VERONA — Elizabeth Schieferstine, a student at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School and member of the school’s FFA Chapter, was recently elected to serve for the coming year as the New York FFA State Treasurer.

The FFA, a national youth organization once known as the Future Farmers of America, offers leadership and career development opportunities for students interested in agricultural careers. One in five American careers is founded in agriculture and students studying agricultural education in high school are preparing for careers from traditional farming to food safety, “green” technology and renewable fuels to veterinary science.

As an elected state officer, Schieferstine will have the chance to promote these opportunities throughout the state to students, school administrators, businesses, and legislators.

As a state FFA officer, Schieferstine will receive more than 250 hours of training and spend more than a month on the road over her summer vacation. Throughout the coming year, Schieferstine will have the opportunity to impact nearly 9,500 FFA members statewide during her year of service. She will visit schools, facilitate workshops, and give speeches to groups interested in agriculture and education.

“The FFA prepares young people to be successful and career-driven young leaders,” Derek Hill, the state FFA director, said. “State FFA officers are often the ones training their peers to become those very things ... their responsibilities are both significant and challenging.”

Schieferstine begins her year of service with Base Camp training just about a week and a half after being elected. Time management, workshop facilitation, critical message identification, and character-driven decision-making will all be explored in depth throughout a three-day conference at the Oswegatchie Educational Center in Croghan.

The next day it will be back to school with essays to write and homework to submit. It’s a
whirlwind experience but one that will be well worth the challenge, program officials say, and will help promote the industry and agricultural education opportunities statewide.