The Greenhand and Advanced Joseph FFA officer teams took a bus to Camp Elkanah for the annual two-day District Leadership Camp on Oct. 11-12.

The event was a chance for officers from the Eastern Oregon FFA District to meet with state officers to participate in workshops and develop leadership skills.

There were about 150 students in all from Joseph, Enterprise, Cove, Imbler, Wallowa, North Powder, Pine Eagle, Baker, La Grande, Elgin and Union.

During the camp officers were asked to limit the activity within their chapters to help develop communication and teamwork skills.

Among the many workshops offered by the camp was one focusing on the power of positive thinking, in which four people attempted to lift up another person, each using only two fingers. After this they conducted a simple exercise while thinking positive thoughts. Then they tried again to lift the person, continuing to think positive thoughts. The groups often found that employing positive thinking made it easier the second time around.

Former state FFA officer Keith Nantz, a rancher out of Maupin, served as keynote speaker.

After the camp, FFA State President Luis Mendoza and Treasurer Alyssa Smith came to Joseph to teach workshops to all the Joseph agriculture students on Oct. 15. During their visit they also had the opportunity to watch homecoming activities, explore the town, hike at Wallowa Lake and drive the scenic route through Pine Eagle to Nyssa.