Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger addressed the 78th California State FFA Leadership Conference this morning at the Fresno Convention Center Selland Arena in downtown Fresno.

The governor spoke at 10 a.m. at the general session of the event hosted by the California State University, Fresno College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology. The convention began Saturday and runs through Tuesday with events also held at the Fresno State campus.

The four-day conference for more than 4,000 FFA high school students from throughout California includes public speaking competitions, motivational speakers, leadership workshops and delegate meetings.

Other activities today in the Exposition Center include a career show in Expo I and the Agriscience Fair in Expo II both at 9 a.m. The AgriscienceFair Awards Ceremony will be at noon in the center. The State FFA Concert will be held at 1:30 p.m. in Selland Arena featuring talent, choir and band performances.

On Tuesday (April 25), the Closing Session will be held at 8:45 p.m. in Selland Arena when six newly elected state officers will be announced after outgoing State FFA President Jimmy Pierce of Righetti High School in Santa Maria and Vice President Stephanie Obad of Buhach Colony High School in Atwater deliver their retiring addresses.

Pierce and Obad are among some of the outgoing state officers planning to attend Fresno State in the fall, said Kristen Heath, a Fresno State agriculture student who is publicity chair on the state conference planning committee.

For more information:

Complete convention schedule –

www.calaged.org/conventionnews2006www.calaged.org/conventionnews2006

Original press release –

www.fresnostatenews.com/2006/03/FFA.htm

FFA media advisory-

https://www.fresnostatenews.com/2006/04/ffaconference.htm

FFA Field Day ’06

https://www.fresnostatenews.com/2006/04/ffa2.htm

College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology –

http://cast.csufresno.edu/

and

www.fresnostatenews.com/Magazine/FresnoState%20Fall052%20(2).pdf