Student Service to Society