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Wisconsin FFA Center's Weekly Newsletter
WISCONSIN FFA UPDATE - News In Brief
A weekly update on Wisconsin FFA activities from the Wisconsin FFA Center, Inc.
For the week of March 1, 2010
1. FFA Member Named Wisconsin Outstanding Young Entrepreneur Award Winner
2. Wisconsin State FFA Degree Update
3. MFE and EDGE Conference Registration Due March 1 - TODAY
4. Wisconsin Washington Leadership Conference Scholarships - Due March 1 - TODAY
5. WAAE Public Service Announcement Contest Entries Due March 1 - TODAY
6. Wisconsin Association of FFA T-Shirt Design Contest Due March 2
7. Send American Degree Applications to Wisconsin FFA Center
8. State Officer Candidate Kick-Off hosted by UW-Madison Collegiate FFA is still accepting registrations!
9. Mark Your Calendars for the Sectional Speaking Contests
10. Discussion Meet Topics for Sectional Contests
11. 2010 GROWMARK Essay Contest
12. 2010 CO-OPS YES! Youth Leadership Conference
13. Updates with the Food For America and Chapter Safety Award Applications
14. 2010 WLC Bus Trips
15. 2010 Career Development Event Information Update
16. Contest Entry Forms Now Online - Opening/Closing Ceremony, High School Quiz Bowl, Ag. Issues, and Marketing Plan
17. 2009-10 FFA Member ID Numbers Available
18. Students Participating in FFA Events Need to Be Active FFA Members
19. Jr. High/Middle School Essay Contest - Entries Due April 15
20. 2010 Honorary State FFA Degree Applications
21. Wisconsin Association of FFA Application Due Dates Approaching Quickly
22. Quote of the Week
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Upcoming Deadlines and Activities
Remember these important dates:
March 1 WLC Scholarship Application Postmark Deadline Due to Wisconsin FFA Center
March 1 MFE and EDGE Registration Postmark Deadline Due to Wisconsin FFA Center
March 1 Deadline for WAAE PSA Contest Entries Due to Bridgett Neu
March 1 New Century Farmer Applications - Due to National FFA
March 2 Wisconsin T-Shirt Contest Design Competition Deadline
March 2-3 Eau Claire Farm Show - The Country Today Silent Auction
March 4-7 National Council for Agricultural Education Meeting - Alexandria, VA
March 5 American FFA Degree Application Postmark Deadline Due to Wisconsin FFA Center
March 6 State FFA Officer Candidate Workshop - UW-Madison
March 8-10 ACTE National Policy Seminar - Alexandria, VA
March 8 Sectional Speaking Contests Begin - See Schedule Below
March 12 GROWMARK Essay Contest Entries Due
March 12 Wisconsin State Star Application Judging - Wisconsin Dells
March 12-13 State FFA Proficiency Award Judging - Wisconsin Dells
March 15-16 State FFA Board of Directors Meeting - Madison
March 18 National Ag Day Celebration - Washington D.C.
March 19-20 MFE and EDGE Conferences - Stevens Point
March 20 Janesville FFA Alumni CDEs
March 25 UW-Platteville CDEs
March 27 UW-River Falls CDEs
March 27 FVTC-Appleton CDEs
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FFA Member Named Wisconsin Outstanding Young Entrepreneur Award Winner
Robby Blair of the Northwestern FFA Chapter has been named as a Wisconsin Outstanding Young Entrepreneur and will receive a plaque from the governor, be recognized at an event at their school, and receive an Entrepreneurial Training Grant offered through the Small Business Development Centers. Additionally, videos they made about their businesses as part of the competition are featured on the Department of Public Instruction YouTube Channel, www.youtube.com/WisconsinDPI.
Blair started Rob’s Hogs three years ago to sell hedgehogs as exotic pets that are “great for people who suffer from allergies.” He created a website to grow his business, selling animals throughout the state and in Minnesota and Illinois. Blair’s gross revenue has tripled since he launched Rob’s Hogs. He now has waiting lists for pets. Blair is active in DECA, FFA, 4-H, and the youth leadership program of the Superior/Douglas County Chamber of Commerce. He plans to study business in college and become licensed through the Food and Drug Administration so he can expand his business.
