80th National FFA Convention Broadcast Coverage Schedule
July 31 July 31 FFA Today!
Aug. 7FFA Today! CONVENTION EXTRA
Rebroadcast of the National FFA Convention: Session 9, Part 3
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RFDTV can be found on Dish Network channel 231, Direct TV channel 379, as well as Mediacom, Comcast, Charter, NRTC, Bresnan, and NCTC cable systems, with new cable systems adding the channel monthly. Check local listings for the Thursday show time in your area.
FFA Today! is a monthly video showcase of talented students highlighting agricultural education and the exciting worlds of agriscience, technology, agribusiness, leadership
development and community service. Broadcast nationally over the RFDTV television network, each episode features inspiring stories and a behindthescenes look at local FFA chapters across the nation. With informative news, heartwarming stories and exciting contests, FFA Today!has something for everyone each month. For more information, [email protected].
The National FFA Organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, is a national youth organization of 500,823 student members – all preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture – as part of 7,358 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The National FFA Organization changed to its present name in 1988, in recognition of the growth and diversity of agriculture and agricultural education. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Visit www.ffa.orgfor more information.
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National FFA Organization Announces Dr. Steve Brown as New National FFA Executive Secretary
INDIANAPOLIS – The National FFA Organization announced today that Dr. Steve A. Brown of Missouri has been named the new National FFA Executive Secretary. He will begin his position as Agricultural Sciences Program Specialist with the U. S.
Department of Education in Washington, D.C., effective March 3, 2008. Brown replaces C. Coleman Harris, who retired in
September after 46 years of service to agricultural education.
As national FFA executive secretary, Brown will provide leadership for FFA and agricultural education, while coordinating all meetings of the National FFA Organization Board of Directors and the National FFA Foundation Board of Trustees. He will assist National FFA Advisor and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Larry Case in overseeing,
developing, maintaining and implementing policy for the National FFA Organization and the National FFA Foundation.
Brown has dedicated more than 27 years of service to agricultural education and FFA. He has served as the Missouri state FFA executive secretary and district supervisor for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education since 1985.
As part of his current duties, Brown manages the annual Missouri FFA Convention, which attracts more than 8,000 attendees, and supervises secondary and
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December 7, 2007
Contact: William F. Stagg, 3178024243
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Steve Brown Announcement p. 2
postsecondary agricultural education programs in the state. During his tenure as state executive secretary, Missouri FFA membership increased by 30 percent to more than 24,000 members statewide.
Prior to becoming state executive secretary, Brown taught agricultural education and served as one of two FFA advisors for five years at Macon Area Vocational School in Macon, Mo. He shared in coordinating chapter activities and fundraising in addition to developing and delivering coursework and leadership development programs. Brown currently serves on the National FFA Board of Directors, a consultant to the National Council for Agricultural Education and is a former member of National FFA Foundation Board of Trustees.
Brown received his doctorate in Agricultural Education, as well as his master’s and bachelor’s degrees, from the University of Missouri. He and his wife, Rhonda, have four daughters and two sonsinlaw, and are the proud grandparents of two strapping grandsons. During the coming weeks, Brown and his wife will relocate from Missouri to the Washington, D.C., area as he assumes his duties with the U.S. Department of
Education and FFA.
“As executive secretary of the National FFA Organization, Steve will play an important leadership role in the organization’s work as we strive to increase the quality, depth and breadth of agricultural education across the country,” said Douglas D.
Loudenslager, national FFA chief operating officer.
Dr. Terry Heiman, director of agricultural education for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, agreed. “Dr. Brown is a proven national leader in Agricultural Education. His roots and his heart are in this profession. Steve brings to this venture unmatched experience, expertise, great energy and a true passion for the success of all students,” Heiman said.
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Steve Brown Announcement p. 3
“It has been my pleasure to work with Steve Brown in various capacities during the past two decades,” said Dr. Larry Case, national FFA advisor and chief executive officer. “I look forward to collaborating with him on a daily basis, and I know his vision, solid leadership and character will serve the National FFA Organization and agricultural education well in the years to come.”
The National FFA Organization, formerly known as Future Farmers of America, is a national youth organization of 500,823 student members – all preparing for
leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture – as part of 7,358 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Founded in 1928, the National FFA Organization changed to its present name in 1988 in recognition of the growth and diversity of agriculture and agricultural education. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Visit www.ffa.org for more information.
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2007: Another Banner Year for FFA
INDIANAPOLIS – The National FFA Organization celebrates another banner year in 2007. With membership at more than a half million and the highest in 29 years, FFA is growing with 7, 358 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
“We hope to grow the organization to 10,000 quality chapters by 2015,” said Doug Loudenslager, chief operating officer. “We help to prepare a welltrained and adequate work force of future leaders for the agriculture, food and fiber, biofuel and natural resource industries,” he said.
FFA held the second of seven national FFA conventions in Indianapolis in October this year, and boasted 53,418 attendees and a record 3,168 members receiving their American FFA Degrees. The city of Indianapolis received not only an estimated $30 million in revenues from the convention, but also received a major social impact with the expansion of three National FFA Days of Service, where 1,600 FFA members provided meaningful community service to 12 sites in the metropolitan area.
The new National FFA Merchandise Center opened in June and was dedicated just prior to the national FFA convention. The Merchandise Center will allow the
organization to improve and increase the products and services offered to FFA members, advisors and agricultural education profession. Renovation of the National FFA Center was also completed in the fall, providing more conference and meeting areas for staff and agricultural education groups. The total investment for both projects was $5 million.
The National FFA Foundation raised a record $13.1 million in support of FFA and agricultural education. The investment in planned giving is paying dividends as the
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December 21, 2007
Contact: William F. Stagg, 3178024243
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2007: Another Banner Year for FFA p. 2
first individual gift worth more than $1 million was received in 2007.
Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc., agreed to increase its annual support with a two
year commitment of approximately $1.4 million in cash and product. These additional funds support National FFA student leadership development and alumni programs, local community service projects, collegiate scholarships, special events, and enhance diversity in agricultural education.
FFA publications and instructional offerings went online this year with new virtual sites, video streaming and ipod download capabilities and offerings. FFA New Horizons, the FFA member magazine that won the prestigious Magnum Opus Award, became available online at www.ffanewhorizons.org. In November, FFA Advisors Making a Difference, the magazine for agriculture teachers and advisors, went online at http://makingadifference.ffa.org. New video clips were introduced on thewww.ffa.org home page, convention pages and FFA Week page. And in 2007, the FFA scholarship application process went fully online, making it easier for students to apply for more than
$2 million in annual awards.
FFA and agricultural education were featured to millions of television viewers through enhanced production of the monthly FFA Today! broadcasts and the live television coverage of the 2007 National FFA Convention, both carried on the RFDTV network to a potential audience of 38 million homes.
As a project of the National Council for Agricultural Education, the Team Ag Ed Learning Center (TAELC) was launched in September at www.agedlearning.org. . The TAELC is home to nine elearning courses and also hosts Living to Serve lesson plans with the conversion of LifeKnowledge Online nearly complete. Upcoming materials will include courseware in such diverse subjects as Ethanol and The National Animal Identification System (NAIS).
In organizational leadership, C. Coleman Harris retired in September from his position as National FFA Executive Secretary after 46 years of service to agricultural education. Dr. Steve A. Brown of Missouri was appointed the new executive secretary in December, and he will begin his position in Washington D.C. March 3, 2008.
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