Items in this listserv:

****NEW Information****

1. FFA Board Updates 

2. Hot Topics to clarify for Teachers

3. WLC Registration 

4. Illinois Pork Producers Scholarships

5. 2020 GROWMARK Essay Contest Results

6. Illinois State Florists' Association Student Design Contest 

7. Reminders and Clarifications for the Illinois Farm Bureau Legacy Trip

1.  FFA Board Updates

   • 212 in 2021 - the Illinois FFA Center is looking into multiple sites and is still working on those contracts.  Be on the lookout for those details in the future.  

   • FFA Board Chair Constitutional Amendment will be posted later this week.  

   • 92nd Annual Illinois FFA Convention - An official agenda will be coming out soon, the FFA board did vote on the final agenda and this year we will have 5 General Sessions and 2 Business Sessions.  Elections will still be held on Thursday morning. The first Business Session will be before lunch on Tuesday, June 9, 2020. More details to follow. Click here to view the proposed agenda - Potential 5 Session Schedule Tab

   • Agriscience Handbook changes and update

     1. Click here to view the newly revised Agriscience Handbook

     2. No longer requiring the National app for entries.

     3. Judging aligning with how National FFA does it, students go to judges rather than judges rotate to students.  Judges will be seated with signage indicating the area they judge.  

   • State Parliamentary Procedure exams will be added to the www.ilaged.org website soon as a resource for all teachers to reference.  

   • In 2021 all State FFA Degree signatures will move to electronic signatures.  That DOES NOT go into affect this year, but will for the State FFA Degree application beginning in 2021.  

   • BUILD site locations are currently being looked into.  

2. Hot Topics to clarify for Teachers

   • All 212 participants for the 2020 Conference to be held on February 7 - 8, 2020 have been accepted.  

   • At the 212 conference, there will not be a dance option, some game options will be provided, but we also encourage FFA members to bring board games, decks of cards and games of their choice.  

   • Community Service guidelines = Click here to view the Community Service Guidelines for State and American FFA Degrees.  

   • Home Community and Development is now = Service Learning, for this year we will follow the protocol that all previous SAEs that fell into Home and Community Development will move to Service Learning this year.  Once it is reviewed after this year, there could be some potential SAEs that move out of Service Learning.  

   • American and State Apps are LOCKED to AET - open their AET record book, add courses and then transfer end of the year values to AET.  

   • All proficiency judging will use the same rubrics we have been using the past 2 years.  

   • 2021 Proficiency judging - ALL SAEs will be in AET, there will be NO EZ records or paper record books in the 2021 Proficiency judging year.  THIS is THE LAST YEAR where multiple versions of record books can be used. THIS IS THE LAST YEAR to use the rubric mentioned above. 

3. WLC Registration 

Illinois FFA Week at WLC - Sunday, June 21 - Sunday, June 28, 2020

We will be doing group flights this year, so please choose which airport you want to fly out of on this form.  The choices are Midway Chicago and St. Louis Lambert Airport.

Trip Cost:  $1800 that does include:

1. The round trip flight

2. The registration fee for WLC to National FFA

3. As well as activities once they arrive in DC:

   1. including bus transportation

   2. site seeing admissions

   3. an evening dinner cruise

   4. three t-shirts

   5. additional overnight lodging for two nights

   6. It also covers the flight and registration for the chaperones.  

Those attending the Illinois WLC trip will be required to attend a mandatory meeting at the 92nd Illinois FFA Convention on Wednesday, June 10, 2020.  Participant t-shirts and other crucial information will be distributed at this meeting. Those participants meeting the chaperones for the designated flights are required to wear the Illinois WLC shirts for help in locating everyone at the airport. 

Please complete this registration form, one form per participant by February 7, 2020.  The first installment of $900 is due February 7, 2020, to the Illinois FFA.

Illinois FFA Alumni Scholarship Winners ONLY:

Washington Leadership Conference Alumni Scholarship amount $950 (Alumni pays)

WLC Trip Balance due from the student: $850

Scholarship Winners Only: $850 Due February 7, 2020. (Scholarship Students ONLY)

All other FFA applicants:

• $900   Due February 7, 2020 – Reserves Spot (Students)

• $900   Balance of Registration Due May 1, 2020.  (Students)

Mail checks to:

Illinois Association FFA

3221 Northfield Drive

Springfield, IL 62702

National FFA Consent Forms have not been released yet.  When they are they will be sent to your email address provided. 

IL FFA Consent Form & Food Allergies - Please complete by February 7, 2020, the link will be on the emailed invoice.   Commitment forms must be signed electronically by both student and parent via an automated email by February 7, 2020.  Please be sure to list a valid email on the registration form in order to receive the consent form email from the system.  We need to receive 2 acceptance emails, one from the student and one from the parent.

If you have questions, please contact the IL FFA Center, Patti Davis, pdavis@illinoisffa.org at 217-753-3328 Ext. 107.  

4.  Illinois Pork Producers Scholarships

There are three scholarships available through the Illinois Pork Producers.  All 3 applications are due no later than March 2, 2020 to the IPPA office or by email to jenny@ilpork.com. 