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Wisconsin State FFA Degree Update
426 Wisconsin State FFA Degree applications were received by the Wisconsin FFA Center and reviewed by the State FFA Officer Advisors. The Wisconsin FFA Center is now in the process of finalizing and posting results. Chapter advisors will be contacted if any state degree applications from their chapter did not meet minimum requirements. Please be patient as we will be contacting chapters. FFA members that did not meet minimum qualifications have the opportunity to review their applications to make possible corrections and resubmit to the Wisconsin FFA Center by April 1. If your student requires an interview for appeal, you will be contacted within the next three days.
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MFE and EDGE Conference Registration Due March 1 - TODAY
The 2010 Spring MFE and EDGE Conferences will be held at the Ramada in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, March 19-20, 2010. This is a Friday night/Saturday schedule. The MFE Conference is designed for Freshman and Sophomore members entitled "Safari ". The EDGE Conference is designed for 7th and 8th graders entitled "Agents in Training". These are two great conferences presented by National FFA Staff. Registration is due submitted online March 1 to the Wisconsin FFA Center. Don't miss out!! Cost is $98 per student in a quad room. Online registration is located at http://www.wisconsinffa.org
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Wisconsin Washington Leadership Conference Scholarships - Due March 1 - TODAY
The deadline is March 1, 2010 for Washington Leadership Conference Scholarship Applications. The application is online http://www.wisconsinffa.org/pg-applications.php. Thank you again Wisconsin FFA Alumni for providing these scholarships to Wisconsin FFA members. You will find the scoring rubric for the WLC scholarship applications posted on the Wisconsin FFA Website under Applications.
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WAAE Public Service Announcement Contest Entries Due March 1 - TODAY
The contest will run from January 1, 2010 – March 1, 2010
The contest will include 2 Categories: Radio (15 sec) and Video (short 30 sec)
You may enter in one or both categories
Who is eligible? Contest is open to all agricultural education programs
Theme: Classroom and/or classroom ventures focused on “agriculture and its importance to everyone in Wisconsin”
What’s in it for me? One $250 prize with be awarded in each category.
Entries will be judged in March. Winners will be announced on stage at Wisconsin State FFA Convention in Madison, WI. The winning entries will be played during a convention session.
How do I enter? Entries must be submitted in a digital format. Please include your chapter name and student(s) names with your entry. Send Entries By March 1, 2010 to:
Bridgett Neu
Executive Director
Wisconsin Association of Agricultural Educators
1172 Hummingbird Lane
Plymouth, WI 53073
Phone: 262-224-7553
Email: Bridgett@WAAE.com
Please refer questions to Linda Sattler – Laconia FFA – (920)872-2161 ext. 146 or burtlin@rbsd.k12.wi.us
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Wisconsin Association of FFA T-Shirt Design Contest Due March 2
The t-shirt design contest is open to any FFA chapter member or FFA Alumni member. The purpose of this contest is to design the t-shirt that will be available for purchase for the state FFA convention.
Rules:
1. Contestant must use appropriate language and images on the design
2. Contestant must design a front and back design for a shirt
3. Shirt color must be designated as a part of the design including a maximum of two colors front and back
4. Contestant must use the current state FFA theme
5. Designs are encouraged to be saved electronically for ease of processing the shirts when the winner is selected
6. Designs must be respectful of not altering the FFA emblem in any way. This includes reshaping the emblem, or having design items touching the emblem.
Entries can be either emailed or mailed. Again, electronic copies are preferred, but not required.
Entries can be sent to:
Sauk Prairie High School
Attn: Troy Talford
105 Ninth Street
Prairie du Sac, WI 53578
Or e-mail talfotr@staff.saukpr.k12.wi.us
The winner of this contest will receive $100 check to be given to the FFA chapter with the winning design. Entry deadline: March 2, 2010.
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Send American Degree Applications to Wisconsin FFA Center
American FFA Degree applications are due postmarked Friday, March 5. Send your American Degree applications to the Wisconsin FFA Center, P.O. Box 110, Spencer, WI 54479.
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State Officer Candidate Kick-Off hosted by UW-Madison Collegiate FFA is still accepting registrations!
Do you have a student interested in serving as a Wisconsin state FFA officer? Do you and your student have a lot of questions about the application and candidate process?
UW-Madison will host the State Officer Candidate Kick-Off (SOCK) on March 6, 2010 from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm on the UW-Madison campus.
