sam.doty@californiaffa.org

Hello everyone, I am Sam Doty the California State Vice President and this is my very first journal entry. A little bit about myself, I grew up in Hollister, California, I have three older brothers, and through out my whole high school experience I was very involved in extracurricular activities for example: Associated Student Body, School Site Council, Sports, Drama, and of course the FFA.

Wow, no way, so cool, awesome, and righteous are only a select few words that have been describing my feelings and gratefulness towards being able to serve as a State Officer this year. I am so thankful to be where I am at today, and I owe it all to my family, friends, and other influential people in my life who all played an important role in helping me grow as an individual. 

Starting off the year for us was our BLAST Off training with our incredible trainer Seth. We played games, learned about each other on the team and really started to gel as a family. I personally learned a lot about my own individual strengths and was able to create a strong mission statement for myself. After that we traveled down to the beautiful San Luis Obispo for the CATA conference and that was our first time in official dress and we or at least I felt very fancy and professional. Fast forwarding we traveled in a van to the National Leadership Conference for State Officers in Bryce Canyon, Utah. It was just unbelievably amazing there and I met a lot of other state officers from Alaska, Arizona, and all over. That trip was one of the longest road trips I have ever been on, but it was also one of the very best. Right after that was one the most anticipated conference of the year so far and that was the Regional Officer Leadership Conference in Bass Lake, Ca. At that conference we unveiled ours as well as the other regions themes for this year, we also had great team building and workshops that helped all of us become better leaders! I had a lot of fun there and I really got to know all of the regional officer teams. Next on the list was the State Presidents Conference In Washington DC, while I was there I learned a lot about National FFA issues and proposals that are going to be presented and debated on at the National FFA Convention in October. Touring DC with state officers from all around the United States was a great experience and I made some real cool friends.

After SPC, we had some industry tours, some more training's and then there was the Southern Sectional Officer Leadership Summit. I met so many new members and had a glorious time getting to know each sectional officer team. You see going to Cal Poly Pomona opens up your eyes and shows you that no matter how much traffic and smog there can be in Southern California, once you get off the highway and venture into Pomona it is really a hidden away paradise, just a beautiful campus. I met Kailee, Dylan, Rion, and lots more members at that conference and I was truly inspired by everyone I met there, it was righteous conference! 

Fast forwarding a little bit more, we had some more industry tours,  the California State Fair, and then it was time for another Sectional Officer Leadership Conference! This time it was in the San Joaquin Region at Exeter high school and the night of that conference there was a volleyball tournament. It had to have been one the most intense, competitive volleyball games I have ever participated in as well as seen in my life. I got to meet even more awesome members and connect with San Joaquin region’s sectional officer teams. Oh and shout out to West Fresno Madera section, you all were awesome in that team building, I am glad I got to get to know you all a little bit better.  San Joaquin Region’s SOLC was amazing and some new friends I met to name some: Lindsey, Ashley, Jared, Benji, Chelsea, and lots more!

The summer is now over and school has started for everyone, I had an unbelievable time at every conference, tour, and high school I attended. I am now looking forward to all the chapter visits, MFE and ALA conferences, and everything that lies ahead of us, this is me signing off for my first journal entry, “Stay Classy California.”