Program & Events Division: WLC Communications Guidebook

THE WLC Communications GUIDEBOOK

COMMUNICATIONS Guidebook

WASHINGTON LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE Introduction to Communications Guidebook Congratulations on joining the on-site communications team for the Washington Leadership Conference! This is both a challenging and fun role to take on. Within this book, you may find an up-to-date, step-by-step guide on operating marketing, photography, and more per the National FFA's Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

If at any point you have questions about the content in this guidebook or communications in general at the Washington Leadership Conference, you should contact the Program Specialist or a member of the Communications Team. For specific contact information, please check the guidebook's appendix.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Photography

5

Overview

6

Details

7

Facilitators

8

Students

9

Tours

10

Captions

11

General Batch Captions

12

Specfic Captions

13

Inputting Captions on Adobe

14

Batch Renaming Photos

17

The DAM System

18

Overview

19

How to Use the DAM System

20

Media & Sponsors

23

Overview

24

Sponsor Photography Examples

25

We Will Video

26

Overview

27

2023 We Will Scripts

28

Week in Review Slideshow

42

Overview

43

TABLE OF CONTENTS Guidebook Appendix

44

2023 Roles & Duties

45

2023 Conference Captions

48

Communications Contacts

55

Taking Part In

PHOTOGRAPHY

OVERVIEW We use a wide range of photographs to showcase our unique people, culture, and experiences through four main subject groups. Photography plays a huge role in overall composition, so it’s important to choose the best possible photo for every piece being designed.

Details

DETAILS

Details serve as a great way to capture the events of WLC through "Learning to Do. Doing to Learn."

These photographs showcase WLC and taking action.

Facilitators & Students At the heart of any FFA Conference are the students and facilitators.

These photos should embody their experience at WLC.

FACILITATORS

Tours Finally, what sets WLC apart from any other conference, is the opportunity to travel to the nation's capital. Hence, tour photos should display this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

STUDENTS

TOURS

Choose photographs that feature strong horizon lines, when possible. Read more about our horizon line treatment on page 65 of the Brand Guidelines in the Appendix.

DETAILS From Session 1: Our Hope is You to Session 11: Understanding Needs Globally, abundant opportunities exist to demonstrate the FFA's Motto of "Learning to Do. Doing to Learn," Detail photographs should rely on the empowering elements of the Washington Leadership Conference to tell the story of "Why We Are We Here," such as through the notes in learnbooks, windowpanes in the Diversity Exhbit, or the hands at work during the globe activity.

FACILITATORS On some occasions, photographs of conference facilitators can exhibit the "Learning to Do" phrase better than any other photo. When applicable, these images should still exhibit a student focus with FFA members in or slightly out of focus. Facilitators should rarely be the sole element of the photo. Instead, they should serve as a complement to the Washington Leadership Conference experience.

STUDENTS Every year, students live out the core phrase of the Washington Leadership Conference, "To Do What We Can, With What We Have, Where We Are." Thus, most of the photos gathered should embody the four tenets of the conference: Me, We, Do, and Serve. Photography should display the students' reactions and positive experiences at WLC.

TOURS Finally, the Washington Leadership Conference is one of the National FFA's only tour-inclusive youth programs. Therefore, it is important to portray the one-of-akind experience FFA members have while in attendance. This includes the opportunity to visit notable monuments like the Martin Luther King or Jefferson Memorials as well as Arlington National Cemetary and various Smithsonians.

All About

CAPTIONS

GENERAL BATCH CAPTIONS When editing the metadata of photos, it is important to always include a general batch caption that can inform a media team about the conference at which this photo was taken. In the context of the Washington Leadership Conference, this includes information related to what WLC is and answering the Who, What, When, Where, and Why-related questions.

GENERAL BATCH CAPTION EXAMPLE The Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) took place in the summer of 2023 in Washington D.C with nearly 2,100 students in attendance. WLC, hosted by the National FFA Organization, provides 340 students in 9th through 12th grades the opportunity to develop their premier leadership, personal growth, and career success while being exposed to the rich history of Washington, D.C. Celebrating its 52nd year in 2023, the WLC curriculum will educate FFA member on four tenants of leadership: Me, We, Do and Serve. Throughout the week, students had the opportunity to take part in reflections, sessions and embark on tours throughout the capital including the Arlington National Cemetery and Lincoln Memorial. The 2023 conference schedule is as follows: Week 1 (June 6-10), Week 2 (June 13-17), Week 3 (June 20-24), Week 4 (June 27-July 1), Week 5 (July 11-15) and Week 6 (July 18-22).