Throughout the day, past state officers will offer their experience and expertise of the entire candidate process - from resumes to interviews to speeches. In the past, students have found this workshop to be very valuable in their quest for state office.
The entire day - including lunch - is completely free of charge. Parents and advisors are also welcome. To register for the conference, contact Jared Wendt (jjwendt2@wisc.edu) with the following information: student name, student email, chapter, advisor name, advisor email. Please register by Tuesday, March 2nd.
We look forward to seeing you March 6!
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Emily M. Treu
2009-2010 UW-Madison Collegiate FFA Reporter
2009-2010 UW-Madison Saddle & Sirloin Public Relations Officer
1909 University Ave
Madison, WI 53726
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Mark Your Calendars for the Sectional Speaking Contests
IF ANY TEAM OR INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS QUALIFIED TO ADVANCE TO THE SECTIONAL COMPETITION CANNOT COMPETE, PLEASE CONTACT THE WISCONSIN FFA CENTER IMMEDIATELY SO THE NEXT PLACED TEAM OR INDIVIDUAL CAN COMPETE. - THANK YOU!!
The top two individuals/teams in each of the seven speaking contests advance to the Sectional Level Speaking Competitions held in March. The dates are listed below. The Sectional Hosts will be contacting those individuals and teams that advance from the District level competitions.
Section 1: Amery, March 8
Section 2: Glenwood City, March 8
Section 3: Cashton, March 8
Section 4: Black Hawk, March 17
Section 5: Evansville, March 11
Section 6: Portage, March 22
Section 7: Colby, March 22
Section 8: Clintonville, March 22
Section 9: DePere, March 22
Section 10: Big Foot, March 22
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Discussion Meet Topics for Sectional Contests
For those FFA members advancing to Sectionals in the FFA Discussion Meet Contest, please note the topics that are listed for possible use at the Sectional and State competitions. Discussion Meet topics are online at http://www.wisconsinffa.org.
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2010 GROWMARK Essay Contest
The 2010 theme of the GROWMARK Essay Contest for FFA is "Exploring Careers in Agriculture." The Essay Contest poster and Title Page were mailed to you in November. Please consider using the essay contest as a teaching tool for your classes and encourage your FFA students to write an essay. Students have an opportunity to develop writing skills, increase knowledge of a current issue in agriculture, and expand understanding of the unique role of cooperatives.
This year, writers will focus on a career in agriculture, contact an FS employee or director about the benefits of working for a cooperative, and discover how cooperatives are committed to the community they serve.
Only in-school active FFA members may enter the contest. Essays should be approximately 500 words, about two pages typed double-spaced. Wisconsin entries must be postmarked by March 12, 2010.
Each school may submit one essay with the Title Page attached to:
Jane Castellano
GROWMARK, Inc.
P.O. Box 2500
Bloomington, IL 61702-2500
Essay Contest Awards will be distributed at the 2010 FFA State Convention:
State Winner - $500 scholarship
FFA Chapter of the Winner - $300 award in recognition of the winner
Runners-up (four) - $125 scholarship each
If you have questions contact me at jcastellano@growmark.com or 309-557-6181. The GROWMARK Web site also displays information about the contest, the poster and the Title Page: http://www.growmark.com/gmksyst/ffa/ffa_start.htm.
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2010 CO-OPS YES! Youth Leadership Conference
The CO-OPS YES! Youth Leadership Conference will be held April 19-20, 2010 at the Plaza Hotel and Suites, Eau Claire Wisconsin. High School students (grades 10, 11, 12) are eligible to participate in this exciting and educational program. We proudly offer this program as an opportunity for young people to develop an understanding and appreciateion of the purpose, operation and scope of cooperative business. A snack cooperative will be formed and operate during the conference. Students will also learn from speakers with powerful messages about leadership and the value of cooperation. And, CO-OPS YES! will provide students with an opportunity to develop new friendships and meet youth leaders from around Wisconsin.
