Items in this listserv:

****NEW Information****

1. Roster Processing - Coming Soon

2. Trading Post for 2019 - 2020

3. 2020 Illinois FFA State Convention Hotel Block Open

4. National FFA Results and Finalists

5. GROWMARK Announces 2020 Essay Contest Theme

1.  Roster Processing - Coming Soon

All, We too, are very hopeful that the roster processing system will be up and running soon. I only ask that you please be patient.  Thank you for your understanding.  

2.  Trading Post for 2019 - 2020

Reminder if you are looking for or trying to get rid of tickets or registrations, please use the Illinois FFA Advisor’s Trading Post. *** NEW THIS YEAR - you can exchange CDE registrations.  2019 - 2020 Illinois FFA Advisor’s Trading Post

3.  2020 Illinois FFA State Convention Hotel Block Open

The 2020 Illinois FFA State Convention is June 9 - 11, 2020 in Springfield, IL at the Bank of Springfield Center.  Looking for rooms at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel or the Wyndham? The room block is now open:   

President Abraham Lincoln Room Reservations Contact (no link) - Natalie Duke-Wys - Direct Line 217-321-2440 - Our Room Block Opens 9/3/19.

Wyndham Hotel Room Block Link - If questions, please contact Kate Lock, Kate Lock klock@wyndhamcitycentreil.com.

REMINDER - FFA chapters DO NOT have to stay in these hotels only, feel free to book any hotel that meets the needs of your FFA Chapter.  

4. National FFA Results and Finalists

Congratulations to Illinois FFA Members who will be representing Illinois FFA at the 92nd Annual National FFA Convention.  As you register for National Convention, remember to cheer on our Illinois FFA Members and chapters who will be representing Illinois!  We are wishing you all the very best of luck!

National Chapter Awards : Click here to view full results.  

PREMIER CHAPTER: GROWING LEADERS

• Waterloo - National Finalist

• Flanagan-Cornell - National Finalist

PREMIER CHAPTER: BUILDING COMMUNITIES

• Normal Community - National Finalist

PREMIER CHAPTER: STRENGTHENING AGRICULTURE

• Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences - National Finalist

MODEL OF EXCELLENCE NATIONAL FINALISTS

• Central Burlington - National Finalist

• Normal Community - National Finalist

American Star Finalists:  

• American Star Farmer Finalist - Nicholas Torrance, Macomb

• American Star in Agriscience - Kacie Haag, Tri-Point

National Proficiency Results - Click here to view full results.   

Representing us at National Convention: 

• Ag Sales (E) - Braylee Fink, Maroa-Forsyth - National Finalist

• Diversified Horticulture - Lance Moritz, Streator - National Finalist 

• Goat Production - Tara Hummel, Tri-Point - National Finalist

• Turf & Landscape Management - Joey Allison, Cisne - National Finalist

• Wildlife Production & Management - Amanda Voss, Carlye - National Finalist

National Agriscience Finalists: 

Click here to view those National Finalist in Agriscience.  

• Delana Erbsen & Alyssa MillerEastlandNational Finalist

• Bailee FanningMilfordNational Finalist

• Eric Schafer & Lizzie SchaferTaylorvilleNational Finalist

• Grace HesterSoutheasternNational Finalist

• Josh Kaltenbach & Daniel StephensSoutheasternNational Finalist

• Macenzie RatliffOrionNational Finalist

• Kristen MascherNokomisNational Finalist

• Summer Ramsey & Brooke Lockwood SoutheasternNational Finalist

• Jadyn HenrySoutheasternNational Finalist

• Cullen Covlin & Matthew GrabFreeburgNational Finalist

• Elizabeth Reutter & Autumn Lynn BruensPaxton-Buckley-LodaNational Finalist

• Nora PattonNokomisNational Finalist

• Abbey McMillen & Jacob KaneSoutheasternNational Finalist

• Brooke MillerSoutheasternNational Finalist

• Katherine BakerNeogaNational Finalist

National FFA Band, Talent and Chorus:  

Click here to view those Illinois FFA members.  

National FFA VIP Awards & Honorary American FFA Degrees:  

Click here to view that list.  

5.  GROWMARK Announces 2020 Essay Contest Theme

The theme for the 2020 GROWMARK Essay Contest is: “Describe the ‘Farmer of the Future.’ What tools or skills will he or she need to be successful?” The contest is open to all high school FFA members in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

This is the 27th year for the program, sponsored by the GROWMARK System and FS member cooperatives, in conjunction with state FFA leaders, to help young people develop their writing skills, learn about current issues affecting agriculture, and understand the unique role of cooperatives. 

Students will share their idea of what the farmers of tomorrow will be and discuss the skills and tools they will need to use. 

Essays will be submitted online at www.bit.ly/GMKEssay2020. The deadline for all submissions is midnight Central time on November 8, 2019. Additional program details have been sent to agriculture teachers and are online at www.growmark.com. 

Each state’s winner earns a $500 award and the winner’s FFA chapter receives a $300 award. Four runners-up per state each win $125 awards.

The program is offered annually and many agriculture teachers use it as part of their class curriculum. Past topics have included sustainability, careers in agriculture, and the cooperative principles.