The National FFA Organization is an intracurricular student organization for those interested in agriculture and leadership. It is one of the three components of agricultural education. To learn more, visit www.ffa.org/about.

Point of Contact: Payton Carter, Program Specialist Programs and Events Division Personal: +1 (317) 802-4409 Email: pcarter@ffa.org Kristy Meyer, Communications Manager Marketing Communications Services Personal: +1 (317) 802-4205 Mobile: +1 (317) 538-7077 Email: kmeyer@ffa.org General Email: wlc@ffa.org Website: www.ffa.org/conference/washington-leadership-conference-wlc/

SPECIFIC CAPTIONS In addition to using a general batch caption, each photo will also have a specfic caption that will be inserted above the batch caption. In the context of the Washington Leadership Conference, there should be a specific caption for every session, reflection, and tour students may take part in. Some examples may also be found below:

TOUR-SPECFIC CAPTION EXAMPLE On Friday, June 2023, Washington Leadership Conference attendees and FFA members visited Arlington National Cemetery, located in Virgina. While visiting, students had the opportunity to see the famous John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame and “Changing of the Guard” ceremony, held at the Memorial Amphitheater.

Arlington has “evolved from a place of necessity to a national shrine to those who have honorably served our Nation during times of war – including every military conflict in American history – and during times of peace. The cemetery is the final resting place for more than 400,000 active duty service members, veterans and their families. ‘Service to country’ is the common thread that binds all who are honored and remembered here. The cemetery remains active with funeral services Monday through Saturday (except federal holidays), conducting between 27 and 30 services each week day and between 6 and 8 services each Saturday.”

Information on burial eligibility, military honors and more is available on the cemetery’s website: www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/about

SESSION-SPECFIC CAPTION EXAMPLE In the first session of the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC), facilitators, including Isabel D’Acquisto and Cassandra Valdez, provided students with an overview of the program. FFA members also had the opportunity to define what a changemaker was and learn about the concept of a “Living to Serve” Plan, which they will explore throughout the duration of the program.

Following this session, students were split amongst smaller groups referred to as “Community Groups,” with the rest of the conference facilitators, including Lauren Palumbo, Blake Van Der Kamp, Luc Sproles, Stephanie Harvey, Rissa Petiprin Ball, Nick Prestly, Becca Wulf, Grace Adams, Makayla Craig, Hope Showalter, and Lindsey Augustine.

INPUTTING CAPTIONS ON ADOBE When it comes to inputting the captions you've created, it is recommended to use Adobe Bridge. This program is a "powerful creative asset manager that lets you preview, organize, edit, and publish multiple creative assets quickly and easily." It also allows you to edit metadata, add keywords, labels, and ratings to assets. Thus, outlined below are the steps to using Adobe Bridge for WLC:

Your Bridge Dashboard

Selecting your Photography

Pictured above is what you will see when you open the Adobe Bridge platform. Through your role as a photographer for the Washington Leadership Conference. You will only need to utilize the "Content" and "Metadata" spaces.

The first step when captioning your photos is to first locate them. To do this, you will navigate through the content on your computer to find the area where your photos are stored. Once you've found them, you will want to select every photo you want to edit the metadata for at that current time. It is recommended that you only select photos from a specific session, reflection, or tour at one time to ensure that you don't rewrite over your metadata.

INPUTTING CAPTIONS ON ADOBE The IPTC Core Next, you will move your mouse over to the lefthand side of your screen and click on the dropdown arrow labeled "IPTC Core."

Inputting your Data Finally comes the part where you will input your information. As pictured below, you will first type in your name and title: "Conference Photographer." You will then enter the location using the National FFA Headquarter address: 6060 FFA Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46278 Finally, you will enter your work phone, email, and personal website if applicable.

INPUTTING CAPTIONS ON ADOBE

Inputing you Data (Cont.)

You will then copy and paste your general batch caption and specfic caption into the "Description" box. It is important that the specific caption comes before the general batch caption as shown above.

You will then proceed to enter your specific and general keywords followed by the location the photos were taken.

Lastly, you will note the credit line and copyright notice as the National FFA Organization. You must also select "Copyrighted" as the copyright status.

BATCH RENAMING PHOTOS Prior to uploading your photos to the National FFA's DAM System, you will have to rename all the photos according to the naming conventions set by the Marketing Communications Services Department. Photos are named using the following convention: year_month,day_conference title. For example 2023_0301_Next Gen_and then it would be followed by the number sequence.

