|
Sectional Information - Section Ten
Noah Wiedenfeld - Vice President
Lake Mills FFA Chapter - Section 10
nwiedenfeld@wisconsinffa.org
|
|
Dane County Officer Training
Aug. 28, 2010
On Tuesday I had the opportunity to join Cory at the annual Dane County Chapter Officer Training Workshop. This year it was held at the West Madison Research Station. About 60 students from 9 chapters attended. Cory and I led an icebreaker and a 45-minute team building activity. Officers then broke into small groups to learn more about the role of their particular office. After a lunch consisting of delicious Rocky Rococo's pizza, everyone volunteered for one hour on the research farm, helping pick a wide assortment of vegetables among other tasks. Overall my first experience at the Dane County Officer Training Workshop was a great one - thanks for having me!
~Noah
Jag Lake
Aug. 23, 2010
I spent the past week camping with my teammates at Jag Lake near Boulder Junction. While the weather didn't cooperate the best for us, it's truly a beautiful area that provided us a great opportunity to bond and accomplish some important work. We worked on finalizing business and industry tours, chapter visits, FIRE workshops, SLW workshops, National Convention delegate issues, and our SLW speeches. But the week wasn't all work, as we had the chance to get on the lake, make a bonfire, enjoy a huge banana split, and visit the legendary Paulding Light (Google it if you haven't heard of it before). Overall it was a fantastic experience!
I now have a little bit of down time to catch up on phone calls and email, not to mention sleeping in my own bed for the first time in four weeks. I will be going to the Dane County Chapter Officer Training tomorrow, and will then be in Walworth on Sunday for the annual State President's Picnic. It should be another fun week!
Enjoy the last days of summer!
~Noah
Pack, Unpack, & Repeat
Aug. 16, 2010
My teammates and I got home late last night/early this morning from the Wisconsin State Fair. Those twelve days sure flew by! I had the chance to work with the Big Foot FFA and Marshfield FFA in the Discovery Barn during my last few days - both did a fantastic job. A lot was also accomplished in the late hours of night, as my teammates and I worked on skits, workshop outlines, speeches, thank you notes, etc. Personal highlights for me included eating a cream puff everyday and running at 4am on the Milwaukee Mile. We now head off to Jag Lake tomorrow morning for a week of team development, preparation for the fall, and fun - it should be a great time.
Enjoy the last few weeks of summer!
~Noah
State Fair Continues
Aug. 10, 2010
My time at State Fair continues to fly by! I've been busy the past few days in the Discovery Barn, showing how to vaccinate animals and answering questions about goats and sheep. I've been assisted recently by the Lodi FFA Chapter, and I will be joined by the Big Foot FFA Chapter later this week. Recently I've been leading Veggie Races in the Ag Oasis building, making cars out of squash, zucchini, and potatoes and teaching kids about vegetables in general. I've also mastered the "Veggie Song" and even wrote my own rendition of a "Veggie Rap." It has been a lot of fun so far - it's hard to imagine that my time here is now halfway done.
I also want to say a special thanks to Lauren Leahy, Kristin Glowacki, and Ann Glowacki (in the picture with Billy the Goat) for the chance to meet and work together this past week in the Discovery Barn!
Have a great week!
~Noah
Start of State Fair
Aug. 08, 2010
I've had a great time at the Wisconsin State Fair thus far. Most of my time has been spent at the Discovery Barn, where I've answered questions about sheep and goats and led activities that teach about vaccinations and animal heart rates. I'll now be spending some time at the Veggie 500, making blazing fast vehicles from cucumbers and sweet corn.
Thank you to the Suring FFA Chapter for all of your help the past few days in the Discovery Barn - you've done a great job. Lodi has now arrived, and I look forward to meeting and working with them as well.
My teammates and I have kept busy with assignnments for SLWs and FIRE. Stay tuned for our promotional videos!
Hope to see you at the fair!
~Noah
State Presidents' Conference
Aug. 02, 2010
I left bright and early Tuesday morning to fly to Washington D.C. with Alicia for the State Presidents' Conference. This is an annual conference attended by two officers from each state association. Our theme this year was "One Element." We had the chance to meet leaders in FFA from across the country, including the National FFA Officers and Dr. Larry Case, National FFA Advisor.
Our first evening in Washington D.C. was spent attending a Washington Nationals game. Even though I'm a loyal Brewers fan, I must say that the Nats have a beautiful ballpark. Wednesday was spent meeting with officials from the United States Department of Agriculture, as well as conducting Congressional visits. Alicia and I had the opportunity to meet with the following Congressional leaders and/or their staff: Tammy Baldwin, Ron Kind, Paul Ryan, and Collin Peterson. That evening, we attended an alumni dinner with many loyal sponosors and former state or national officers.
Thursday saw the start of delegate work. SPC delegates determine the items of business for National Convention, and form the committees that will lead later discussion. We also toughened out some heavy rain and thunderstorms to tour Arlington Cemetery.
Friday, our final day, included more delegate work. We then had the opportunity to have some free time to sight-see. Alicia and I went to the Holocaust Museum and the Air and Space Museum. Our final evening was spent with a night tour of the various monuments, finishing with reflections at the Jefferson Memorial.
SPC was truly an amazing experience. It was great to meet so many state officers from across the country and to learn that together, we form "One Element."
I'm now home working on various assignments before leaving for State Fair. Look for me at the Discovery Barn and Veggie 500!
