Kaleb LeMoine Selected as Louisiana’s 2023 National FFA Officer candidate

(03/14/23) ALEXANDRIA, La. – The pinnacle of student leadership in the FFA is serving as a National FFA Officer. Of the more than 850,000 FFA members across the nation, only six are chosen each year to represent the organization as National Officers. Recently, Louisiana FFA selected Kaleb LeMoine as its 2023 candidate.

Each state FFA association may send one member to the National FFA Convention to run for national office. LeMoine, the former Louisiana FFA State President and current Tulane University sophomore is no stranger to the process. He also represented the state last year and advanced to the final round of the selection process.

“I’m confident that I will be able to apply the skills and knowledge I learned in last year’s selection process to grow even more as a student leader and advocate for FFA,” LeMoine said.

LeMoine’s training will be intense over the next eight months. It will include weekly practice sessions, visits with agriculture and education leaders and training events both in and out of state.

It is an experience of a lifetime to serve, as National Officers spend the entire year traveling around America and abroad advocating for agriculture, conducting events, visiting with leaders of government and industry and providing leadership for FFA members in middle and high schools.

To be selected as Louisiana’s National FFA Officer candidate, members must spend countless hours preparing for the selection process. The selection is conducted by a panel made of four high school FFA members, one past state FFA officer and four adults representing the LSU AgCenter, the Louisiana Department of Education, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry and the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation.

Prospective candidates are evaluated on their ability to answer interview questions, write and present an extemporaneous speech, create and deliver a leadership workshop and conduct a media interview. The depth of questions and scenarios is a great challenge for candidates.

“The panel posed questions about character, service and leadership to gain a better understanding of each candidate's goals and ambitions,” LeMoine said.

If elected, LeMoine will become only the sixth National FFA Officer in Louisiana’s history and the second since 2018. His preparations have already begun.

“I am studying regularly to expand my knowledge of agriculture, agricultural education and FFA. I plan to meet with industry and education officials to learn more about the unique challenges that agriculture faces and the role that FFA plays to solve them,” he said.

The Louisiana FFA Association is composed of over 12,000 student members from 212 FFA chapters in 53 parishes. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. FFA operates under a federal charter granted by the 81st United States Congress, and it is an integral part of public instruction in agriculture. For more, visit the Louisiana FFA Association online at www.laffa.org and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

This year’s National FFA Officer selection process takes place October 28 through November 4 in Indianapolis.

Kaleb LeMoine.

Kaleb LeMoine has been selected as Louisiana’s 2023 National FFA Officer candidate. Photo provided by Louisiana FFA

3/14/2023 1:59:53 PM
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