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AgriPOWER Class XII kicked off in Columbus, Ohio on July 16, 2021. Session one focused on our personal development. We took a deeper dive into our personal strengths as well as our emotional strengths to encourage personal growth through the program.

On day one, we got an inside look at the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation’s offices in Columbus. We also met with OFBF staff who gave us some insight on their day-to-day operation. Their passion for the Farm Bureau’s mission was both powerful and inspiring.

Elise Stoddard from American Farm Bureau Federation led three workshops. The first was Strengthsfinder 2.0 based on our Clifton Strengths. This workshop focused on capitalizing on our current strengths. In the second workshop, we focused on our emotional intelligence. We dove into what it means to be emotionally intelligent and how we can develop these skills for use in daily life. Lastly, we took some time to work on public speaking. Elise’s workshops were engaging and informative. I really enjoyed her presentations.

We had two other speakers in session one. Marlene Eick gave us an excellent presentation on defining leadership. She explained the levels of influence we have and how they may look different in all aspects of life. Marlene also encouraged us to continue growing that influence. Katy Endsley led us through an etiquette dinner. I was surprised to learn how many points of etiquette I was (and wasn’t) using. She made the dinner relaxing and enjoyable without any pressure to perform perfectly.

In conclusion, session one was a successful kickoff for AgriPOWER Class XII. Our small class of eight learned a lot of important information about ourselves. As we move through the rest of the sessions, I’m excited to see our growth as leaders in the agriculture industry.