How to Batch Rename Photos To rename your photos, you will first highlight and select all the ones you'd like to rename. You will then scroll to the top of your screen and click "Tools." Following, you will click on "Batch Rename." Your screen will then look like the one pictured above. Next, you will then type in first part of the convention in the textbox featuring the year, month, and day. This will be followed with an underscore and "WLC." Finally, you will click rename and watch it rename all your photos!

As a reminder, these should be labeled by day. Therefore, because there are five days of of WLC, the naming convention could be as follows: Day 1, Tuesday - 2023_0606_WLC_001 Day 2, Wednesday - 2023_0607_WLC_001 Day 3, Thursday - 2023_0608_WLC_001

Day 4, Friday - 2023_0609_WLC_001 Day 5, Saturday - 2023_0610_WLC_001

The Dam

SYSTEM

OVERVIEW The Digital Asset Management (DAM) is a tool utilized by the National FFA Organization that includes all the processes related to a digital asset, such as creation, administration, organization, and distribution.

While National FFA primarily uses DAM for photos, digital assets are listed as all content and media that are stored in a digital format. This can include photos and images (JPEG, PNG), design files (TIFF, PSD), graphics (SVG), videos (MP4, MOV), audio files (MP3, WAV), text files, and documents (DOC, PDF), presentations (PPT), 3D files (STL, OBJ) and more.

This system was previously reached utilizing the URL digital.ffa.org. However, it now sits on a more user-friendly site known as Chorus. You can access this site by visiting the following URL: https://ffa.aws-virginia.thirdlight.com/.

The site will prompt you to log in. If you cannot remember your password, feel free to reach out to National FFA's Marketing Communications Services (MCS) Team as they can help you.

If you have any specific questions regarding how to use the DAM system, please refer to the National FFA Organization's Communications Manager, Kristy Meyer via email: kmeyer@ffa.org.

HOW TO USE THE DAM SYSTEM While the DAM system provides you the opportunity to locate, share, and organize photos, your primary role as a photographer for the Washington Leadership Conference is to upload photos taken throughout the duration of the summer at the conference. Below steps are listed on how to correctly upload photos onto the Digital Asset Management System: Logging In The first step to accessing the DAM System is to log in to your account. Your log in information will be provided by the Marketing Communications Services Department. Thus, if you have any issues with your account information, you should defer to them.

Locate the NF Folder Upon logging into the system, you should click on folder labeled "National FFA."

HOW TO USE THE DAM SYSTEM Find the 1_Photos Folder Next, you will find the folder titled "1_PHOTOS." This should once again be at the top of your dashboard with all the albums listed.Once you have found it, you will click on the album.

Locate the FFA Conferences & Workshops Folder Following step three, you will then locate the "FFA Conferences and Workshops" Folder. This will most likely require you to scroll through the albums to find and click it.

Click on the WLC Folder Finally, you will then have to navigate through the dashboard to find your year's respective Washington Leadership Conference Folder. For example, if the year was 2023, I would click on the "2023 WLC" Folder.

HOW TO USE THE DAM SYSTEM Find your respective Week's Folder You will then find and select the week of Washington Leadership Conference that corresponds to the week that your photos were taken.

Upload the Photos Lastly, you will drag all the photos that you would like to upload from your desktop to dashboard as pictured in the image to the left.

It is important to note that you will most likely not be able to remove photos.

Therefore, you should be certain that the photos are ones you would like to upload.

Media&

SPONSORS

OVERVIEW Every year, in conjunction with the annual Washington Leadership Conference, sponsors of the program and the National FFA Organization are invited to come and interact with FFA Members. Before their arrival, the onsite media relations and/or sponsor relations staff member(s) will be notified. In the absence of these positions, that duty will fall onto the National FFA's full-time program specialist supervising the WLC program.

Upon the arrival of a sponsor, they will be greeted by the sponsor relations staff member, who will help ensure that their needs are met and that they are prepared to present or interact with FFA members at their designated time.

Throughout their interactions with students, it is expected that photos and videos should be taken as able and appropriate. As noted in the Communications Guidebook, these photos and videos will be edited similarly as all other material.

Following the departure of the sponsor, it is expected that all photos and videos will be shared with them no later than seven days later. For more information about sharing media resources with a sponsor, please communicate with the Washington Leadership Conference's Program Specialist and Manager.

SPONSOR PHOTOGRAPHY EXAMPLES

We Will

VIDEO

OVERVIEW The "We Will" video is a weekly, student-focused production that showcases the development of thirteen FFA members' Living to Serve (LTS) plans. Within this video, all Washington Leadership Conference attendees are called to take action as they prepare themselves for the journey back home following the conclusion of the final session.

