UPDATE
Vol. XXXIV, No. 11 C. Coleman Harris
U.S. Department of Education November 2004
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DATES TO REMEMBER
December 1 Conference Trainer Applications Due, National FFA Center
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THE LATEST FROM FFA
New Team Leader for Marketing and Communication Services: Julie Adams has been named team leader for the Marketing and Communication Services (MCS) Team of the Information Services Division at National FFA. Julie brings a solid decade of communication skills and managerial experience to the position, including time with the Conseco Fund Group, where she managed three separate websites and coordinated print production of literature and marketing materials. For the last three years, she has served as senior communication specialist in MCS, and her responsibilities have included managing the web team’s oversight of ffa.org and guiding major communication projects.
The National FFA Organization is looking for conference trainers: FFA is seeking talented and dedicated individuals to serve as conference trainers for the FFA Leadership and Personal Growth Series (ALD, EDGE, MFE and WLC) for the 2005-2006 conferences. All the information needed to apply for a conference trainer position may be found at
http://www.ffa.org/about_ffa/html/ffa_jobs.htm - ffa. If you have any questions, contact Cindy Driver at 317-802-4257 or [email protected]
The deadline to apply for ALD, EDGE, MFE and WLC conference trainer positions is Dec. 1, 2004. This deadline allows national officer candidates who were not elected to national office adequate time to complete applications for a trainer position.
Washington Leadership Conference: It’s never too early to begin planning your trip to D.C.!
The dates for the 2005 Washington Leadership Conference are June 7-12, June 14-18, June 21- 26, June 28-July 3, July 12-17 and July 19-24.
Student Package: $550; Advisor Double: $585; Advisor Single: $780; Advisor Guest: $975; Room Only: $475. This year’s conference will contain high levels of service learning, mentoring and volunteerism strategies, problem-solving skills, relationship-building skills and character development. This FFA premier leadership conference is shaping up to be the best yet!
Registration begins in March 2005. For more information, visit
www.ffa.org/programs/conferences/html/conf_wlc.htm, e-mail [email protected] or call 317-802-4312.
Bernie Staller Endowment: The National FFA Foundation would like to thank the individuals, companies and state associations that contributed to the Bernie Staller Endowment. The support—honoring and recognizing Bernie’s years of service to FFA members, agricultural education teachers, agriculture professionals, alumni, the agribusiness community and many others—is greatly appreciated.
Proceeds from the endowment will be used to provide an annual $2,500 scholarship for an FFA member who is entering college, based on financial need. The recipient must be majoring in agricultural education and be planning a career teaching agricultural education at the secondary school level.
If you are interested in receiving information about making a contribution to the endowment, contact Tammy Meyer at 317-802-4416 or [email protected]
Online Giving: Online Giving is now available through the National FFA Foundation. You can make your annual contribution to FFA by visiting www.ffa.org/foundation/
Get Ready to “REV It Up” in 2005: You’ll be hearing the words “REV It Up” in the coming months, and here’s the reason: Thanks to grant monies from the USDA, the National FFA Organization will create and distribute a toolkit of new and redeveloped materials focusing on recruitment, engagement and volunteerism for rural youth. (The “REV” stands for Recruitment, Engagement and Volunteerism.) Be on the lookout for additional information about this exciting project this fall and winter. The toolkit’s release is targeted for late spring 2005.
MERCHANDISING
Official Jacket Update: Jackets currently being shipped feature new emblems that have been updated to restore the design and color of the original FFA emblem. The jacket’s front emblem now matches its back emblem, and the color of the thread used for the jacket’s embroidery matches the gold in the new emblem. Also, in August 2004, chapters began seeing their jackets arrive in the original shade of FFA national blue. We’re very excited and believe these changes are a move in the right direction that will get us closer to how the original jacket looked.
The owner of each new jacket also receives a promotional brochure that provides them with free shipping on their next purchase from the blue catalog. This promotion is a thank-you to new members from the National FFA, and we hope it will encourage members to buy more great clothes, accessories and gifts from the blue catalog. This special promotion is not for the use of chapters; it is for individual members who have just become the proud owner of a new jacket. For more information, contact Lee Anne Shiller at [email protected]
INTERNATIONAL
International Leadership Seminar for State Officers: Each year, current and past state officers have an opportunity to travel abroad to learn about agricultural practices in other countries. The 2005 trip is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 4-18, with stops in France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Approximate cost is $3,300-$3,600. Information and applications are available online at http://www.ffa.org/programs/global/
MEMBERSHIP
FFA Electronic Membership Project Wins BKD Indiana Excellence Award: The National FFA Organization received top honors at the 2004 BKD Indiana Excellence Awards. FFA received the Gold Award in the category of Not-for-Profit and Government and was named the overall winner for 2004 at a luncheon on Tuesday, Oct. 7. FFA received these prestigious awards for the electronic membership project, which replaced the previous manual membership roster with the new Excel and online process. Among the benefits of the new membership system are expected savings of $2.2 million over the next 10 years and a more efficient and speedy delivery of the FFA New Horizons magazine.
