Class XII Application form

Recommendation Form

Employer Form

Significant Other Form

Scholarship Application

Additional Information:
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   Class XI Calendar
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Class XII Program and  Application Info 2008 - 2009
 
(click here for pdf version)

Scope of the Program

The Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, sponsors a multi-disciplinary statewide Agricultural Leadership Program for leaders in agricultural and rural communities. This Program trains individuals who have already demonstrated a commitment to lead in the agricultural industry or their rural communities. The Program provides the tools for participants to enhance their leadership skills particularly in the area of collaborative decision-making. The core curriculum includes:

• Collaborative decision-making and problem solving,
• Facilitative leadership,
• Strategic thinking and planning and
• Group process skills.

 The training provides these leaders with opportunities to get a broader perspective on their role within the agricultural industry and rural community. This is not a training program in farm production.

The Program also works to develop a network of leaders who are committed to using what they have learned to facilitate the development of sustainable rural communities.

Through this Program, participants:

1. Form a network of associates they can call upon when they need assistance,
2. Learn to take a wider perspective beyond their own commodity or community and
3. See that challenges and opportunities cross commodity and community lines and can be better addressed when dealt with from a wider perspective.

The Program is composed of a series of eight seminars and a national trip held over a period of about 16 months. The seminars are held around the State about every six weeks and include four, 4-day seminar and four, 3-day seminars. One of the 4-day seminars is spent at the Legislature where each participant shadows a legislator. Participants have an opportunity to design some of the other seminars, and in the past, have chosen topics such as agricultural water, land and development, marketing and the impact of agriculture on tourism and the environment. At least one day of each seminar is spent on educational field trips to farms, ranches, nurseries, processing plants, distribution centers, transportation facilities and other rural community endeavors.

The in-state seminars focus on local and state issues. The 14-day national trip complements these seminars by providing the participant with a broader perspective. Participants visit Washington, D.C. and a state the class wants to study. In Washington, D.C., participants meet with their Congressional delegation and study national and international issues that have an impact on their rural communities. During the second part of the trip, the class is exposed to agricultural and rural community systems in another state. This exposure highlights points of commonalty as well as unique perspectives.

Because attendance at all seminars and the national trip is mandatory, the participant is making a commitment of 42 days to the Program. This time commitment (and potential loss of income for those who are self-employed) is the most significant challenge of the Program. Alumni are available to share their experiences and coping strategies with potential applicants who are apprehensive about making the commitment.

Spouses or significant others are encouraged to attend (at the participant's expense) the first seminar which focuses on leadership and group process. The purpose of their attendance is to expose them to the intensity of these educational seminars, to provide them with some training and to insure their continued support of the participant during the rest of the Program.

To be eligible, an applicant MUST:

1. Be a U.S. citizen and a resident of Hawaii for at least two years.
2. Have approval from their employer to take the required time to participate in the Program. Self-employed individuals must demonstrate their ability to be away from their enterprises for the necessary amount of time.
3. Fit within one of these two categories:

• Applicants who earn their livelihood as an owner, operator, employee, officer or director of a farming operation or major division of a corporation engaged in the production of crops, livestock, forestry, ornamental and/or turf crops. Or applicants who process, handle, ship, clean or otherwise deal with the raw product as it comes from the producer.
• Applicants who work in an industry or business that supports Hawaii agriculture (e.g. transportation, banking, etc.).

• Applicants who in their normal occupational endeavors devote time to responsibilities directly associated with rural community development or sustainability. Or applicants who have made a significant contribution to their community by volunteering their time to engage in activities directly associated with rural community development or sustainability.

The Board of Directors of the Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii expects each applicant to make the following commitments if they are selected for the Agricultural Leadership Program:

1. To attend all seminars and the national trip.
2. To continue leadership and responsibility within the industry or community.
3. To assume leadership and responsibility within the Program and the Foundation.
4. To participate in all follow-up assessments of the Program.
5. To be actively committed to the perpetuation of the Agricultural Leadership Program.
6. To actively participate in post-graduate leadership activities.

The primary sponsors of the Program are the Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii and the University of Hawaii, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. Funding for the Program is provided by participant tuition (about one-third), in-kind services and contributions from individuals, business, foundations and organizations.

The tuition for the 16-month Agricultural Leadership Program is $ 4,000. The tuition will be paid in three installments. The initial installment of $1,500 is due before the first seminar-July 2008. The second installment of $1,250 is due after the first six months-January 2009. The last installment of $1,250 is due before the national trip-August 2009. The tuition is allocated to inter-island airfare and lodging when the participant travels to a neighbor island. It also covers the cost of airfare and lodging during the Washington, D.C. portion of the national trip. All meals and incidental expenses are the responsibility of each participant as well as the lodging during the state portion of the national trip.

The Foundation encourages applicants to seek sponsorship for the Program from organizations to which they belong. While participants expand their personal leadership skills and networks as a result of participating in the Program, organizations (i.e. where they work, agricultural and rural organizations they lead, etc.) they belong to also benefit from their training. Applicants are encouraged to seek sponsorship from these organizations, in the form of a scholarship for part or all of the tuition, to support their training. The Foundation also provides partial scholarships to applicants based on financial need. See the Scholarship Application here.

Applicants are required to submit an application form, an employer's commitment form (if applicable) and three written recommendation forms. If applicable, applicants must also submit a "Supporting Application from Candidate’s Significant Other" form. Interviews are conducted after a list of finalists is selected. Participants who are chosen for the current class are notified a month after the interviews.

• Demonstrated leadership qualities as evidenced by community, industry or political organizational activities and positions of responsibility
• Commitment to Hawaii agriculture or rural communities
• Ability to make time commitment of 42 days
• Recommendations indicating leadership potential
• Communication skills
• Awareness of public issues
• Commitment to learning and personal growth
• Character, reputation and personality
• Significant other’s supporting statements give evidence of genuine interest and willingness to help the applicant through the Program and in the applicant's future overall leadership objectives
• If applicable, employer's authorization statement gives evidence of commitment to applicant to arrange necessary time for the Program
• After the Program is completed, commitment to help perpetuate the Agricultural Leadership Program and to continued leadership in agricultural and rural organizations

• Each class will reflect a reasonable representation of geographical location as well as commodity and community organizations.
• All applicants will be considered regardless of sex, race, creed or age.

• All applicants must be willing to sign a general release of liability form and provide a medical information form.

Want to know more about the program? Attend an orientation meeting in February 2008 on your island and learn more from alumni, the program coordinator and board members. For information about these orientation meetings, contact these alumni during work hours:

Application Check List

• Application and Essay
• Employers Commitment Form (if applicable)
• Significant Other Supporting Application (if applicable)
• Scholarship Application (if applicable)
• 3 Recommendation Forms – mailed directly to address on form or application
• All materials must be postmarked no later than (March 14, 2008) now extended to April 25, 2008.

The Foundation anticipates interviewing finalists for the program in April and would like to start Class XII during July of 2008.

For application forms and additional information about the Agricultural Leadership Foundation of Hawaii and our Program, please visit the rest of our website at: http://www.agleaderhi.org/

Any Questions? Please call Donna Ching at 956-2255

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