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2008 NJSA National Youth Leadership Conference
May 9-11, 2008
San Antonio, Texas

Press Release

2008 NJSA National Youth Leadership Conference Photo Album #1
2008 NJSA National Youth Leadership Conference Photo Album #2
2008 NJSA National Youth Leadership Conference Photo Album #3

A group of NJSA members and keynote speaker Kim Anderson enjoy a riverboat tour of downtown San Antonio.

Keynote speaker Kim Anderson (r) helps Isaia Games of San Antonio, Texas, determine which picture he is most like. Participants chose and explained which of 12 pictures best represented them. Pictures included colored pencils, a compass, trees and a dandelion.

Keynote speaker Kim Anderson with the University of Georgia challenges participants to "Take a Stand" by finding their personal leadership strengths and using their unique leadership to be effective team members. Anderson shared with participants, "Leadership is not about power, but the ability to empower others."

In his workshop, “Passion – An Opportunity to Pass it On,” Randy Bowman with The Maschhoffs Inc. explains to participants how he became involved in the swine industry and how his passion and dedication to the industry have helped him succeed. He challenged participants to be ready for change and convert it to opportunity.

Ray Perryman with Short Round Ministries of Shallowater, Texas, inspires NJSA members with words of encouragement and inspirational music on Sunday morning.

Bryn Poliska with the National Pork Board explains to NJSA members the career opportunities available in the swine industry and challenges them to find their place in the industry. “Dream big, set goals, be a leader and don’t give up,” she said.

Colby Seeker (l) of Brenham, Texas, and Kayla Wood of San Jose, Calif., work together during the “Raise the Bar” workshop to use only one hand and one wooden rod each to lift a third wooden rod over their heads. The activity posed a seemingly impossible challenge through which members set goals and developed strategies that ultimately helped them succeed.

(l to r): Brooke Widner of Colquitt, Ga., Allison Goings of Veedersburg, Ind., and Alicia Keller of Corfu, N.Y., share fun times at the barbecue dinner at Real Hog Farms in Marion, Texas.

John Ebersole (l) of Duncannon, Pa., attempts to stabilize his team’s tower constructed from balloons and tape. During a team-building exercise, keynote speaker Kim Anderson divided participants into groups. Each group received a paper bag containing balloons and tape. Some teams received balloons with holes, others received tiny balloons and others had limited supplies of both balloons and tape. The challenge was to build the tallest free-standing tower using only the contents of the bags..

NJSA members visit the Alamo while exploring San Antonio.

Participants learn about the Mentoring Values People (MVP) program and the importance of becoming a mentor to younger NJSA members from junior board members Ashley Hop (l) of Templeton, Calif., and Aimee Shaffer of Albany, Ind. National Swine Registry (NSR) Junior Activities Coordinator Katey Brattain also provided insight on this program.

Chuck Real leads participants on a tour of his farm, Real Hog Farms. Real Hog Farms is a 100-sow purebred operation consisting of Yorkshires, Hampshires, Durocs and Berkshires. The Reals farrow year-round, selling breeding stock and showpigs every month. They also farm about 600 acres of wheat, corn and grain sorghum and have a commercial cow-calf operation. Following the tour, NJSA members enjoyed a barbecue dinner with the Real family.

Gregory Chovanec leads participants on a tour of Cargill Animal Nutrition in Seguin, Texas. The Cargill facility makes feed for all species of animals, including swine, horses, cattle, poultry, deer and even elephants housed at a local zoo. NJSA members learned how feed is processed and about the science and technology involved in developing feeds.

(l to r): Mike McCoy and Jim McCoy with Real McCoy Genetics of Bloomingburg, Ohio, and Steve Cobb and Aaron Cobb with Cobb Farms of Lake City, Ark., discuss the advantages and struggles of running a hog farm with family in the “Generation to Generation” panel. The father-son teams shared how they began in the swine industry and the knowledge each has learned from one another.

(l to r): Joel Cowley with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Glen Alan Phillips with the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo and Johnny Philipello with The Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo discuss the planning and management of three of the nation’s largest stock shows and rodeos. Participants learned how changes in the swine industry directly affect these shows.

Lynsee (l) and Aimee Shaffer (r) of Albany Ind., become friends with a wax statue of actor Johnny Depp during a visit to the Louis Tussaud’s® Plaza Wax Museum®, which features wax sculptures of many famous people.

Participants divide into groups based on shirt color, favorite breed of swine and preferred show stick to get to know each other during an icebreaker activity.

Jordan Brockhaus (l) of Tuttle, Okla., and Olivia Picard (r) of Baldwin, La., take part in a “speed meeting” activity lead by keynote speaker Kim Anderson. Participants moved down a line and discussed what they wanted to gain from the conference, why they are NJSA members and their summer plans.

lNJSA board members Doug Albright (l) of Coldwater, Mich., and Hyatt Frobose of Pemberville, Ohio, challenge members to “Raise the Bar” by setting goals, overcoming obstacles and planning for the future.

During a visit to the Ripley’s Believe It or Not® museum, John Traini of Oakdale, Calif., stands next to a sculpture of Robert Wadlow, the world’s tallest man, who stood 8 feet, 11.1 inches tall.

Austin Langemeier of Marion, Texas, writes down words he believes define leadership in a workshop lead by keynote speaker Kim Anderson.

Bailey Albright (l) of Coldwater, Mich., receives the Darrell Anderson Leadership Award from Darrell Anderson, NSR CEO.

Darrell Anderson (r) presents the Darrell Anderson Leadership Award to Ryan Hoelscher of Hereford, Texas.