How Alabama FFA Leadership Development Events Work
Leadership development events, or LDEs, reward the skills behind a good chapter officer: speaking, running a meeting, handling parliamentary procedure and interviewing for a job. In Alabama, members work up through chapter, county and district contests to state finals held in June. The details below come from Alabama FFA documents and event rules, and they change each year, so confirm with your advisor and the calendar at alabamaffa.org.
The Events
The 2024-2025 Contests and Awards Booklet lists these LDEs:
- Conduct of Chapter Meeting
- Creed Speaking, plus a Spanish Creed Speaking event listed in the 2026 packet
- Discussion Meet
- Employment Skills
- Extemporaneous Speaking
- Parliamentary Procedure
- Prepared Public Speaking
- Quiz Bowl for grades 6 to 8
The booklet also lists talent development events: Quartet, String Band and a State Talent Review. Career events such as livestock and welding are covered in the career development guide.
2026 State Dates
The 2026 state contest packet sets most LDEs on June 9 at 9:00 a.m. at Southern Union State Community College in Opelika, including Creed, Conduct of Chapter, Discussion Meet, Employability, Extemporaneous Speaking, Parliamentary Procedure, Prepared Speaking and Quiz Bowl. Spanish Creed Speaking is Thursday, June 11 at 4:00 p.m. in Montgomery. Quartet and String Band are June 10, and Talent follows the Third Session on June 11. Awards for LDEs are presented at the Fifth Session at 6:00 p.m. on June 11. The convention schedule runs June 9 to 12. Members must be in Official Dress to receive an award on stage.
Who Can Compete and How Teams Advance
The booklet requires members to be in good standing with their chapter, the state association and National FFA. A student may compete in only one national CDE or LDE per year, and after competing nationally may not enter that district or state event the next year. Advancement as listed in the booklet:
- Creed Speaking: county winner to area or district, then first and second per district to state
- Extemporaneous and Prepared Public Speaking: first and second per district to state, with a county contest required if more than one entrant
- Discussion Meet: up to four per county, then top four per district to state
- Employment Skills: one packet per chapter, top two per district to state
- Conduct of Chapter: first and second from North, Central and South districts to state
- Quiz Bowl: one team of four to six players per chapter, top four from North, Central and South to state
Alternates are not allowed at state, and bringing one disqualifies the entire team.
Parliamentary Procedure
This is a state-only event at convention, with a team of up to six, per the 2025 rules. The format is a written exam of 25 multiple-choice questions in 30 minutes, an 11-minute team presentation and oral questions. Five members plus the Chair take part in the presentation, and the rules list a 2-point deduction for each second over time. Teams declare their intent to participate by May 1 each year. The rules reference Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised.
Extemporaneous Speaking
Per the 2025 rules, speakers get exactly 30 minutes to prepare after drawing three topics from a pool of twelve and choosing one. The speech must run 4 to 6 minutes, followed by up to 5 minutes of judges' questions. Each judge deducts a point per second for speeches under 4 or over 6 minutes. Reference material is limited to five printed items, and the first-place state winner represents Alabama at the national event.
Employment Skills
The 2025 rules ask for a one-page cover letter and a resume of two pages or fewer, built with the National FFA Resume Generator. At state, six finalists complete an application, a personal interview of up to 15 minutes and a follow-up correspondence task, for 950 points total. Each chapter may submit one applicant, and the first-place state winner represents Alabama nationally. Allowed items at the event include a resume, cover letter, list of references and business cards, and not work samples or letters of reference.
Dress and Conduct
- Official FFA dress is required: zipped jacket, white collared shirt, black slacks or skirt, official tie or scarf and black closed-toe dress shoes.
- A cell phone seen or heard on a competitor results in disqualification and a zero in several events.
- Advisors may not consult with a team once Parliamentary Procedure begins.
- Recording any team is prohibited at all CDEs and LDEs.
Deadlines to Watch
- February 1: chapter membership submission
- February 15: Quartet declaration
- April 1: Employment Skills packet and chapter payment deadline
- May 1: Parliamentary Procedure intent to participate
- May 20, 2026: Prepared Speaking manuscripts due on Schoology
Practical Tips
- Start with the chapter or county contest, since many events require one before district.
- Bring a gavel and No. 2 pencils to Conduct of Chapter and Parliamentary Procedure, as the 2026 packet advises.
- Use the test bank and event booklets listed on alabamaffa.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Parliamentary Procedure have district contests?
The booklet lists it as a state event at convention with no district elimination.
How long is an Extemporaneous speech?
Four to six minutes, after 30 minutes of preparation.
How many Employment Skills applicants can a chapter send?
One, unless a local event picks among several.
Are alternates allowed at state?
No.
Guide checked Nov. 11, 2026. Rules and dates change; confirm with the organizer.