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HOT TOPICS - MUST KNOW:

• Looking for the list of 2024 Illinois FFA State Degree Recipients, the 2024 list of Illinois FFA American Degree recipients, and the 2024 Honorary FFA Degree recipients?  Look no further…click here

• 96th Annual Illinois FFA Convention, June 11 - 13, 2024 

Applications for State FFA Convention

• State Convention Farm Credit Newsroom App DUE May 15, 2024

• State Convention Courtesy Corps Application DUE May 15, 2024

• FY25 Section Fair Contracts DUE May 22, 2024

****NEW Information****

1. 2024 Illinois Honorary State FFA Degrees

2. Illinois FFA Distinguished Service Award Recipient

3. Illinois FFA State, Band, Chorus, and Drumline Announcement

4. Internship Opportunity: Digital Content Creation, Communications, and Educational Programming

5. Enter MyImpact Challenge from the Bill of Rights Institute

6. 2024 Illinois FFA National Chapter Award Results

7. Invitation to Agricultural Youth Work Guidelines Survey

8. 2024 Illinois Farm Bureau Chapter President Awards

9. Digital Scrapbook and Traditional Scrapbook Rubric and Deadlines

1.  2024 Illinois Honorary State FFA Degrees

It is with great pride that Illinois FFA shares our list of 2024 Illinois FFA Honorary Degree Recipients.  These tremendous friends of Illinois FFA have made and will continue to make a significant impact on Illinois FFA, we are exceptionally thankful for all they do for Illinois FFA.  Please help us celebrate the 2024 Honorary State FFA Degree recipients.  

2.  Illinois FFA Distinguished Service Award Recipient

Illinois FFA is beyond thankful for the service of Mr. Allen Dietz and Mr Allen Ritter, they have served Illinois Agricultural Education and FFA in various capacities and committees for over the past 20 years.  The Illinois Association FFA will honor Mr. Dietz and Mr Ritter with the Distinguished Service Award for their efforts in supporting Illinois agricultural education and FFA. They have both volunteered a tremendous amount of hours over the years reviewing and interviewing American FFA Degree candidates, judging Parliamentary Procedure, and various other FFA events.  It is truly awarded to those individuals who have rendered outstanding service to the FFA, helped advance agricultural education, positively impacted the Illinois FFA, and gone above and beyond. The officers of the 2023 - 2024 Illinois FFA State Officer team are very appreciative of Mr. Dietz and Mr Ritter for the support they have provided to agriculture, agricultural education, the Illinois FFA, and all of our young leaders in agriculture.  Please join us at the 96th Annual Illinois FFA State Convention to celebrate and award Mr. Allen Dietz and Mr. Allen Ritter with the Illinois FFA Distinguished Service Award.

On behalf of the Illinois Association FFA, we thank them both for their service and support to the  Illinois Association FFA.

3.  Illinois FFA State, Band, Chorus, and Drumline Announcement

Congratulations to the following FFA members, we are thrilled to have such great participation at the State Convention, our FFA members are incredibly talented and for that, we are very grateful.  Click here to see who those dedicated members are and their schedule for the State Convention. SPECIAL NOTICE: The Band, Chorus, and Drumline member buttons will be with the Directors on Tuesday, June 11, 2024.   

4.  Internship Opportunity: Digital Content Creation, Communications, and Educational Programming

Are you passionate about educating others on the importance of agriculture? The Fertilizer, Education, Research, and Training Foundation (FERT Foundation) is seeking a dedicated and creative intern to join their team. As an intern, you will have the opportunity to contribute to educational programming, assist with a virtual professional development course, create engaging digital content for social media and newsletters, and support various other initiatives as needed.  Click here for more information. If you're ready to make a difference and contribute to our mission of promoting plant and soil science education, research initiatives, and industry advancement, we encourage you to apply!  Please submit your resume and a cover letter outlining your interest and relevant experience to Haley Siergiej at hsiergiej@tfi.org with the subject line “INTERNSHIP.”Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until May 22, 2024. 

5.  Enter MyImpact Challenge from the Bill of Rights Institute

Are you a student aged 13-19 involved in community service? You could win up to $10,000 in the Bill of Rights Institute’s MyImpact Challenge service project contest! All it takes to enter is a project report, photo documentation, and an essay on how your project furthers Civic Virtues and Founding Principles.?Anyone making a difference is encouraged to apply, whether your project is centered on government, charity, or even business.  

Start your application today!

You can find all the details online at MyImpactChallenge.org, along with the full submission guidelines. The contest is open now, and entries are due by May 19. If you have any questions, email MyImpact@mybri.org. 

