*sent to all Ag teachers/FFA advisors

Items in this message:

1. Black Hawk East College Greenhand Conference

2. Highland Community College Greenhand and Discovery Conference

3. District 1 FCAE Professional Development In-services

1. Black Hawk East College Greenhand Conference

Black Hawk College will host the third annual leadership conference for the FFA Greenhand members.   This year's conference will focus on leadership development, personal growth and team building activities for new members.  The conference will be held on Wednesday, September 4th, 2019 on the east campus of Black Hawk College.  Below is the schedule for the conference.

Registration                  4:00 pm to 4:30 pm           Foyer – Bldg. A

Dinner                           4:30 pm to 4:50 pm           Hoge Auditorium

Welcome                       4:50 pm to 5:00 pm           Hoge Auditorium

Keynote Speaker          5:00 pm to 5:45 pm           Hoge Auditorium

Workshops                    5:45 pm to 7:00 pm           Classrooms

Please contact Kelly Craig at craigk@bhc.edu to register your school.  Kelly will need to know your school name and head count.  Each school is limited to 6 students per chapter and reservations are due on Wednesday, August 28^th, 2019.   Additional spots may become available if all spots are not filled.  Dinner and t-shirts will be provided to participants.  There is no cost for this event.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Sincerely, 

Jeffry Hawes 
Black Hawk College

2. Highland Community College Greenhand and Discovery Conference

Highland Community College will be hosting a Greenhand and Discovery Conference on Tuesday, October 8, 2019.  Please see information regarding this event below.

Purpose:       To introduce FFA members to the opportunities available in the FFA organization, learn
                     skills to becoming a successful leader, and meet other FFA members from NW Illinois.

When:             Tuesday October 8, 2019

                        Registration begins at 4:30 pm

                        Welcome and meal begins at 5:00 pm

Where:            Student Conference Center (Building H)

                       Highland Community College Campus

                       2998 W Pearl City Road Freeport, IL 61032

                       https://highland.edu/campus/campus-map/

Who:               All Junior High and first-year High School FFA members

Cost:                $3 per person to cover meal expense

                        Please make checks payable to Eastland FFA

Please RSVP with numbers by Friday October 4, 2019 to: Cynthia Feltmeyer, Eastland High School (815)493-6341; cfeltmeyer@eastland308.com

3. District 1 FCAE Professional Development Workshops

At each of these Greenhand Workshops, District 1 FCAE will be providing in-service workshops for teachers (same workshops at each site).  The professional development workshops will run simultaneous with the Greenhand workshops.  There are no costs for these workshops and dinner will be provided by our hosts.  Registration for the professional development is MANDATORY to ensure enough supplies and materials are ordered for the participants.  Space is limited, so place register early.

The topics chosen for the workshop include:

Workshop 1- Reading Strategies Wheel with Liz Harris and Madelyn Hubble

Do you find yourself always falling back on and using the same reading strategies in your classroom? In this workshop, participants will learn about a variety of reading and literacy strategies and how to incorporate them into your existing agricultural instruction.  Participants of this workshop will walk away with a Reading Strategy Wheel (as seen on the Facebook Illinois Ag Ed Discussion Lab and at IAVAT Conference) to enhance this aspect of their curriculum.

Workshop 2- Agriscience Fair for All

Agriscience fair novices or notables are welcome at this workshop. Learn the basics and more of student driven agriscience fair projects in the classroom including set up, organization, and timing. Participants will leave understanding how to guide researchers in the classroom and as FFA competitors.

Workshop 3- NEW Land-use Career Development Event Practice Problems

Are you struggling with the new FFA Land-use contest?  Are you not sure of how to complete the new scorecard?  Participants of this workshop go through a practice problem using the new format in addition to receiving other practice problems they will be able to use with their students as they prepare for the upcoming section and state land use career development event this fall.

The deadline to register for the D1 Professional Development Workshop at Black Hawk will be on Wednesday, August 28, 2019 and at Highland on Tuesday, October 1, 2019.  The registration link is below.

https://forms.gle/xPSmed2xpEhUuFyJ8