More detailed information can be found here.

5.  2020 GROWMARK Essay Contest Results

Click here to view the press release about the 2020 GROWMARK Essay contest.  Congratulations to these Illinois FFA members! 

6.  Illinois State Florists' Association Student Design Contest 

Click here to view the flyer about the Illinois State Florists' Association Student Design Contest in conjunction with the Annual Floral Design Show.  Competition is March 14, 2020 and entries must be made my March 6, 2020.  

7.  Reminders and Clarifications for the Illinois Farm Bureau Legacy Trip 

To clarify for the 2020 Premier Chapter Tour:  

• 5 chapters will send 4 students= 20

• 3 chapters will send 3 students= 9

• 2 chapters will send 2 students= 4

• 27 chapters will send 1 student= 27  

60 students represented from 37 total chapters - on average that is about 10 to 12 more schools represented on the trip than most recent years.  

Award Tour to Washington DC

Illinois Farm Bureau & Affiliates Premier Chapter Award Tour – Official Tour Title 

In order to maintain the same level of competition and suspense as in past years, the National Chapter Award finalists and placings will not be announced until FFA State Convention. Because this time frame does not allow for students to then immediately attend that year’s tour, the chapters that attend will be selected from the previous year’s results.  This will begin with inviting the 2018-2019 school year winners to attend the 2020 Award Tour. 

Participants for the Award Tour will be selected as follows:

• 1 student from each chapter of the 25 Illinois FFA Section winners

• 3 students from each chapter of the Top 1-5 National Chapter Award Finalists, chapters may also be section winner  

• 2 students from each chapter of the Top 6-10 National Chapter Award Finalists, chapters may also be section winner  

• The remaining 10 spots will be selected from the following ranking chapters beginning with 11th place. 1 student from each chapter that has not already sent a participant and is not a section winner.  

Chaperones will be requested from the Top 4 schools and will be filled in descending ranking order if those four schools are unable to provide chaperones. 

Total of 60 student participants 

The maximum number of students one chapter could send is 4 students, which is consistent with the previous Heritage and Cooperative Award Tour. 

Illinois Farm Bureau will draft and send a letter to the 2019 Premier Chapter Award winners announcing the addition of the Premier Chapter Award Tour to their award. 

Participants information will be due to Illinois Farm Bureau by February 15. Medical & Authorization forms will be due May 1, in addition to the $50 fee per participant. 

**** PREVIOUS Information Shared****

**** WORTH Sharing Again****

IAVAT:

CDE Registration 

• Click here for the original listserv message.  

 Registrations for CDEs

• Check the Event Registration tab behind your login on ilaged.org for most current event registrations

IACCAI:  

• Officers - Jeff Landers, JJC - President, Brian Clement, College of Dupage - Vice President, Doug Robb, WVCC - Treasurer, Jess Smithers, Richland - Secretary, Pete Fandel, ICC - Past President

• 2020 Conference = October 8-9, 2020 in Joliet

PAS: 

• Recent name change from Post-Secondary Ag Students to Professional Ag Students

• Officers - President - Gwen Heimerdinger, 1st Vice-President - Ryan Reeverts, 2nd Vice-President - Rob Janssen, 3rd Vice-President - Mazi Walker

Illinois FFA:

American and State FFA Degree Webinar Reminders

• Click here to review the original message.  Honorary Illinois FFA State Degree

Honorary State Degree Applications - DUE April 1 

• Teacher Application

• Non Teacher Application

212 Conference - February 7-8, 2020 Registration Information

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

Winter 2019 Illinois FFA Newsletter

• Click here to view the 2019 Winter Illinois FFA Newsletter

Fall 2019 Illinois FFA Newsletter

• Click here to view the 2019 Fall Illinois FFA Newsletter  

Trading Post for 2019 - 2020

• *** NEW THIS YEAR - you can exchange CDE registrations.  

• 2019 - 2020 Illinois FFA Advisor’s Trading Post

Lock Box Practicums and Activities

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

FFA Board August Updates

• 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.  

 2020 Illinois FFA State Convention Hotel Block Open

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

National FFA Results and Finalists

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

Illinois FFA Alumni:

Illinois FFA Alumni Annual Meeting & Auction - January 31 - February 1, 2020

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

212 and WLC Scholarship Winners 

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

Illinois FFA Alumni Auction - Chapter Baskets

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

4th Annual Illinois FFA Alumni Gun Raffle

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

Illinois FFA Center:

Registering for Events

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

Office Closings:  

• Monday, January 20, 2020 for MLK Day

Illinois Foundation FFA:

Illinois Foundation FFA December Update

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

2019 - 2020 Local Collection Drive Kickoff Listserv 

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

2018 - 2019 Illinois Foundation FFA Report 

• Click here to view the latest Foundation report

Industry Friends of agricultural education posts:

The Gathering of the Green invites Illinois FFA Chapters and members!

• Click here to learn more about it.  

1st annual High School Senior Welding Competition

• Click here for the flyer

• Click here for more information

• Click here for the blueprint

• Click here for the registration form  

DeKalb, Asgrow, Deltapine Scholarship

• Click here for more information.  

