By: Ryan Duey Photo Courtesy of Andrea Flegler

Clay Center FFA members participated in a Parliamentary Procedure contest during FFA’s Leadership School in Salina last month. Parliamentary Procedure focuses on members’ abilities to conduct an orderly, efficient meeting.

Andrea Flegler, FFA Instructor, said FFA follows a book called Robert’s Rules of Order, which outlines how a meeting should flow, while making sure everyone gets to share their voice. Flegler said this contest sets them up not just in FFA, but adulthood.

“We always approach our students with this as one, yes, it’s an FFA contest, but two, someday they may be asked to run for the School Board, they may be asked to sit on the Church Board, the Farm Bureau Board, etc. And they need to have some background knowledge about how a meeting runs, how agendas are set, and so on.”

“So that’s what this contest sets them up to do, to run a little mock meeting. This is just really great for our students to see how a meeting is supposed to run. So that way if they do get into those leadership roles in adulthood, they are better equipped to handle some of those situations.”

Flegler said it’s a team of six members, with one playing the part of secretary, and one facilitating the meeting. Flegler said teams have no idea what their topic is until they walk in for the meeting. She described a little about how the contest works.

“There are five motions that Teams are assigned. Throughout this process, students are supposed to do something with the main motion that they’ve been given. Again, they have no idea what they’re going to get when they walk in, but they have to make a stance and support their motions with their debates.”

Five teams competed in different categories, all doing well. Flegler said they took a Freshman team, who did a mini parliamentary procedure meeting and did very well as they continue to learn the process. Two Senior teams competed in opening and closing ceremonies only, doing well also. Flegler spoke of the two Senior Parlaw Teams.

“Our Senior teams did really well. They got 3rd and 4th in their rooms. And so now our A-Team is going to really push to get into our State Qualifier Event.

“Overall, we brought home the 2nd place plaque for the whole Leadership School. That took into account some tests the students took as well as their scores and some of those other areas.” 

With Parliamentary Procedure being used by many organizations, industries, and Boards, these Parlaw contests help current FFA members prepare to be future leaders in their respective communities.