~Noah
Golf Outing
Jul. 26, 2010
I spent my day at the Oaks Golf Course in Cottage Grove for the 2010 Wisconsin FFA Foundation Annual Golf Outing. Alicia, Cory, and I helped with golfer registration, selling raffle tickets, and presenting door prizes and auction items. We had great weather, a big crowd, and a fantastic time supporting a very worthy cause - FFA! The Wisconsin FFA Foundation works hard to raise funds to support Wisconsin FFA. Without their support, many of our state programs and activities would be unfunded or eliminated. Thank you to the golfers, sponsors, and the Wisconsin FFA Foundation for your generous support today!
~Noah
Farm Technology Days
Jul. 23, 2010
My teammates and I arrived in River Falls on Monday to tour the Peterson Dairy Farm, the host farm for this year's Farm Technology Days. We then met Mr. Igou, the River Falls FFA advisor, along with our host families for the week. [I want to again thank the Huppert family for hosting me this past week!] Tuesday morning, I assisted with the Land Evaluation Contest, while other officers helped with the Tractor Driving Contest and farm tours. On Wednesday, the entire team conducted tours of the Peterson Family Dairy. The Peterson family owns 800 acres, and runs 1600 acres. Highlights of their facilities include a new milking parlor, free stall barn, and 2.6 million gallon manure lagoon. Crowds for Tuesday and Wednesday totaled nearly 40,000 people.
The high temperatures and sunshine were forgotten by Thursday, as heavy rainfall and strong winds forced the last day of Farm Technology Days to be cancelled. After miraculously escaping the muddy parking lot (driving in reverse the entire time!) I began the long drive home with Cory and Julie. There was more severe weather waiting for us upon our arrival, but everyone made it home safely - no hail or tornado damage is always a good thing.
Monday brings the annual Wisconsin FFA Foundation Golf Outing in Cottage Grove. I then leave early Tuesday morning with Alicia as we travel to Washington D.C. for the State President's Conference. It should be an exciting week!
~Noah
On the Road Again
Jul. 17, 2010
The next few weeks will be very busy for my teammates and I. Four state officers arrived in Knoxville, TN today for the start of the National Institute on Cooperative Education (NICE) Conference. The rest of the team will be heading to River Falls on Monday for the 2010 Farm Technology Days, held Tuesday through Thursday, where we will be leading tours of the Peterson Family Farm. I will cover this in greater detail in my next entry.
Following Farm Technology Days, Alicia and I will be attending the State Presidents' Conference in Washington D.C. Stay tuned for more details!
Have a great week!
~Noah
NLCSO
Jul. 10, 2010
I got back last night from the National Leadership Conference for State Officers (NLCSO) in Springfield, Illinois. I had another fantastic week with my teammates, as well as the state officers from the Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri Associations. Our sessions were led by Eastern Region Vice President Alex Henry and Southern Region Vice President Chelsea Doss, who both brought a lot of fun energy and excitement to the week. NLCSO is designed to build off of our previous training at BLAST-Off by further developing our team performance and our presentation skills, while also giving us the chance to network with other state officer teams. An additional highlight of the week (especially for a political science geek such as myself) was visiting the Lincoln Presidential Museum. Thank you to the Illinois Association FFA for all of your assistance in planning the week's activities!
Have a great weekend!
~Noah
WAAE
Jul. 02, 2010
My teammates and I have been keeping busy during the past week. Here's a brief summary:
June 25: The state officer team went to Madison to help at a dairy workshop organized by the USDA and U.S. Department of Justice. Key political leaders and industry officials gathered to discuss anticompetitive practices and regulatory issues in the agriculture industry. Those in attendance that day included Governor Doyle, Senators Kohl and Feingold, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, and the Assistant U.S. Attorney General.
June 27-July 1: The state officer team spent the week in Madison at the Wisconsin Association of Agricultural Educators (WAAE) Conference. I had the chance to meet many outstanding FFA advisors from across the state, as well as many important partners that help support the Wisconsin Association of FFA, such as the Wisconsin FFA Alumni Association and the Wisconsin FFA Foundation. We also announced our new state theme: Powered by Potential.
The state officer team will be leaving on Monday to Springfield, IL for the National Leadership Conference for State Officers (NLCSO) where we will continue to develop our presentation skills and teamwork. We will also continue working on Sectional Leadership Workshops and FIRE.
*A special thanks to my teammates for helping celebrate my birthday this past week! We went minigolfing and ate at Red Robin on Monday, after enjoying birthday cake (made by Tyler Franklin) on Sunday night.*
Have a happy Fourth of July!
~Noah
BLAST OFF!
Jun. 24, 2010
I just returned from an amazing four days in Spencer, WI at BLAST OFF (Building Leaders and Strong Teams of Officers). BLAST OFF taught the state officer team many important concepts that will be vital to our success in the upcoming year, such as presentation skills, organization, setting goals, and personal development. My teammates and I also had the opportunity to bond and learn more about each other. BLAST OFF was surely a success, and I know that the foundation has been established for an exciting year.
Enjoy the rest of the week!
~Noah
Hello Wisconsin FFA
Jun. 18, 2010
Hello Wisconsin FFA!
I am very excited to have the opportunity and the privilage to serve as your 2010-2011 Section 10 State Vice President. I look forward to meeting and working with as many members, advisors, and alumni as possible during the upcoming year. Make sure to check my blog throughout the year for important information and updates about what I've been up to.
Have a great weekend!
~Noah
View Blog Archive
- Aug - Jul - Jun -
|
|
|
 |
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.
|
|
