TOP Priority:  

• Common 2021 Convention Questions? ANSWERS to these questions with more details about how they will be recognized and so many more questions about convention click here.  

• Schools who registered delegates by 9:36 p.m. on 5/17/2021 (the last time I checked before posting this message)  Click here to view that list.  

• Previous Convention Tips - click here

• 2021 State Parliamentary Procedure Results - please excuse the error yesterday, the link was not live.  Please click here for full results.  

• 2021 Conduct of Chapter Meeting Results - Please click here for the full results. 

Items in this listserv:

****NEW Information****

1. Celebrate our Staff - Riley Duckworth, Proudly Serving Illinois FFA Center since May 11, 2020

2. Congratulations to our 2021 NAAE Award nominees from Illinois!

3. 2021 Illinois FFA Reporter Awards 

4.  Soils Contest at the Farm Progress Show - Let them know

5. Alumni Ranger Raffle Sold Tickets/Money

6.  Illinois Crop Scouting Competition

1. Celebrate our Staff - Riley Duckworth, Proudly Serving Illinois FFA Center since May 11, 2020

Riley Duckworth is serving as the Associate Director of the Illinois Foundation FFA. She began working for the Illinois FFA Center on May 11, 2020. Riley, the daughter of Tim Duckworth and Sally Kittinger, is originally from Secor, Illinois. She moved to Eldorado at a young age, where she was raised on a farm by her step-father Bill Kittinger and mother. Riley is a graduate of Eldorado High School and Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. As the Associate Director, Riley’s primary responsibilities include overseeing the stewardship of Foundation donors and logistics of the local collection drive as well as marketing, branding, and media of Illinois FFA Center organizations.

The Illinois FFA Center is celebrating 1 year of Riley Duckworth. Help us celebrate Riley too, drop her a note, an email, a text, or a Facebook message, let her know how much she is valued by our Illinois Agricultural Education and FFA family!

2. Congratulations to our 2021 NAAE Award nominees from Illinois!

• Outstanding Early Career Teacher: Riley Hintzsche

• Outstanding Middle/Secondary Program: Cambridge

• Outstanding Post Secondary Agriculture Program: Western Illinois University

• Teacher Mentor: Jody Heavner

• Outstanding Cooperation: Susan Graham - SIU

• Outstanding Service: Mike Chausse

• Lifetime Achievement: Diana Loschen

• Teachers Turn the Key: Caseelynn Johnston

3.  2021 Illinois FFA Reporter Awards 

Congratulations to your Chapter and Section Reporters!  

4.  Soils Contest at the Farm Progress Show - Let them know

From Holly Spangler, Prairie Farmer: How many ag teachers could or would attend if we hold a soil judging contest again at the Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill., August 31- Sept 2, 2021? The contest would likely be August 31, but we’re trying to gauge interest before moving forward with the contest (the FPS is definitely on – contest still up in the air). Could you let my colleague, Tom Bechman, know by May 22 if you’d be interested in bringing a team? tbechman@farmprogress.com

5.  IL FFA Alumni Ranger Raffle - Sold Tickets/Money

Please send by priority mail sold tickets and money (no cash) to IL FFA Alumni, 3221 Northfield Drive, Springfield, IL  62702 by June 1st or please bring the tickets/money to any of the District Events/State FFA Convention to the registration area.  We need the tickets/money no later than June 9th.  Please do not return unsold tickets.

6.  Illinois Crop Scouting Competition

The University of Illinois Extension is hosting the first-ever Illinois Crop Scouting Competition is a one-day contest that gives teams of students, grades 9-12, from across the state the chance to test their agriculture knowledge in the field and network with university researchers. Cash prizes for the top three teams! For more information and to register please visit our website at go.illinois.edu/CropScouting.

• Date- August 4, 2021

• Time- 8 am-1:30 pm

• Location- Crop Sciences Research & Education Center, Savoy, IL

For more information, contact Chelsea Harbach, Commercial Agriculture Educator for Illinois Extension, at harbach2@illinois.edu.

CLICK HERE to view - **** PREVIOUS Information Shared - WORTH Sharing Again****

***DATES & DEADLINES - Remember***

• May 18 - 20, 2021 -  Illinois State University and IllinoisFFA State Invitational Virtual Greenhand Quiz Bowl Competition

• May 28, 2021 - Illinois FFA State Convention Business Session via Zoom 

• May 31, 2021 - Illinois FFA Center CLOSED - Memorial Day HOLIDAY

• June 1, 2021 - District 1 & 2 Illinois FFA State Convention - Cornbelters Stadium, Normal, IL

• June 1, 2021 - Submit FY22 Fair Contracts on the ilaged.org dashboard

• June 4, 2021 - District 5 Illinois FFA State Convention - Saluki Stadium, Carbondale, IL

• June 8, 2021 - 93rd Annual Illinois FFA State Convention, Illinois State Fairgrounds Grandstand, Springfield, IL

• June 9, 2021 - District 3 & 4 Illinois FFA State Convention, Illinois State Fairgrounds Grandstand, Springfield, IL

• June 10, 2021 - 93rd Annual Illinois FFA State Convention, Illinois State Fairgrounds Grandstand, Springfield, IL

• June 15 - 17, 2021 - IAVAT Conference, SUIC, Carbondale, IL, also virtual option

• June 28 - 29, 2021 - 2nd Year Ag Teacher Conference, Springfield IL

• July 5 - FFA Center CLOSED - 4th of July HOLIDAY

• July 12 - 16, 2021 - July Illinois FFA State Officer Team Meeting, Carbondale, IL

• July 27 - 28, 2021 - Beginning Advisors Conference, Springfield IL

• August 12 - 22, 2021 - Illinois State Fair, Springfield, IL

• August 31 - September 2, 2021 - Farm Progress Show, Decatur, IL

• Click here to view a summary of spring virtual contests, registration deadlines, date and time of events, etc.