BKW senior attends first-ever Youth Agriculture Leadership Conference

BKW Agriscience teacher and FFA advisor Mrs. Kehrer posing with BKW senior Alexis “Lexi” Malanga who recently attended the state’s first-ever Youth Agriculture Leadership Conference.
BKW Agriscience teacher and FFA advisor Mrs. Kehrer posing with BKW senior Alexis “Lexi” Malanga who recently attended the state’s first-ever Youth Agriculture Leadership Conference.

On Nov. 13 and 14, BKW senior Alexis “Lexi” Malanga attended the state’s first-ever Youth Agriculture Leadership Conference at the Albany Capital Center in Albany N.Y.

Malanga joined her fellow statewide FFA colleagues, industry leaders, and additional panelists/speakers to discuss the future pathway of agriculture in New York State. Further information related to this event can be found here. In addition to this great news, Ms. Malanga was recently accepted to the State University of New York at Cobleskill next fall to pursue a double major in Animal Science and Canine Training and Management.

“This was such a great opportunity for Alexis to experience,” shared BKW Agriscience teacher & FFA advisor Mrs. Kehrer. “She had access to resources and conversations that will shape new opportunities for her academically and professionally. We are proud of her accomplishments and excited that she represented our district at this important leadership conference.”

We recently sat down with Alexis to discuss this event and its potential to build her experiences outside of the classroom.

What did you experience at this year’s conference?

I participated in conversations and meetings with FFA students from across the state. We were able to talk about the issues that impact agriculture and the solutions that will play a role for future generations of New Yorkers.

What does it mean to you to be selected for this inaugural conference?

I think that it’s an exciting opportunity because they’ve never done something like this before. I was eager to participate in the workshops, learn more about agriculture and hold discussions with my fellow colleagues and learn about their perspectives. Plus, I’m now able to share the information that I learned from this year’s conference with our district’s FFA program.

How do you view your future in agriculture after BKW?

I plan on having a career based in agriculture and specifically working around animals. I’ll be attending SUNY Cobleskill in the fall to continue learning more about animal care, canine training and veterinary science. I look forward to the different career opportunities that will be presented to me through the Animal Science program, so that’s exciting to me.