Students from Arkansas Lighthouse Charter Schools recently traveled to Camp Couchdale to participate in the Arkansas FFA Greenhand Conference: Ignite, an event created to introduce first-year FFA members to the foundations of agricultural education, leadership, and personal growth.
The conference brought together hundreds of new FFA members from across the state, offering an energetic and welcoming environment focused on exploration and connection. Built around the theme “Ignite,” the experience emphasized how classroom instruction, Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs), and FFA involvement come together to spark student success.
Throughout the conference, Jacksonville Lighthouse students engaged in hands-on, interactive sessions that introduced them to key aspects of FFA. Members explored the Three Circle Model of Agricultural Education, learned about Arkansas’s wide range of agricultural career pathways, and gained a deeper understanding of FFA history, traditions, and organizational structure.
According to Agriculture Teacher Brook Linson, the conference played an important role in shaping students’ early experiences in FFA.
“The Greenhand Conference gives our students the opportunity to truly see what FFA is all about,” Linson said. “They come back more confident, motivated, and excited about the possibilities agriculture and FFA can offer them.”
