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Paul Moya named 2008-2009 National FFA PresidentFor member Paul Moya, FFA is more than just one facet of agricultural education. It is a place where students can be supported and belong, regardless of their backgrounds. Because of this belief, he is driven to help his peers fit in, understand agriculture and succeed in pursuing their goals. For the next year, the Los Lunas High School FFA Chapter member from Los Lunas, N.M., will motivate and inspire more than 500,000 fellow FFA members as 2008-2009 National FFA President. He was elected to that office at the 81st National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. He was among six individuals selected from a field of 38 to hold a national office. He is the son of Joseph Moya and Sylvia Jaramillo, and his FFA advisors are Chris Flanagan and Daniel Mathews. Fulfilling his position will require traveling more than 100,000 miles; meeting top leaders in business, government and education; visiting approximately 40 states; and participating in an international experience tour to Japan. His responsibilities will include providing personal growth and leadership training for students, setting policies that shape the future of the organization and promoting agricultural literacy. The national FFA officer selection process is intense and represents an assessment of years of academic and extracurricular accomplishments made by each student running for office. Nominees must first qualify on the state level to represent their particular state FFA associations. They then submit a thorough application, detailing their accomplishments and contributions to the community, along with an essay explaining their desire to be elected to national office. Once at the convention, candidates participate in five rounds of interviews, take an in-depth written test on the organization and agricultural education topics and complete two writing exercises. A panel of nine state FFA officers comprises the nominating committee that proposes the slate of six officers for approval by the convention delegates. A student at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., Moya is a Gates Millennium Scholar, a Notre Dame Class of 2011 Council Leader, a member of the Notre Dame High School Ambassador Team, and an American Legion Boys' Nation Senator. He is also a former New Mexico State FFA President and a National Beef Ambassador. While in FFA, Moya's supervised agricultural experience program has been quite diverse. From agribusiness to crop production to livestock exhibition, the variety in his workload allowed him to gain knowledge and skills he may not have otherwise learned had he chosen not to explore new arenas. He is a former New Mexico State FFA champion in prepared public speaking and extemporaneous public speaking, and he was also named a National Western Reserve Swine Premier Exhibitor. "It was in this organization (FFA) that I discovered an atmosphere to help me build my own foundation and met others around me who believed in me," Moya says. "I sincerely want other students to know that same feeling of acceptance." 11/3/08 Date: 10/30/08
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