6.   2024 Illinois FFA National Chapter Award Results

Please click here to view the 2024 National Chapter Award results.  

All Bronze, Silver, and Gold winning chapters, as well as the Section winners in Building Communities, Growing Leaders, and Strengthening Agriculture Section winners, will be recognized on stage at the 96th Illinois FFA State Convention on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, see times below.  The Section Premier Chapter Winners and National Finalists will be recognized on stage at the 96th Illinois FFA State Convention during the 5th and final session on Thursday, June 13, 2024.  

• 1st Session, Tuesday, June 11, 2024, 1:00 p.m. - Growing Leaders Section Winners and State winners announced near the beginning of the session

• 1st Session, Tuesday, June 11, 2024, 1:00 p.m. - Strengthening Agriculture Section Winners and State winners are announced near the end of the session.  

• 2nd Session, Tuesday, June 11, 2024, 6:30 p.m. - Building Communities Section Winners and State winners announced near the beginning of the session.  

• 2nd Session, Tuesday, June 11, 2024, 6:30 p.m. - Bronze, Silver, and Gold winning chapters recognized near the end of the session.  

• 5th Session, Thursday, June 13, 2024, 1:00 p.m. - Premier Chapter Section Winners and National Finalists recognized and State winner announced, mid-session.  

7.  Invitation to Agricultural Youth Work Guidelines Survey

Message from Cassey Peltier • Health Educator Associate

Hello,

I’m a Health Educator with the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety. We have a safety resource called the Agricultural Youth Work Guidelines (www.cultivatesafety.org/aywg) which is a set of 48 guidelines to be used by parents and youth supervisors to help them assess a youth's physical and developmental capabilities before assigning them a task on the farm. We are conducting a survey to identify motivators and barriers to the use of the AYWG amongst farm parents and agricultural youth supervisors. Survey results will be used to improve the use and dissemination of these guidelines.

We are primarily looking for adults who are active in agriculture and oversee youth performing tasks in these environments, but maybe they have contacts as well to share the survey with.

We are trying to get responses nationwide and any help in sharing this survey out to your network would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a flyer with more details about the survey as well as an invitation that you could use as an email to share. 

If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Thank you!

Cassey

Cassey Peltier • Health Educator Associate

National Farm Medicine Center • National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety 

Marshfield Clinic Research Institute • Marshfield Clinic Health System

1000 North Oak Ave., ML-8, Marshfield, WI, 54449

(715) 389-3787 • (608) 345-2760

peltier.cassandra@marshfieldresearch.org

8.  2024 Illinois Farm Bureau FFA Chapter President Awards

Congratulations to these Outstanding Chapter Presidents! 

Click here to view all President application results, sponsored by the Illinois Farm Bureau.  The Top 10 and the GOLD Chapter Presidents will be recognized at the 96th Annual Illinois FFA State Convention during the 1st General Session that begins at 1:00 p.m.  Click here to view the 2024 Illinois FFA State Convention agenda. 

9.  Digital Scrapbook Rubric and Deadlines

Click here for the Digital Scrapbook Rules.  All Digital Scrapbooks must be submitted by June 1, 2024, please click here to share the link to your Digital Scrapbook.  Digital scrapbooks will be judged and announced before the 96th Annual Illinois FFA State Convention.  The 2024 Digital Scrapbook State Winner will be recognized on stage during the 5th Session that begins at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 13, 2024.  

DUE to the level of participation, lack of available resources, the 2024 Illinois agriculture teacher survey results and the launching of the NEW Chapter Showcase Room, the Traditional Scrapbook competition has been discontinued. 

**** PREVIOUS Information Shared - WORTH Sharing Again****

• CLICK HERE to view

• 2024 State FFA Convention Tentative Agenda

• State FFA Convention - Wyndham Room Block

• 2023-24 CDE/LDE Calendar Updated 4-11-24

• 2024 IAVAT Conference - All Teachers Please Read Before Starting to Register including Pre-Service, First Year Teachers, GAST Intern, Ag Ed Student/Intern.

*Please NOTE that clicking on Dates & Deadlines will take you to the www.ilaged.org calendar.  

• May 15, 2024 - Virtual IAVAT Board Meeting, 3:30-5:00 p.m.

• May 15, 2024 - District Job Interview, District Public Speaking & Greenhand Quizbowl Section Results DUE

• May 15, 2024 - State Convention Farm Credit Newsroom Application DUE 

• May 15, 2024 - State Convention Courtesy Corps Application DUE 

• May 21, 2024 - State FFA Convention Registration ENDS

• May 21, 2024 - Virtual FFA Board Meeting, 3:30-5:00 p.m.

