Vol. 41, No. 65
October 31 , 2007
CONTACT: JIM MORRIS
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Five Young Missourians Provide National
Leadership for Student Career Organizations
Missouri has produced a bumper crop of young leaders this year, with students from across the state serving as national leaders in five student organizations.
Zach Kinne, a member of the North Harrison High School FFA Chapter, Eagleville, was elected president of the National FFA Organization last week during its 80th national convention in Indianapolis. It has been 77 years since another Missourian held the FFA’s top elected post.
“Exciting opportunities lie ahead,” said Kinne, who is now a sophomore at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is looking forward to serving more than 500,000 FFA members as they realize their opportunities in leadership, personal growth and agricultural careers. (An audio interview with Zach Kinne is available from the National FFA.)
Kinne is one of five Missouri high school and college students serving in national leadership roles this year (2007-08) in their respective career-focused organizations:
- Levi Rash, South Shelby High School, Shelbina
Vice President of Membership
Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA)
- Michael Miller, Carl Junction High School
Treasurer, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)
- Alicia Stewart, Truman State University
North Central Region Vice President
Phi Beta Lambda (PBL), the college division of FBLA
- Seth Wilbanks, State Fair Community College
Vice President, Postsecondary Agricultural Student Organization (PAS), the sister organization of FFA at the postsecondary level
The National FFA Organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, has more than one-half million student members, ages 12-21, in 7,358 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands – all preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture.
Kinne served as Missouri FFA President in 2005-06 and was among six individuals selected from a field of 40 to hold a national office. He is the son of Keith and Shelly Kinne. His FFA advisor is Brandon Craig.
Kinne is the second Missouri FFA member in the history of the organization selected as National FFA President.
“The drought is over,” said Steve Brown, Missouri FFA executive secretary and supervisor of agricultural education with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
“This is a distinct honor for Zach Kinne, to be selected to help direct the National FFA,” said Brown. “While Missouri FFA members have held various national offices over the history of the organization, we have not had a president since 1930-31, when Leslie Fry, from Louisiana, served as president,” he said.
During his term as president, Kinne will travel more than 100,000 miles, meet top leaders in business, government and education, visit approximately 40 states, and tour Japan. He will provide leadership training for students, help set policies that shape the future of the organization and promote agricultural literacy.
More FFA Notes of Interest
- The Future Farmers of America was formed in 1928 at the former Baltimore Hotel in Kansas City. Annual dues were set at 10 cents. Its annual national convention was held in Kansas City for 70 years, 1928-1998.
- The first (and only other) FFA President hailing from Missouri was the late Leslie McGee Fry (1912-1993) of Louisiana, Mo. He was valedictorian of Louisiana High School and went on to the University of Missouri in 1930. He served as President of Future Farmers of America in 1930-31. Mr. Fry had been a lawyer in the State of Nevada from 1946 until his retirement in 1990. He also had a distinguished career with the United States Army and was noted for extensive civic and community service, including Boy Scouts of America and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. President Nixon appointed Mr. Fry to serve on the American Battle Monuments Committee in 1970, a position he held for six years.
MEET THE NATIONAL OFFICERS of FCCLA, FBLA, PBL and PAS
Levi Rash was selected Vice President of Membership for the national FCCLA organization during its annual conference in Orlando, Fl., in July. Rash is a senior at South Shelby High School, Shelbina, Mo.
The National FCCLA has more than 230,000 members in middle school and high school. Missouri FCCLA is the fifth largest chapter with 13,700 members. Membership categories include Comprehensive and Occupational. Comprehensive members emphasize a variety of Family and Consumer Sciences Education classes in their plans of study. Occupational members are enrolled in educational programs that prepare them for paid employment in a specific Family and Consumer Sciences-related career.
Michael Miller is a senior at Carl Junction High School in Missouri. Miller joined FBLA as a freshman and has competed in district and state business events. After an unsuccessful campaign as a state treasurer candidate, he ran for the national office and won. Most of Miller's time is dedicated to FBLA and its members at the local, district, state and national level. His primary responsibility as treasurer is to oversee national officer travel and compile reports. He is a key contact for four states (Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania) and works closely with the state chapters. Outside of FBLA, Miller is involved in the National Honor Society, Freshman Mentoring Program, student council, and his local youth group.
Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda, Inc. is a national organization that serves over 225,000 high school, college, and professional members. Missouri FBLA is a state association of FBLA-PBL with 15,442 members in 403 chapters across the state, the second largest chapter in the nation. The FBLA-PBL brings business and education together in a positive working relationship through innovative leadership and career development programs. Co-curricular activities include career exploration, civic service, economic education, and fostering entrepreneurship.
Alicia Stewart is a junior at Truman State University in Missouri and is majoring in history and secondary education. She joined FBLA as a shy freshman in high school and is now enjoying her seventh year in FBLA-PBL. Stewart, who served as National Parliamentarian last year, is excited to be returning to the national officer team in a new position and serving the North Central Region. She also is serving a second term as the Missouri state parliamentarian and serves her local chapter in the position of vice president of marketing.
In addition to working on different projects for PBL, such as sponsorships and newsletters, Stewart says membership is her biggest thing. She wants to increase awareness of the attributes of FBLA and PBL and work toward getting more universities to offer scholarships for FBLA and PBL members. With 11,000 PBL members nationally, Missouri has the sixth largest PBL chapter.
Seth Wilbanks is majoring in agribusiness at State Fair Community College, Sedalia. After completing an associate’s degree he plans to transfer to the University of Central Missouri. Wilbanks served as a local FFA chapter officer all four years while at Northwest High School in Hughesville, Mo., and served as reporter in Area 6. As Vice President, Wilbanks is responsible for promoting the organization and overseeing the PAS website.
The Postsecondary Agricultural Student Organization, a sister organization of FFA, was officially founded in March 1980 in Kansas City, Missouri. Membership now totals 1,115 members within 56 chapters located in 18 states. The organization is available to students in agriculture/agribusiness/natural resources postsecondary programs in approximately 550 institutions in all 50 states.
PAS aspires to be the premier leadership and career development organization serving college agriculture students. One of our main purposes is to provide an opportunity for developing leadership abilities through participation in the employment experience programs, course work, and organization activities.