This video features a rotating interview with each of the thirteen students as they each say a line from the "We Will" script. Finally, the video concludes with all the FFA members selected shouting, "Because We Are WLC!" It is recommended that the Communications Team record this video on Friday night during dinner after students have had ample time to create their LTS plans.

This practice also ensures that the video editor has enough time to edit and upload it to the PowerPoint for the final conference session.

Previous Examples: 2023 We Will Video (Week 5): https://youtu.be/tq39yTxM0io 2023 We Will Video (Week 4): https://youtu.be/tq39yTxM0io 2023 We Will Video (Week 3): https://youtu.be/xRfN_YyoaUM 2023 We Will Video (Week 2): https://youtu.be/2f3KkZlwSyQ

2023 We Will

SCRIPTS

WE WILL VIDEO SCRIPT #1 Person #1 (One FFA Member per Community Group) Line #1: Earlier this week we heard....

Line #2: ___________ NEEDS US! This should be ONE or TWO words that describes the population that your LTS plan serves. Examples can include: farmers, elementary schoolers, the homeless population, etc.

Line #3: We are here for them Line #4: By __________________ This should be a short statement that answers the question, “How will you impact your community through your LTS plan?” Examples: “By distributing monthly care packages to the homeless population,” “By educating elementary schoolers about agriculture,” “By running an anti-vaping campaign at my school,” “By promoting farm vehicle and highway safety.”

Line #5: To do what we can.. Line #6: Because WE ARE WLC!

WE WILL VIDEO SCRIPT #2 Person #2 (One FFA Member per Community Group) Line 1: that our schools need us.

Line #2: ___________ NEEDS US! This should be ONE or TWO words that describes the population that your LTS plan serves. Examples can include: farmers, elementary schoolers, the homeless population, etc.

Line #3: Because WE are FFA Line #4: By __________________ This should be a short statement that answers the question, “How will you impact your community through your LTS plan?” Examples: “By distributing monthly care packages to the homeless population,” “By educating elementary schoolers about agriculture,” “By running an anti-vaping campaign at my school,” “By promoting farm vehicle and highway safety.”

Line #5: With what we have... Line #6: Because WE ARE WLC!

WE WILL VIDEO SCRIPT #3 Person #3 (One FFA Member per Community Group) Line #1: Our country needs us!

Line #2: ___________ NEEDS US! This should be ONE or TWO words that describes the population that your LTS plan serves. Examples can include: farmers, elementary schoolers, the homeless population, etc.

Line #3: and we are the ones who are called to action.

Line #4: By __________________ This should be a short statement that answers the question, “How will you impact your community through your LTS plan?” Examples: “By distributing monthly care packages to the homeless population,” “By educating elementary schoolers about agriculture,” “By running an anti-vaping campaign at my school,” “By promoting farm vehicle and highway safety.”

Line #5: where we are!

Line #6: Because WE ARE WLC!

WE WILL VIDEO SCRIPT #4 Person #4 (One FFA Member per Community Group) Line #1: Agriculture needs us!

Line #2: ___________ NEEDS US! This should be ONE or TWO words that describes the population that your LTS plan serves. Examples can include: farmers, elementary schoolers, the homeless population, etc.

Line #3: and we WILL take action!

Line #4: By __________________ This should be a short statement that answers the question, “How will you impact your community through your LTS plan?” Examples: “By distributing monthly care packages to the homeless population,” “By educating elementary schoolers about agriculture,” “By running an anti-vaping campaign at my school,” “By promoting farm vehicle and highway safety.”

Line #5: It does not matter how big.... Line #6: Because WE ARE WLC!

WE WILL VIDEO SCRIPT #5 Person #5 (One FFA Member per Community Group) Line #1: Our world needs us!

Line #2: ___________ NEEDS US! This should be ONE or TWO words that describes the population that your LTS plan serves. Examples can include: farmers, elementary schoolers, the homeless population, etc.

Line #3: By __________________ This should be a short statement that answers the question, “How will you impact your community through your LTS plan?” Examples: “By distributing monthly care packages to the homeless population,” “By educating elementary schoolers about agriculture,” “By running an anti-vaping campaign at my school,” “By promoting farm vehicle and highway safety.”

Line #4: WLC Line #5: Or small the differences... Line #6: Because WE ARE WLC!

WE WILL VIDEO SCRIPT #6 Person #6 (One FFA Member per Community Group) Line #1: And in order to answer this call...

Line #2: ___________ NEEDS US! This should be ONE or TWO words that describes the population that your LTS plan serves. Examples can include: farmers, elementary schoolers, the homeless population, etc.

