Why do I want to be a regional agent? Although these words are not exactly the same as the previous essay prompts I was given, they all share the same idea; “Why do I want to be a leader”? Looking back at my old answers, they all focus on similar concepts; I wanted to be a leader through friendships, traveling and meeting new people, developing better leadership skills, learning how to communicate better with people, and learning life skills, such as patience, teamwork, organization and dedication. While all of these things have some importance, they should never be the reason someone wants to become a leader. When I wrote this, I was thinking about how to improve myself rather than how to help others. I thought selfishly. At the time, I didn't really know what it meant to be a leader, to be willing to sacrifice for others. Although I am still young and have a lot to learn, I finally understand why I want to be a leader and what a real leader should look like. I would like the opportunity to serve as a 2014-2015 Regional Officer, to better serve the FFA, my fellow members, and ultimately, my world. This past summer, I had the opportunity to travel to the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC ), where I learned about leadership, citizenship, and service. During the conference, we met in what were called large groups and community groups. Each community group had its own name, with some being called "Revolutionaries" or "Legacies", but my group's name was the "Rough Riders". At the time, I didn't know much about the history of the Rough Riders or their impact in history, but after some research and watching a movie based on this story, I was able to see a real-life example of what the... .. middle of paper ...... reams and look for change. To be a leader, you must be willing to do what you ask of others. While I would always be there to provide advice and help lead the way, I would never ask members to do anything that I am not willing to do myself. Whether it's picking up trash on the highway, leading groups in a CDE competition, or standing in the freezing cold to ring the Salvation Army bell, I'm always ready to serve alongside my colleagues. Overall, I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to be a regional officer so that I can better serve my fellow members, the FFA, my community and the world. As a leader, I would practice the characteristics I talked about previously. I will strive to always be open-minded, attentive, available to help members, serve all members of the organization and our communities, and represent the FFA to the best of my abilities.