GROWMARK is a regional cooperative providing agronomy, energy, facility planning, and logistics products and services, as well as grain marketing and risk management services, across North America. GROWMARK owns the FS trademark, which is used by affiliated member cooperatives. More information is available at www.growmark.com

**** PREVIOUS Information Shared****

**** WORTH Sharing Again****

Career and Leadership Development Events:

IAVAT:

 Registrations LIVE for Horse, Forestry and Land Use CDEs

• Click here to view the listserv message sent by the FFA Center.  

IACCAI:  

• Click here to view the listserv for IACCAI Conference.  

Illinois FFA:

2019 BUILD Conference

• Click here to view the listserv message sent by the FFA Center.  

FFA Board Updates

• Click here to view the listserv message sent by the FFA Center.  

Chapter Strategic Plan - DUE Tuesday, October 1, 2019

• Click here to view the listserv message sent by the FFA Center.  

Heritage and Cooperative Awards replaced with National Chapter Award Results

• Click here to view the listserv message sent by the FFA Center.  

Illinois FFA Alumni:

4th Annual Illinois FFA Alumni Gun Raffle

• Click here to view the listserv message sent by the FFA Center.  

Illinois FFA Center:

• October 2 - Illinois FFA Center CLOSED - Office Clean Up  Day

• November 11 - Illinois FFA Center - CLOSED - Veterans Day

• November 13 - Illinois FFA Center CLOSED - Staff Retreat

• November 28 - 29 - Illinois FFA Center CLOSED - Thanksgiving 

• December 24 - January 1 - Illinois FFA Center CLOSED - Winter Break and Holidays

Illinois Foundation FFA:

2018 - 2019 Illinois Foundation FFA Report 

• Click here to view the latest Foundation report

Industry Friends of agricultural education posts:

 GROWMARK Foundation to Provide FFA Jackets

• Click here to view the listserv message posted by the Illinois FFA Center

AGCO Scholarships

• Click here to view the listserv message posted by the Illinois FFA Center

National FFA:

• National Quiz Contest - Click here to view the flyer posted by National FFA - National FFA Quiz Rules - Click here

• Greetings from Fair Oaks Farms located in Fair Oaks, Indiana! Click here for tour information.  

• The CHS Foundation has announced the opening of their 2019 grant cycle at: https://agclassroom.org/teacher/grants_chs.cfm

• New! 2020 FFA Next Gen Conferences - Apply today!

• Sign of the Times

• The Sky’s the Limit

• Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month

• Living to Serve Semester-Long Grant - Apply today!

• National FFA Officers Talk Inclusiveness

• Growers Have Hopes for Hemp

• New Educator Resources! 

  • Combating Food Insecurity

  • FFA Blue 365 Improving Lives: Part 1

  • U.S. Poultry and Egg Curriculum

• Meet the 44 Members Vying to Serve on the Next National Officer Team

• Your 2019 National Chapter, Agriscience and Proficiency Finalists

• Announcing the 2019 American Star Award Finalists

***DATES & DEADLINES - Remember***

• September 11 - District 5 STAR Conference, SIUC, Carbondale

• September 13 - District 4 STAR Conference, Lake Land College, Mattoon

• September 14 - State Horse CDE, BHE, Kewanee

• September 16 - 20 - Chapter Visits

• September 19 - ELITE Conference

• September 23 - 27 - Chapter Visits

• September 28 - State Forestry CDE, SUIC, Carbondale

• September 29 -  Illinois FFA Day w/the Cardinals vs. Cubs, St. Louis

• September 30 - October 4 - Chapter Visits

• October 1 - FFA Rosters and Fees DUE to the Illinois FFA Center 

• October 1 - National Chapter Award - Chapter Strategic Plan DUE to the Illinois FFA Center 

• October 2 - Illinois FFA Center CLOSED for Office Clean Up  Day

• October 7 - 11 - Chapter Visits

• October 10 - 11 - IACCAI

• October 14 - 15 - BUILD Conference, Decatur Conference Center, Decatur

• October 22 - State Land Use CDE, BHE, Kewanee

• October 30 - November 2 - 92nd Annual National FFA Convention, Indianapolis, IN

• November 11 - Illinois FFA Center - CLOSED - Veterans Day

• November 11 - 15 - Chapter Visits

• November 13 - Illinois FFA Center CLOSED - Staff Retreat

• November 18 - 22 - Chapter Visits

• November 21 - 22 - Illinois PAS Conference, Lincoln Land CC, Springfield

• November 27 - Illinois FFA Center Administrative Council mtg, FFA Center, Springfield

• November 28 - 29 - Illinois FFA Center CLOSED

• December 2- 4 - Major State Officer Team Retreat w/Executive Staff

• December 6 - 10 - Major State Officers attend Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting and Conduct Business & Industry Visits

• December 14 - State Ag Sales, Agronomy, Diary Foods and Meats CDE, UIUC & Parkland, Champaign-Urbana

• December 24 - January 1 - Illinois FFA Center CLOSED for Winter Break and Holidays

• January 10 - Illinois FFA Board & IAVAT Board Joint Meeting

• January 11 - IAVAT Section Chairs Meeting, FFA Center, Springfield

• January 24 - 25 - Illinois FFA Alumni Annual Meeting & Auction, President Abraham Lincoln Hotel, Springfield