Line #3: By __________________ This should be a short statement that answers the question, “How will you impact your community through your LTS plan?” Examples: “By distributing monthly care packages to the homeless population,” “By educating elementary schoolers about agriculture,” “By running an anti-vaping campaign at my school,” “By promoting farm vehicle and highway safety.”

Line #4: The time...

Line #5: all that matters...

Line #6: Because WE ARE WLC!

WE WILL VIDEO SCRIPT #7 Person #7 (One FFA Member per Community Group) Line #1: We had to identify our passions and strengths Line #2: ___________ NEEDS US! This should be ONE or TWO words that describes the population that your LTS plan serves. Examples can include: farmers, elementary schoolers, the homeless population, etc.

Line #3: By __________________ This should be a short statement that answers the question, “How will you impact your community through your LTS plan?” Examples: “By distributing monthly care packages to the homeless population,” “By educating elementary schoolers about agriculture,” “By running an anti-vaping campaign at my school,” “By promoting farm vehicle and highway safety.”

Line #4: is NOW! Line #5: is that we make a difference! Line #6: Because WE ARE WLC!

WE WILL VIDEO SCRIPT #8 Person #8 (One FFA Member per Community Group) Line #1: Celebrate diversity Line #2: ___________ NEEDS US! This should be ONE or TWO words that describes the population that your LTS plan serves. Examples can include: farmers, elementary schoolers, the homeless population, etc.

Line #3: By __________________ This should be a short statement that answers the question, “How will you impact your community through your LTS plan?” Examples: “By distributing monthly care packages to the homeless population,” “By educating elementary schoolers about agriculture,” “By running an anti-vaping campaign at my school,” “By promoting farm vehicle and highway safety.”

Line #4: Our chant is more than a thought....

Line #5: and we will Line #6: Because WE ARE WLC!

WE WILL VIDEO SCRIPT #9 Person #9 (One FFA Member per Community Group) Line #1: Advocate for what we believe in Line #2: ___________ NEEDS US! This should be ONE or TWO words that describes the population that your LTS plan serves. Examples can include: farmers, elementary schoolers, the homeless population, etc.

Line #3: By __________________ This should be a short statement that answers the question, “How will you impact your community through your LTS plan?” Examples: “By distributing monthly care packages to the homeless population,” “By educating elementary schoolers about agriculture,” “By running an anti-vaping campaign at my school,” “By promoting farm vehicle and highway safety.”

Line #4: They are MORE than just words we say!

Line #5: we will Line #6: Because WE ARE WLC!

WE WILL VIDEO SCRIPT #10 Person #10 (One FFA Member per Community Group) Line #1: and begin our journey to serve others.

Line #2: ___________ NEEDS US! This should be ONE or TWO words that describes the population that your LTS plan serves. Examples can include: farmers, elementary schoolers, the homeless population, etc.

Line #3: By __________________ This should be a short statement that answers the question, “How will you impact your community through your LTS plan?” Examples: “By distributing monthly care packages to the homeless population,” “By educating elementary schoolers about agriculture,” “By running an anti-vaping campaign at my school,” “By promoting farm vehicle and highway safety.”

Line #4: It’s about being called to serve Line #5: we will Line #6: Because WE ARE WLC!

WE WILL VIDEO SCRIPT #11 Person #11 (One FFA Member per Community Group) Line #1: the world needs us!

Line #2: ___________ NEEDS US! This should be ONE or TWO words that describes the population that your LTS plan serves. Examples can include: farmers, elementary schoolers, the homeless population, etc.

Line #3: By __________________ This should be a short statement that answers the question, “How will you impact your community through your LTS plan?” Examples: “By distributing monthly care packages to the homeless population,” “By educating elementary schoolers about agriculture,” “By running an anti-vaping campaign at my school,” “By promoting farm vehicle and highway safety.”

Line #4: and WE WILL serve!

Line #5: because WE Line #6: Because WE ARE WLC!

WE WILL VIDEO SCRIPT #12 Person #12 (One FFA Member per Community Group) Line #1: The people who are calling for us...

Line #2: ___________ NEEDS US! This should be ONE or TWO words that describes the population that your LTS plan serves. Examples can include: farmers, elementary schoolers, the homeless population, etc.

Line #3: By __________________ This should be a short statement that answers the question, “How will you impact your community through your LTS plan?” Examples: “By distributing monthly care packages to the homeless population,” “By educating elementary schoolers about agriculture,” “By running an anti-vaping campaign at my school,” “By promoting farm vehicle and highway safety.”