Thanks to those helping with this project: Sheridan Gilchrist, Mark Cavell, Tom Kapostasy, Farhan Haider, Tracy Smith, Joel Gibbons, Jim Armbruster, Ellen Williams, Julie Adams, Linda Noble, Glenna Gordon, Clay Worley, Marylce Webster, Cathy Church and Nicole Hutchison. Also Steve Gratz and Brenda Correll of the Ohio FFA Association, Cheryl Zimmerman of the
Wisconsin FFA Association, Jim Craft of the Illinois FFA Association, Bob Heuvel of the California FFA Association and Rod Duckworth of the Washington FFA Association, who participated in the pilot program.
2004-2005 Rosters: Membership rosters for the 2004-2005 membership year are now being accepted. Remember, the 2004-2005 rosters are to be on the new 2004-2005 template that all state staff should have received. If you have not received the 2004-2005 Membership CD, please contact your membership representative as soon as possible.
As you know, delivery of the FFA New Horizons magazine is based upon the addresses submitted by chapters to state and national staff. Please stress that your chapters should verify their members’ mailing addresses and make any necessary changes before submitting their
rosters.
EDUCATOR NEWS
Local Program Resource Guide 2004-2005 CD-ROM: One last reminder to all state staff and teacher educators—the Local Program Resource Guide 2004-2005 CD-ROM has been released.
Orders were shipped to state staff in late May and to teacher educators in mid-August. If you have not received your order or have not placed an order, or if you would like more information, please contact Michele Gilbert at [email protected] or 317-802-4301, or contact Jim Armbruster at [email protected] or 317-802-4334.
AG ED Job Posting Web Site: Have any teaching, state staff or internship opportunities in your state? Post your agriculture-related job openings on our AG ED Job Posting website. Check it out at http://www.ffa.org/statestaff/agedjobs/index.htm. For more information, please contact Michele Gilbert at [email protected] or 317-802-4301.
STATE STAFF NEWS
National Agricultural Education Inservice: We are pleased to announce that the National Agricultural Education Inservice will be held Feb. 3-6, 2005, at the downtown Hilton (formerly known as the Adam’s Mark Hotel) in Indianapolis. We will follow the same registration format used last year. For those who are eager to begin the planning process, please use the attached guidelines when selecting your paid participants.
Future National Ag Ed Inservice Dates: Feb. 2-5, 2006; Feb. 1-4, 2007
In addition, we will conduct the National New State Staff Inservice (NSSI) Feb. 2-3, 2005, at the Indianapolis Hilton. NSSI will run from noon on Wednesday, Feb. 2, until noon on Thursday, Feb.
3. At the conclusion of NSSI, new state staff will also have the opportunity to attend the National Agricultural Education Inservice.
Future NSSI Dates: Feb. 1-2, 2006; Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2007.
For updated information, visit the State Staff Connection online at http://www.ffa.org/statestaff/
New State Staff, reserve your spot now! Those who wish to attend NSSI prior to the National Ag Ed Inservice are asked to contact Michele Gilbert, Program Coordinator, National FFA Organization, 317-802-4301 or [email protected].
In October, agendas, registration forms and additional information were provided for both the National Ag Ed Inservice and National New State Staff Inservice. Any questions about the National Agricultural Education Inservice can be directed to Tony Small, Local Program Success Manager, National FFA Organization, 317-802-4300 or [email protected].
COLLEGIATE
Visit the brand-new Collegiate FFA website! Thanks to generous sponsor dollars from Syngenta, you can now check out collegiate-specific content and features on ffa.org. Visit the collegiate website at http://www.ffa.org/collegiate.cfm to access professional hot tips, campus life, chapter information and tools to help you run successful collegiate meetings.
Collegiate FFA…Are you involved? Do you have a Collegiate FFA chapter? Are you interested in beginning a Collegiate FFA chapter? If you answered yes to either of these questions, please contact Eric Schilling or Kristy Miller, your Collegiate Services Team. To confirm your National Collegiate FFA chapter affiliations or to join Collegiate FFA, contact [email protected] or 317- 802-4214.
ALUMNI
2004-2005 ROSTERS: All FFA Alumni rosters will be printed and mailed to designated state FFA Alumni leaders by mid-November for distribution to state and local affiliates. All rosters are due to the National FFA Alumni office postmarked no later than May 15, 2005, to qualify for
convention awards and delegates. Please check with your state leader for individual deadlines.
For questions related to rosters, please contact Betsy Haig at [email protected] or 317-802-4293.
2004-2005 AWARD APPLICATIONS: All FFA Alumni affiliates and local FFA chapters interested in applying for any National FFA Alumni awards or grants can visit the Alumni web page at www.ffa.org/alumni/ for updated 2004-2005 forms and applications. Or, e-mail requests for forms to [email protected] or call 317-802-4293 to have forms mailed.
UPDATE is available online each month at http://www.ffa.org/media/html/med_pub_index.htm.
Attachments are also available online.
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The FFA Mission
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 Agricultural Education Mission
Agricultural Education prepares students for successful careers and a lifetime of informed choices in the global agriculture, food, fiber and natural resources systems.
The National FFA Organization is a resource and support organization that does not select, control or supervise state association, local chapter or individual member activities except as expressly provided for in the National FFA Organization Constitution and Bylaws.
The National FFA Organization affirms its belief in the value of all human beings and seeks diversity in its membership, leadership and staff as an equal opportunity employer.
© 2004 National FFA Organization
