Not since the days of Red Bud High School in 1982 has Gordon County had a State FFA Officer but this year, Timothy Hubbard of the Gordon Central FFA Chapter was elected as North Region Vice-President. Being elected as a State FFA Officer is an honor for any FFA member.

Hubbard started his FFA journey in the sixth grade at Ashworth Middle School.

“If you have ever felt such tremendous enthusiasm and desires for something that you would gladly spend all your waking hours working in it, that you would happily do without pay, then you have found your passion,” said Hubbard. “I found my passion for agriculture and the FFA in the sixth grade when I put on my first blue corduroy jacket. FFA is the most incredible student organization in the nation. What other group brings together students and teaches them to value traditions, morals, ethics and agriculture, as well as teaching them how to be effective leaders. Georgia FFA members are constantly the ‘cream of the crop’ on high school campuses all over the state.”

The 2012-2013 State FFA Officer Team was elected at the 84th Georgia FFA Convention held in Macon. These young leaders will serve throughout this school year as advocates of agricultural education and the Georgia FFA Association.

In order to become a state officer, members must hold their State FFA Degree and be an active member of the FFA. They must show leadership ability, knowledge of agriculture and the FFA, and have a passion for the development of FFA members.

Candidates must go through a nominating committee, which chooses twelve candidates to be voted on at the State FFA Convention. Once the twelve candidates are announced, delegates from 280 FFA Chapters across the state vote to elect the eight-person officer team.

Having a strong knowledge of the agricultural industry in Georgia is important for these new advocates, and the team will participate in Business and Industry visits throughout the state.

There will be ample opportunities for the state officers to share the message of the FFA as they visit with legislators, the State School Superintendant, and other influential people in Georgia’s government through activities such as FFA Day at the Capitol.

Serving members of the Georgia FFA Association will be one of the most important responsibilities of the new team. The officers will be responsible for creating and facilitating leadership conferences for middle school and high school students, such as Discovery Conference, the Greenhand Jamboree and Chapter Officer Leadership Training.

The officers will also visit FFA Chapters all over the state as well as attend and speak at Chapter Banquets.

There are more than 500,000 FFA members nationwide. The Georgia Association has more than 32,000 members, making it the third largest Association in the nation.

The FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success, through agricultural education.

“It is truly a privilege to be a part of an organization that represents the root of our existence and that is, American Agriculture,” said Hubbard.