Line #4: RIGHT NOW Line #5: WE Line #6: Because WE ARE WLC!

WE WILL VIDEO SCRIPT #13 Person #13 (One FFA Member per Community Group) Line #1: and those who can’t call for us.

Line #2: ___________ NEEDS US! This should be ONE or TWO words that describes the population that your LTS plan serves. Examples can include: farmers, elementary schoolers, the homeless population, etc.

Line #3: By __________________ This should be a short statement that answers the question, “How will you impact your community through your LTS plan?” Examples: “By distributing monthly care packages to the homeless population,” “By educating elementary schoolers about agriculture,” “By running an anti-vaping campaign at my school,” “By promoting farm vehicle and highway safety.”

Line 4: To do what we can Line #5: WE Line #6: Because WE ARE WLC!

Week in Review

SLIDESHOW

OVERVIEW The "Week in Review" Slideshow is another weekly production besides the We Will Video. This video allows students the opportunity to submit their favorite photos from the week to be featured. Additionally, this video incorporates the photography and videos taken by the Communications Team.

Historically, this video is an estimated two to three minutes and includes a feature of every Community Group and its students.

It is recommended that photos be gathered via a QR code connected to a Google Form for ease of sorting through them. This QR code should be provided to the students during breakfast on Saturday to provide ample time for the Communications Team to edit the video.

Previous Examples: 2023 Week in Review Slideshow (Week 6): https://youtu.be/C_9FQHyDLn4 2022 Week in Review Slideshow (Week 5): https://youtu.be/zYa8and9uv4

Guidebook

APPENDIX

2023 Roles

& DUTIES

OVERVIEW OF ROLES & DUTIES Below are the listed roles and responsibilities as determined by the 2023 WLC Staff regarding on-site communications, including but not limited to Photography, Videography, etc.

Tuesday Activity

Photographer

Session 1: Our Hope is in You!

Blake Van Der Kamp

Night One Reflection

Marissa Petiprin Ball

Wednesday Activity

Photographer

Session 4: Becoming a Hero

Blake Van Der Kamp

Night Tour

Lincoln: Cassandra Valdez, Jefferson: Blake FDR/MLK: Rissa

Iwo Jima Reflection

Marissa Petiprin Ball

Thursday Activity

Photographer

Capital Photo

Cassandra Valdez

Capital Tour

All

Session 6: Bringing Everyone to the Table

Marissa Petiprin Ball

Session 8: Seeing, Hearing, & Respecting Each Other

Cassandra Valdez

Unlocking Relfection

Blake Van Der Kamp

Friday Activity

Photographer

Arlington Tour

All

Session 9: All About Advocacy

Marissa Petiprin Ball

Session 11: Understanding Needs Globally

Cassandra Valdez

OVERVIEW OF ROLES & DUTIES Saturday Activity

Photographer

Service Project

Cassandra Valdez

Smithsonian Tour

All

Session 13: We Will Celebration

Cassandra Valdez

Whirlpool Reflection

Marissa Petiprin Ball

Additional Duty

Staff Member

Week in Review Video Editor

Marissa Petiprin Ball

We Will Video Editor

Blake Van Der Kamp

Photo Editor (Week 1-2)

Blake Van Der Kamp

Photo Editor (Week 3-4)

Cassandra Valdez

Photo Editor (Week 5-6)

Marissa Petiprin Ball

Media Relations Professional

Blake Van Der Kamp

On-Site Communciations Manager

Blake Van Der Kamp

2023 Conference

CAPTIONS

2023 CONFERENCE CAPTIONS Before the 2023 Washington Leadership Conference season, the following captions and keywords were determined for use on the Digital Asset Manager (D.A.M.) system. All photos are expected to contain the specific event-related caption followed by the general batch caption. They should also include the respective keywords for future marketing and promotional use.

GENERAL BATCH CAPTION The Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) took place in the summer of 2023 in Washington D.C with nearly 2,100 students in attendance. WLC, hosted by the National FFA Organization, provides 340 students in 9th through 12th grades the opportunity to develop their premier leadership, personal growth, and career success while being exposed to the rich history of Washington, D.C. Celebrating its 52nd year in 2023, the WLC curriculum will educate FFA member on four tenants of leadership: Me, We, Do and Serve. Throughout the week, students had the opportunity to take part in reflections, sessions and embark on tours throughout the capital including the Arlington National Cemetery and Lincoln Memorial. The 2023 conference schedule is as follows: Week 1 (June 6-10), Week 2 (June 13-17), Week 3 (June 20-24), Week 4 (June 27-July 1), Week 5 (July 11-15) and Week 6 (July 18-22).