Attached are more details about the conference as well as the registration form. Registration is due no later than March 29, 2010. If you have more questions, please contact Jessica Cummuta - (608) 258-4400 - jessica.cummuta@cooperativenetwork.coop
Send registration, payment and permission slips to:
Cooperative Network
131 W. Wilson St., Suite 400
Madison, WI 53703-3269
Fax: (608) 258-4407
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Updates with the Food For America and Chapter Safety Award Applications
This year, we will not be using the National Chapter Award application and the supplemental award application for Food For America and Chapter Safety Awards. We are in the process of finalizing a new application for those award areas that will be easier for advisors and members to complete and easier for judges to evaluate. The Farm/City Award will not be offered this year but will become a grant program for the next school year. Also this will be the last year for the Chapter Safety Award program as it currently is. Next year this program will be developed into a grant program for chapters to receive financing to conduct Health and Wellness Programs. Food For America will be it's own recognition program as in the past but will have a new application. Watch for more information as we will soon distribute applications.
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2010 WLC Bus Trips
Oconto Falls is once again running two bus trips to Washington D.C. for the WLC Trip - June 21-27 and July 12-18. The cost of the trip is $870 per student which includes bus, hotel in Ohio on way to Washington D.C. and all WLC costs. Information and registration forms were e-mailed from Crystal Retzlaff at Oconto Falls CryRetzl@ocontofalls.k12.wi.us Please let Crystal Retzlaff know if you have students who will be riding the bus as soon as possible. Sign up is on a first come, first served basis. All registration forms must be sent to Crystal Retzlaff by May 1 to attend this trip. Further information will be sent to each student attending after May 1. If you have questions you can email or call Crystal at (920) 848-4467.
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2010 Career Development Event Information Update
Janesville FFA Alumni Career Development Events - Saturday, March 20 at the Rock County Fair Grounds. http://www.janesvillecraigffa.org
UW-Platteville Career Development Events - Thursday, March 25, 2010
Website: http://www.uwplatt.edu/org/ffa/cde/
UW-River Falls FFA Career Development Events - Saturday, March 27, 2010
The 2010 UW-RF Agricultural Technology Contest and associated FFA contests will be held on Saturday, March 27. http://www.uwrf.edu/ag-education/Teachers/agtech/welcome.html - Please contact Dr. Tim Buttles with any questions.
Fox Valley Technical College FFA Career Development Events Date: Saturday, March 27, 2010
Location: FVTC - Appleton Campus Website: http://www.fvtc.edu/ffacde
Belleville Invitational Contest - This is not a qualifying site - Friday, April 16, 2010 Contact Ken Engelke at (608)424-1902 ext. 462
State Career Development Events - UW-Madison - Friday, April 30
Starting Friday, February 1, 2010, the Career Development Website for the State FFA Career Development Events held at UW-Madison will be available:
http://www.cals.wisc.edu/students/ffa/FFAContestHome.htm. Here you will find the registration and rules for the 2010 State Career Development Events. Contact Karen Knipschild, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences UW- Madison if you have questions. knipschild@cals.wisc.edu 608-263-3918.
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Contest Entry Forms Now Online - Opening/Closing Ceremony, High School Quiz Bowl, Ag. Issues, and Marketing Plan
If your chapter would be interested in competing in the Opening/Closing Ceremony Competition - Jr. High and Sr. High Divisions; High School Quiz Bowl; Ag. Issues and/or Marketing Plan competitions at the 2010 State FFA Convention, entry forms are now online at http://www.wisconsinffa.org/pg-contests.php Entry forms are due April 1 for all competitions to the Wisconsin FFA Center, however space fills up fast. We encourage more chapters to consider these competitions. Please Note: The Ag Communications State CDE will be held at UW-River Falls March 27.
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2009-10 FFA Member ID Numbers Available
If you are looking for an FFA member's ID number for an award application or competition, go to the site that you used to input and renew members at https://access.ffa.org/ You will need to use your USER ID and PASSWORD again. Please do not lose this information as your USER ID and PASSWORD are for you to use each time you need to access membership or input new members. Go under "USE" and then under "Student Member Information". You can search for the student that you are looking for in a number of ways. Select the way you want to search, Click Search and your students will the appear with their membership number.
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Students Participating in FFA Events Need to Be Active FFA Members
All students submitting award applications and participating in FFA events must be listed as active FFA members on chapter rosters. A review of membership will be done as students participate in events and submit applications.
Remember that there is still an opportunity to add more FFA members to your chapter roster even after you submit your first membership roster. You can add students to the online membership roster at anytime, however, please consolidate "batches" of students for payment purposes. PAYMENT MUST BE RECEIVED WITHIN THIRTY DAYS OF "BATCH" PROCESSING SO THEN MEMBERS CAN BE STATE APPROVED AND THEN FINALLY NATIONALLY APPROVED.
