Welcome back, FFA Family! We’re excited to release the 2026-2027 Illinois FFA Leadership Conference series.
We are thrilled to welcome back 17 exceptional past state officers who will be facilitating our Middle School, Ground Zero, and BUILD Conferences across 10 locations, accommodating up to 3,100 students. While our conference capacity has tripled over the last decade, the real highlight is how much more interactive and impactful the experience has become for every participant. Supported by over 230 current and past section presidents serving as team leaders, attendees will connect with peers statewide through tailored large and small group curriculum crafted specifically for their grade level. For additional details on each conference, check below or visit Event Registration and Information on judgingcard.com.
General Conference Registration Information
Teacher Assistants Needed!
Conference Facilitators need your help! In an effort to allow conference facilitators and team leaders to dedicate their time and attention to providing the best experience possible for members, we need additional assistance managing student logistics during the conferences.
Selected Teacher Assistants will be requested to supervise student programming each day in return for a free advisor registration. Multiple advisors will be selected for larger conferences to share supervision responsibilities. Advisors will sit in the conference room for sessions to coordinate role calls with team leaders ensuring students are in their correct groups, elevate any behavior issues to conference staff, elevate any mental health issues to conference counselor, elevate any health issues to the conference nurse, assist in corresponding with other advisors as necessary to assist with student issues, assist with capturing photos during the event, ensure students are not leaving designated conference facilities, and routinely walk conference facilities to ensure students are in session.
Please submit this form at least 1 month prior to each respective conference you may be interested in serving as a teacher assistant so that confirmations can be made with those selected well in advance of the events for PD planning purposes.
Returning Student Policy
Overall conference capacity has been increased, and the curriculum is once again being updated to allow returning students for both Middle School and Ground Zero Conferences (returning students are NOT allowed at BUILD Conference). Students attending for the first time will be given priority, but returning students can be signed up under the waitlist line on registrations (no charge initially). If a conference does not completely fill to capacity, waitlisted students will be accepted in the order registered, and the chapter’s invoice will be updated to reflect the additional student(s) attending.
Processes for Discounts
There are no separate line items for discounted/free registrations (Alumni scholarships, teacher assistants, etc.). All participants should initially register for full registration to best track the total conference capacity. To claim your relevant discount, please follow the instructions found on the General Conference Registration Information page regarding invoice updates (here). Unfortunately, due to a loss of state funding, no Ground Zero Golden Tickets will be available this year.
Sponsorships
This year, we are excited to welcome four conference sponsors that have partnered with four separate conferences to subsidize the registration costs at their respective events. Please join us in thanking these conference sponsors for supporting leadership development opportunities for Illinois FFA members:
Illinois Farm Bureau - BUILD Conference Title Sponsor
Illinois Soybean Association - Northfield Ground Zero Conference #2 Title Sponsor
ADM - Richland Middle School Conference Title Sponsor
Compeer Financial - Sauk Valley Middle School Conference Title Sponsor
All Conference Site, Registration Costs, Address Links, etc.
Middle School Conferences
7th & 8th Grade Students
Date: November 17, 2026
Location: Lake Land College Agriculture Building
Cost: $80.00/student
Registration Deadline: November 3, 2026
Date: November 19, 2026
Location: Richland Community College Schilling Salon
Cost: $75.00/student
Registration Deadline: November 5, 2026
Date: April 9, 2027
Location: Sauk Valley Community College Dillon Mall
Cost: $55.00/student
Registration Deadline: March 26, 2027
Date: April 15, 2027
Location: Lincoln Land Community College Trutter Center
Cost: $80.00/student
Registration Deadline: April 1, 2027
Ground Zero Conferences
9th and 10th Grade Students
Date: January 20-21, 2027
Location: Northfield Hotel in Springfield
Cost: $95.00/student
Registration Deadline: January 6, 2027
Date: January 25, 2027
Location: Effingham - Thelma Keller Convention Center
Cost: $80.00/student
Registration Deadline: January 11, 2027
Date: January 27-28, 2027
Location: Northfield Hotel in Springfield pt 2
Cost: $85.00/student
Registration Deadline: January 13, 2027
Date: January 29-30, 2027
Location: Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Cost: $85.00/student
Registration Deadline: January 15, 2027
Date: February 1, 2027
Location: Joliet Junior College
Cost: $70.00/student
Registration Deadline: January 18, 2027
Date: February 2, 2027
Location: Joliet Junior College
Cost: $70.00/student
Registration Deadline: January 19, 2027
Date: February 4, 2027
Location: Western Illinois University
Cost: $65.00/student
Registration Deadline: January 21, 2027
BUILD Conference
11th & 12th Grade Students
*NOT designed for students to attend more than once
Date: November 23-24, 2026
Location: Illinois State University
Cost: $95.00/student
Registration Deadline: November 9, 2026