The National FFA Organization is an intracurricular student organization for those interested in agriculture and leadership. It is one of the three components of agricultural education. To learn more, visit www.ffa.org/about.

Point of Contact: Payton Carter, Program Specialist Programs and Events Division Personal: +1 (317) 802-4409 Email: pcarter@ffa.org Kristy Meyer, Communications Manager Marketing Communications Services Personal: +1 (317) 802-4205 Mobile: +1 (317) 538-7077 Email: kmeyer@ffa.org General Email: wlc@ffa.org Website: www.ffa.org/conference/washington-leadership-conference-wlc/

2023 CONFERENCE CAPTIONS SESSION 1 CAPTION In the first session of the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC), facilitators, including Isabel D’Acquisto and Cassandra Valdez, provided students with an overview of the program. FFA members also had the opportunity to define what a changemaker was and learn about the concept of a “Living to Serve” Plan, which they will explore throughout the duration of the program.

Following this session, students were split amongst smaller groups referred to as “Community Groups,” with the rest of the conference facilitators, including Lauren Palumbo, Blake Van Der Kamp, Luc Sproles, Stephanie Harvey, Rissa Petiprin Ball, Nick Prestly, Becca Wulf, Grace Adams, Makayla Craig, Hope Showalter, and Lindsey Augustine.

KEYWORDS: WLC, CONFERENCE, 2023, SESSION, SESSION1, LARGEGROUP

NIGHT ONE REFLECTION CAPTION During the Night One Reflection, led by facilitators Bel D’Aquisto, Lauren Palumbo, and Lindsey Augustine, FFA members wrote down what worries they had coming into the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC). They then proceeded to drop off their slips of paper in luggage cases throughout the room to demonstrate that WLC is a safe environment for students to live out two of the phrases within the National FFA’s motto of “Learning to Do” and “Doing to Learn.”

KEYWORDS: WLC, CONFERENCE, 2023, REFLECTION, NIGHTONEREFLECTION

SESSION 4 CAPTION In Session 4 of the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC), facilitators, including Stephanie Harvey and Marissa Petiprin Ball, defined a “Hero.” Students also began exploring what it means to be a leader like the famous changemaker Temple Grandin.

KEYWORDS: WLC, CONFERENCE, 2023, SESSION, SESSION4, LARGEGROUP

2023 CONFERENCE CAPTIONS NIGHT TOUR CAPTION On day two of the conference, students toured some of our nation’s most notable memorials.

Students, advisors, and staff traveled together to locations including the Lincoln, Jefferson, and Martin Luther King Memorials to learn about some of the most influential changemakers in our country and their significance to the Washington Leadership Conference.

KEYWORDS: WLC, CONFERENCE, 2023, TOUR, NIGHTTOUR

IWO JIMA REFLECTION CAPTION During the Iwo Reflection, led by facilitators, Stephanie Harvey, MaKayla Craig, Hope Showalter, and Becca Wulf, FFA members reflected on the locations they witnessed during the night tour.

This reflection included mentions of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., World War 2, the Vietnam War, and the Korean War Memorials.

KEYWORDS: WLC, CONFERENCE, 2023, REFLECTION, IWOREFLECTION

CAPITAL TOUR CAPTION On Thursday, FFA members had the opportunity to explore the nation’s capital through exploring the United States’ capital building, visiting the Supreme Court, seeing the historic Library of Congress, going inside the D.C. Botanical Gardens, and meeting with legislators.

KEYWORDS: WLC, CONFERENCE, 2023, CAPITAL, TOUR

SESSION 6 CAPTION In Session 6 of the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC), facilitators, including Lauren Palumbo and Nick Prestley, discussed “Bringing Everyone to the Table.” This session featured exploring the National FFA’s Dimensions of Diversity and having curiosity over judgments.

KEYWORDS: WLC, CONFERENCE, 2023, SESSION, SESSION6, LARGEGROUP

2023 CONFERENCE CAPTIONS SESSION 8 CAPTION In Session 8 of the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC), students entered the “Diversity Museum.” This museum featured several artifacts made by the students, including “A Window into my Life,” chalk talks, community group-made pledges, and notes from exploring the Dimensions of Diversity in Session 6.

KEYWORDS: WLC, CONFERENCE, 2023, SESSION, SESSION8, LARGEGROUP

UNLOCKING REFLECTION CAPTION During Unlocking reflections, led by Facilitators Cass Valdez, Grace Adams, and Rissa Petiprin Ball, students reflected on the journeys, lessons, and the power our words hold. To signify this significance, students wrote themselves letters that they were to receive in six months. During this time, students also received a gift from facilitators to remind FFA members of the potential they have to instill a change in their communities and in their own lives.

