INDIANAPOLIS – A recent National FFA Organization conference has given a Michigan student fresh ideas for community service projects in his hometown.

James Korson, president of the Ravenna FFA chapter, was one of 75 members representing 24 chapters who attended the first Catalyst Conference in Indianapolis June 18-20. FFA said the conference was a part of the organization’s Living to Serve initiative, and was designed to help students transform community service into meaningful service projects through leadership development, collaboration and hands-on learning.

Korson said he wanted to attend the conference to strengthen his understanding of service projects to help improve his FFA chapter.

“One of the biggest things I learned was to determine what type of need it is,” he explained. “I learned there are two different types – authentic and assumed. The needs your community truly needs will fall under authentic needs. An assumed need is a need that people believe exists based on opinions, guesses, stereotypes or incomplete understanding.

“My biggest takeaway from the conference was learning how to plan a community service project. At the conference, they went through all the stages so you wouldn’t miss a single part and so it would run smoothly.”

Korson said the conference gave him and his chapter some ideas for future projects, such as going to a local cemetery and cleaning the headstones and the area.

He said he learned a lot about himself as a leader during the conference.

“I learned that as you are leading a group, you can’t assume that everyone knows what they are doing. Everyone is different and doesn’t know what you want done, so you need to explain and be willing to answer questions. I also learned you need to have an open mind. Someone else might have a better idea, so you need to be willing to listen to others and hear what they have to say.”

Making floral arrangements for assisted living residents was one of Korson’s favorite parts of the conference, he said, adding it showed that even the simplest gestures can make the biggest difference in someone else’s day.

The students also packed snack packs for local organizations, assembled dog leash kits for FFA chapters and installed a permanent landscape garden at the National FFA Center, FFA said. While at the conference, students participated in leadership sessions, chapter planning, community reflections and about 12 hours of service, the organization said.

A grant from The Arthur M. Blank Foundation to the FFA Foundation made the conference possible, said Elizabeth Sendelweck, program specialist in FFA’s programs and events division.

“The idea for this conference has long been on FFA’s wish list, with multiple teams eager to create a hands-on experience for FFA chapters ready to fuel change through service,” she told Farm World. “This conference equips students and advisers with practical tools to identify authentic community needs, conduct community mapping and build strong local partnerships.

“By the end of the conference, each chapter team will leave with a step-by-step plan to launch meaningful community service and service-learning projects back home with a renewed commitment to living the FFA motto, Living to Serve.”

Living to Serve means more than completing a service project – it’s about creating lasting change, Sendelweck said in a release.

FFA is looking at hosting a conference again next year, she said.

Taylor Pryor, who serves as chapter reporter for the Madisonville North Hopkins FFA in Kentucky, said she wanted to attend the conference to learn how to become a better leader to benefit both her chapter and community.

“My biggest takeaway from this conference was learning the difference between service learning and community service, authentic and assumed needs, and how to properly lead my chapter in planning out service projects,” she said. “My favorite parts (of the conference) were getting to connect and collaborate with so many people across the United States, getting to hear all of their ideas in different community service projects.”

Pryor said she plans to bring leadership back to her home chapter to help better guide the members in community needs. The leadership sessions during the conference were vital to learning about yourself as a leader, she pointed out, saying she learned how to property plan and execute complete service projects that focus on authentic community needs.