FOLLOW THE SAME INSTRUCTIONS FOR ADDING ANY ADDITIONAL OR RENEWING ANY ADDITIONAL STUDENTS any time from now and until April 1, 2010.
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Jr. High/Middle School Essay Contest - Entries Due April 15
All FFA members in 7th and 8th grade are eligible to compete in the Wisconsin FFA Jr. High/Middle School Essay Contest. A chapter can submit up to five entries. This year's theme for the essay contest is "Lead Out Loud". Essays can be up to 500 words and must be typed. Essays are judged on proper grammar and punctuation, how well the author addresses the theme, organization and clarity, originality and neatness. Essays need to be sent to the Wisconsin FFA Center, P.O. Box 110, Spencer, WI 54479
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2010 Honorary State FFA Degree Applications
Taken From State Constitution and By-Laws 2006
Honorary Membership - Non-Teachers
Farmers, school superintendents, principals, members of boards of education, chapter advisors, teachers, staff members in agricultural education, businessmen, and others who are helping to advance agriculture education and the FFA and who have rendered outstanding service, may be elected to honorary membership by a majority vote of the members present at any regular meeting or convention. Honorary membership shall be limited to the Honorary Chapter FFA Degree to the local chapter, Honorary Wisconsin FFA Degree to the State Association.
Honorary membership recognizes individuals who contribute to the Wisconsin Association of FFA at the state level, e.g., serving on a state committee, serving as an advisory member, or in some way serving the State Association. Local chapters utilize the Honorary Chapter Degree for those individuals who so admirably serve the local chapter. We encourage chapters to nominate only those individuals who have served the State Association.
INSTRUCTIONS
Applications due on or before April 1, 2010
Honorary State FFA Degree Application - Non-Teacher (Other) Nominations must be: 1. Be filled out on the NEW Honorary American Degree application which can be found online at http://www.wisconsinffa.org/pg-applications.php
2. Signed (electronically, if available) by the chapter president and advisor. 3. Sent to Bridgett Neu, WAAE Executive Director on-line at Bridgett@WAAE.com, or mailed to Bridgett Neu,
1172 Hummingbird Lane, Plymouth, WI 53073 Phone 262-224-7553
Honorary State FFA Degree Application - Teacher
Nominations must:
1. Be filled out on the NEW Honorary American Degree application which can be found online at http://www.wisconsinffa.org/pg-applications.php
2. Signed (electronically, if available) by the chapter president and advisor.
3. Sent to Bridgett Neu, WAAE Executive Director on-line at Bridgett@WAAE.com, or mailed to Bridgett Neu,
1172 Hummingbird Lane, Plymouth, WI 53073 Phone 262-224-7553
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Wisconsin Association of FFA Application Due Dates Approaching Quickly
Just a reminder that there are a variety of award applications due in April. Listed are the postmark due dates. Applications are found on the Wisconsin FFA website at http://www.wisconsinffa.org/pg-applications.php under Applications.
April 1 Entries for Opening/Closing Ceremony Contest, High School Quiz Bowl, Ag. Issues and Marketing Plan
April 1 State Honorary Degree and Distinguished Service Nominations - Go to the following site to find the applicationhttp://www.wisconsinffa.org/pg-applications.php
April 15 Wisconsin FFA Jr. High Essay Contest Entries (Send to Wisconsin FFA Center) Theme: "Lead Out Loud"
April 20 National Chapter Award Application
Updates are being made on the Food For America and Chapter Safety Award Applications
April 20 State FFA Talent Application (Send to Wisconsin FFA Center)
April 26 State FFA Foundation Collegiate Scholarships (Send to Wisconsin FFA Foundation)
April 27 State FFA Officer Candidate Applications Due (Send to Wisconsin FFA Center)
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Quote of the Week
“Never talk defeat. Use words like hope, belief, faith, victory.” —Norman Vincent Peale
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Have a great week!!
Cheryl Zimmerman
State FFA Executive Director
Wisconsin FFA Center, Inc.
P.O. Box 110
Spencer, WI 54479
715-659-4807
wiffacenter@tznet.com
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FFA makes a positive
difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier
leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.
The Wisconsin Department
of Public Instruction does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race,
religion, age, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental
status,
sexual orientation, or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability.
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