KEYWORDS: WLC, CONFERENCE, 2023, REFLECTION, UNLOCKINGREFLECTION

ARLINGTON TOUR CAPTION On Friday, Washington Leadership Conference attendees and FFA members visited Arlington National Cemetery, located in Virgina. While visiting, students had the opportunity to see the famous John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame and “Changing of the Guard” ceremony, held at the Memorial Amphitheater.

Arlington has “evolved from a place of necessity to a national shrine to those who have honorably served our Nation during times of war – including every military conflict in American history – and during times of peace. The cemetery is the final resting place for more than 400,000 active duty service members, veterans and their families. ‘Service to country’ is the common thread that binds all who are honored and remembered here. The cemetery remains active with funeral services Monday through Saturday (except federal holidays), conducting between 27 and 30 services each week day and between 6 and 8 services each Saturday.”

Information on burial eligibility, military honors and more is available on the cemetery’s website: www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/about KEYWORDS: WLC, CONFERENCE, 2023, TOUR, ARLINGTONTOUR

2023 CONFERENCE CAPTIONS SESSION 9 CAPTION In Session 9 of the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC), facilitators, including Grace Adams, Blake Van Der Kamp, and Becca Wulf, recapped the visit to Arlington National Cemetery. The conference attendees also learned about being an advocate and the eight traits of an advocate, including Fact Finding, Individualism, Good Listening, Perseverance, Reasonableness, Credibility, Passion, and Communication.

KEYWORDS: WLC, CONFERENCE, 2023, SESSION, SESSION9, LARGEGROUP

SESSION 11 CAPTION In Session 11 of the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC), facilitators, including Hope Showalter and Luc Sproles, helped identify previous service projects FFA members had taken part in. Following, students faced “Needs” in their community and had the opportunity to take action.

KEYWORDS: WLC, CONFERENCE, 2023, SESSION, SESSION11, LARGEGROUP

SERVICE PROJECT CAPTION On Saturday of the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC), students had the opportunity to begin living out the principles of the conference by feeding the people of Washington D.C. Specifically, students packaged meals through Meals of Hope, which will be later donated back to the local D.C. population for those facing food insecurity.

The Mission of Meals of Hope is “To inspire and empower communities to come together to end hunger.” We believe it is our job to feed people. Meals of Hope began as a meal packing organization, and we are the only meal packing organization with a priority on keeping the food packed within the United States. We developed five meals specifically designed for the American palate with added vitamins, minerals and proteins to supplement an unbalanced diet. Most of our packed meals are donated to the Feeding America Food Bank Network. More than 30,000 volunteers and 18 full and part time staff members assist Meals of Hope in achieving its Mission.

For more information, visit mealsofhope.org KEYWORDS: WLC, CONFERENCE, 2023, SERVICEPROJECT

2023 CONFERENCE CAPTIONS SESSION 13 CAPTION In Session 13 of the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC), facilitators, including Lindsey Augustine and MaKayla Craig, reviewed with attendees the four tenets: Me, We, Do, and Serve.

They also committed to the principle of “Living to Serve” as students chanted to “Explore, Encourage, Advocate, and Serve.”

KEYWORDS: WLC, CONFERENCE, 2023, SESSION, SESSION13, LARGEGROUP

WHIRLPOOL REFLECTION CAPTION During the final reflection of the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC), facilitators Nick Prestley, Luc Sproles, and Blake Van Der Kamp, recapped the experiences of attendees such as taking part in community group sessions, exploring the city, and experiencing purpose, diversity, and advocacy. Following the reflection, students chanted their call to service one final time: “To do what we can, with what we have, where we are.”

KEYWORDS: WLC, CONFERENCE, 2023, REFLECTION, WHIRLPOOLREFLECTION

COMMUNICATIONS Guidebook

COMMUNICATIONS CONTACTS Larry Downes, Director of Marketing & Communications ldownes@ffa.org

Kristy Meyer, Communications Manager kmeyer@ffa.org | 317-802-4205

Anna Moreno, Social Media Marketing Specialist amoreno@ffa.org

Payton Carter, Program Specialist pcarter@ffa.org | 317-802-4409

Allie McLaughlin, Program Manager amclaughlin@ffa.org | 317-802-4308

Blake Van Der Kamp, On-Site Communications Lead blakevdk11@gmail.com | 515-729-7757

For more information, visit ffa.org/media-center or contact your Program Specialist.