CARBONDALE (SIU NEWS) – More than 450 agriculture students from around the state will visit SIU Carbondale Friday for the Illinois FFA Ground Zero Conference. 

The conference, for students in eighth through 10th grade, develops ag leaders of tomorrow. The conference focuses on FFA opportunities, personal growth and career success. Susan Graham, director of development for the College of Agricultural, Life, and Physical Sciences, said this year’s registration for the event is the largest since SIU began hosting it.

“This allows us to showcase SIU and connect with those attending to hopefully recruit them to be Salukis,” she said.

The event begins at 9 a.m. on Friday in the International Lounge at the SIU Student Center and runs until about 5 p.m. The college will provide a pizza party, bowling, line dancing and a movie for attendees at the Student Center that night from 6 to 9.

The event concludes Saturday after running from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.