The National FFA Organization state leadership conference is being held in Ames for the first time in 42 years, organizers said.

Collegiate state officers planned the conference, which began Monday morning and will last through Tuesday night at the Iowa State Center.

The conference recognizes high school members of the National FFA Organization for their accomplishments throughout the year, said Thomas Meierotto, South East Vice President.

This is the 75th year of the state leadership conference. The charter began in 1928, said Toni Carlson, state reporter for the organization.

On Monday, about 30 awards were handed out to high school students who have shown leadership throughout the year in district breakout sessions, Carlson said.

The Iowa FFA Degree was awarded in a large session Monday night. The award is given to any high school junior or senior who has met the minimum qualifications, she said.

A barbecue, sponsored by various agriculture clubs at Iowa State, was also held Monday night.

Three sessions will be held throughout Tuesday and awards recognizing sponsors of the conference will be awarded. The conference will end with the election of nine state officers for the 2003-04 academic year.

Students will hear three main speakers, a former and current national officer and a state officer, Meierotto said. Most state officers are college students who have been involved in the National FFA Organization throughout high school, he said.

The state officers decided to hold the conference in Ames this year instead of Des Moines, where it has been held for the past 25 years, Carlson said. “We wanted to open up our options [and find] another location that would fit our needs,” she said.

Meierotto said the conference had more options in Ames than it would in Des Moines. For example, holding the state leadership conference in Ames allowed the district breakout sessions to be a possibility, and the career fair held was much larger than it usually is, he said.

Another positive aspect of holding the conference in Ames is involving parts of Iowa State, particularly the agricultural education department, Carlson said.

Jim Thompson, senior at Boone High School, said he has attended the state leadership conference for four years. He said he thought the conference was about meeting people from across the state.

“The point is getting everyone here and to show what different kinds of leadership skills [they have],” he said.

Carlson agreed.

“A big part of the convention is making friends,” she said.

Speakers heard throughout the convention are a motivating force for many students, Thompson said.

“There will be one line [of the speech] you will always remember,” he said. “Today is the best day of my life, and tomorrow will be even better.”