• May 22, 2024 - FY25 Section Fair Contracts MANDATORY DUE

• May 24, 2024 - IL FFA Center Closing at 2:30 p.m. for Memorial Day Holiday

• May 27, 2024 - IL FFA Center Closed for Memorial Day Holiday

• May 28, 2024 - State Ag Issues CDE Mandatory Registration ENDS & Materials DUE

• May 28, 2024 - Job Interview & Public Speaking Materials DUE

• May 28-29, 2024 - State FFA Officer Meeting, IL FFA Center, Springfield

• May 29, 2024 - IL FFA Convention Business Session, Virtual

• June 1, 2024 - IL FFA Leadership Camp Registration ENDS

• June 7, 2024 - Ag Communications Mandatory Registration & Materials DUE to Lincoln Land Community College

• June 10, 2024 - Ag Communications & Ag Issues, Lincoln Land Community College, 5250 Shepherd Rd, Springfield, IL 62703

• June 11-13, 2024 - State FFA Convention, BOS Center, Springfield, IL

• June 11, 2024 - Job Interview & Public Speaking LDEs at State FFA Convention

• June 12, 2024 - Greenhand Quizbowl, State FFA Convention

• June 13, 2024 - IL FFA Alumni & Supporters Raffle Drawing, 1:00 p.m.

• June 13-14, 2024 - State FFA Officer Meeting, IL FFA Center, Springfield

• June 18, 2024 - IAVAT Board & Section Chairs Meeting, SIU-Carbondale

• June 19-21, 2024 - IAVAT Conference, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale

• June 23-30, 2024 - IL FFA WLC Trip, Washington, D.C.

• July 3, 2024 - IL FFA Center Closing at 12:30 p.m. for Holiday

• July 4, 2024 - IL FFA Center Closed for 4th of July

• July 8-12, 2024 - State Officer Meeting

• July 8, 2024 - IL FFA Leadership Camp Health Profiles & Signed Obstacle Course Forms are DUE for each camper.

• July 17, 2024 - Arrive Late/Leave Early IL FFA Leadership Camp Form DUE

• July 22-25, 2024 -  IL FFA Leadership Camp, Allerton Park, 4-H Camp, Monticello

• July 29, 2024 - ELS (New Teacher) Conference, 1701 Towanda Ave, Bloomington, IL 61701

• July 30-31, 2024 - Beginning Ag Teacher Conference, Heartland Community College, 1500 W Raab Rd, Normal, IL 61761

• August 8, 2024 - IL State Fair Parade, Springfield, IL

• August 9-18, 2024 - Illinois State Fair, Springfield, IL

• August 9, 2024 - Ag Day at the Illinois State Fair

• August 23-September 2, 2024 - DuQuoin State Fair, DuQuoin, IL

• August 23, 2024 - DuQuoin State Fair Parade

• August 26, 2024 - DuQuoin Farm Follies, DuQuoin State Fair, DuQuoin, IL 

• August 30, 2024 - IL FFA Center Closes at 2:30 p.m. for the Holiday

• September 2, 2024 - IL FFA Center CLOSED for Holiday

• September 3, 2024 - District I Star Conference, Black Hawk College East Campus, 26230 Black Hawk Rd, Galva, IL 61434

• September 4, 2o24 - District II Star Conference, Joliet Junior College, Main Campus, U Building, 1215 Houbolt Rd, Joliet, IL 60431

• September 5, 2024 - District IV Star Conference, Lake Land College, 5001 Lake Land Blvd, Mattoon, IL 61938

• September 10, 2024 - District V Star Conference, Southern Illinois University, 1263 Lincoln Dr, Carbondale, IL 62901

• September 10, 2024 - District V Greenhand Conference & COLT, Southern Illinois University, 1263 Lincoln Dr, Carbondale, IL 62901

• September 11, 2024 - WIU Greenhand Conference, Western Illinois University, 1 University Cir, Macomb, IL 61455

• September 12, 2024 - District II Star Conference, John Wood Comm College; John Wood Community College, 37803 St Hwy 104, Baylis, IL 62314 

• September 13, 2024 - Special Accommodation Form DUE for State Forestry CDE

• September 14, 2024 - Early Bird Registration ENDS for State Forestry CDE

• September 20, 2024 - Elite Conference

• September 28, 2024 - State Forestry CDE, SIU College of Agricultural Sciences, 1205 Lincoln Dr, Carbondale, IL 62901