Why do I want to be an Area Officer? While these words are not exactly the same as those given to me in previous essays, 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, hard work team, organization and dedication. While all of these things have some importance, they should never be the reason someone wants to be a leader. When I wrote them I was thinking about how to improve myself, rather than how to help others. I was thinking selfishly. At the time, I didn't know what it truly meant to be a leader, to be willing to sacrifice myself for others. Even though I'm still young and have a lot to learn, I finally understand why I want to be a leader and what a real leader should be like. I would like the opportunity to serve as the 2014-2015 Area Officer, so that I can better serve the FFA, my fellow members, and ultimately, my world. Over 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 gathered in what were called large groups and community groups. Each community group had its own unique name, some were called "revolutionaries" or "legacy", but my group's name was "Rough Riders". At the time I didn't know much about the history of the Rough Riders or their impact on history, but after some research and watching a movie based on this story I was able to see a real life example of what le.... .. in between a la carte ......ream and look for change. To be a leader you must be willing to do what others ask. While I would always be there to provide guidance and help lead the way, I would never ask members to do something that I am not willing to do myself. Whether picking up trash off the highway, leading groups at a CDE competition, or standing in the freezing cold to ring the bell at the Salvation Army, I am always willing to serve alongside my fellow members. Overall, I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to be an Area 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 earlier. I will strive to always be open-minded, a good listener, available to assist members, serve all who are part of the organization and our communities, and represent FFA to the best of my ability