Agriculture in the Classroom 2020 Summer Internship

• Click here to view the application and for more information Click here.

Illinois Conservation Foundation Accepting Applications for 2020 Conservation Achievement Scholarships

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

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 FFA Scholarship Application is NOW LIVE!  

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

Try These Teacher Resources for Dealer-Sponsored Scholarships

• For tips on how to get scholarships for your FFA members with funds from AGCO, Ford, John Deere and Ram, check out "5 Steps to Signing Up Dealers."

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

• U.S. Poultry and Egg Curriculum

***DATES & DEADLINES - Remember***

• January 15 - National FFA Scholarship Application DUE - NEW THIS YEAR**

• January 20 - Office Closed - MLK Day

• January 22 - American FFA Degree Webinar at 5:00 p.m. Click here for more info

• January 31 - February 1, 2020 - Illinois FFA Alumni Annual Meeting & Auction, President Abraham Lincoln Hotel, Springfield

• January 31 - Deadline for Foundation Program and Stage Recognition for Sponsorship and Local Collection Drive

• February 1 - IAA Foundation Scholarships DUE - Click Here for info

• February 7-8 - 212 Conference, Decatur Conference Center

• February 24-28 - Chapter Visits - Click here to open the Chapter Visits Evaluation

• February 22 - State Food/Vet Science CDE Early Bird Registration DUE

• February 22 - 29 - National FFA Week

• March 1 - American FFA Degree Applications DUE - Click here for more info

• March 1 - Sam Taylor Scholarship Application DUE

• March 2 - Alumni Camp Scholarships DUE

• March 2 - Ag Legislative Seminar, Springfield

• March 3 - Ag Legislative Day, Springfield

• March 4 - District Proficiency Awards

• March 6-8 - State FFA Officer Team Meeting, Springfield

• March 7 - State Food/Vet Science CDEs

• March 9 - 10 - State Review of American and State FFA Degree Applications

• March 13 - Judges Submitted from all District Winners for State Awards Day

• March 13-14 - Alumni Council Meeting, FFA Center - Springfield 

• March 15 - Selection Committee Application DUE 

• March 20 - FFA State Officer Team Meeting

• March 20 - Mandatory Dairy Cattle & Handlers registration deadline

• March 21 - State Proficiency Awards Day, UIUC - Urbana

• April 1 - Honorary State FFA Degree Application DUE 

  • Teacher Application

  • Non Teacher Application

• April 2 - Illinois Foundation FFA Annual Meeting

• April 3 - State Dairy Cattle and Dairy Cattle Handlers CDE

• April 6 - 8 - American FFA Degree Interviews, Illinois FFA Center - Springfield

• April 10 - FFA Center Closed - Good Friday

• April 10 - Livestock Reasons & Horticulture Mandatory Registration DUE 

• April 10 - Livestock Non-reasons & Poultry Early Bird Registration CLOSES 

• April 13 - Administrative Council Meeting, Illinois FFA Center - Springfield

• April 15 - National Chapter Award Application DUE - ONLINE

• April 15 - State Convention Band Application DUE

• April 15 - State Convention Chorus Application DUE

• April 15 - State Convention Talent Application DUE

• April 17 - 20 - Round 1 of National Chapter Award Judging

• April 18 - Major State Officer Selection Committee - Springfield

• April 21 - Illinois FFA Board Meeting, Illinois FFA Center - Springfield

• April 23 - 30 - Round 2 of National Chapter Award Judging

• April 24 - Super Friday - State Livestock, Poultry & Horticulture CDEs

• April 28 - Section Ag Mech results DUE to register for State Ag Mech

• May 1 - Chapter President Award Application DUE

• May 1 - Chapter and Section Reporter Award Application DUE

• May 6 - State Ag Business Management CDE

• May 12 - State Ag Mechanics CDE

• May 15 - Eldon Witt Scholarship DUE

• May 15 - State Convention Courtesy Corps Application DUE

• May 15 - State Convention Farm Credit Newsroom Application DUE

• May 26 - 27 - State FFA Officer Team Meeting

• May 31 - Chapter Scrapbook Intent to Compete at State Convention

• June 1 - State Ag Issues Materials DUE

• June 1 - State Prepared Public Speaking Manuscripts DUE via email

• June 1 - State Job Interview Materials DUE

• June 8 - State Ag Issues, Parliamentary Procedure, Conduct of Chapter Meeting and Ag Communications CDE/LDEs, Springfield

• June 9 - State Ag Communications, Public Speakings, Job Interview CDE/LDEs

• June 9 - 11 - 92nd Annual Illinois FFA State Convention, Springfield

• June 11-12 -  State FFA Officer Team Meeting

• June 15 - IAVAT Board Meeting & Section Chairs Meeting

• June 16 - 18 - IAVAT Conference

• June 18 - 19 -  State FFA Officer Team Meeting

• June 21 - 26 - Legacy Tour (Formerly the Heritage & COOP Tour)

• July 3 - FFA Center Closed - 4th of July HOLIDAY