Items in this listserv:

**** Top Priority****

FFA Rosters DUE - October 1, 2020

• Please click here for roster instructions.

• 2020-2021 FFA Dues are $14.00 per member ($7.00 for National dues and $7.00 for State dues)

• Affiliation Fees Schedule

National Chapter Award - Chapter Strategic Plan DUE - October 1, 2020 

REMINDER:  GROWMARK Foundation to Provide FFA Jackets

• In April 2019, Mike Builta, a GROWMARK vice president and long-time employee, passed away unexpectedly. To honor his memory, the GROWMARK Foundation will be providing 100 FFA jackets to FFA members in Illinois.

• Twenty-five jackets will be provided each year from 2019-2022. FFA members are asked to answer the question “What does the FFA jacket mean to you?” and share the main goal they wish to accomplish as an FFA member. The application is available at https://bit.ly/BuiltaJacket2020 and is due September 30, 2020, at midnight.

• Questions - Contact: Karen Jones, kjones@growmark.com, 309-557-6184

• Click here to view the listserv sent from the FFA Center

****NEW Information****

1. GROWMARK Essay Contest 

2.  Leadership Training School Speeches

3.  National FFA Blue Jacket Sale

1.  GROWMARK Announces 2021 Essay Contest Theme

The theme for the 2021 GROWMARK Essay Contest is: “If you could invent a new technology to improve agriculture, what would it be?” The contest is open to all high school FFA members in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

This is the 28th 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 describe a problem within the agricultural industry, and a creative way to provide a solution. Students are encouraged to be creative with their ideas, whether or not the solution they propose is currently possible.

Essays will be submitted online at www.bit.ly/GMKEssay2021. The deadline for all submissions is midnight Central time on November 6, 2020. 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

2.  Leadership Training School Speeches

The Illinois FFA Major State Officer Leadership Training School speeches have been uploaded to the ilaged Youtube link.  Click here for a document that has reflective questions that you can use with each of the Leadership Training School (LTS) speeches.  Reminder that Chapter Visits segments will be coming soon…

3.  National FFA Blue Jacket Sale

Next week, you can experience what National FFA callsl the Official Jacket Throwback Sale, with FFA jackets reduced to 2010 pricing. For a limited time, members can get their official jackets for only $49. And teachers, if you are looking to bulk up your inventory of shared jackets, now would be an excellent time to consider an order from ShopFFA.org. The sale begins on Sept. 22 and will last only a short time. Visit ShopFFA.org for details, and then join us on social media to share your Official Dress photos. Who knows — a member in a new jacket might make it into our convention programming and online streaming.   

**** PREVIOUS Information Shared****

**** WORTH Sharing Again****

Career Development Events:  

Ag Sales Product - Now Available

• Click here to view the listserv message sent by the FFA Center on 9/8/2020

2020 Illinois FFA CDE Schedule (2021 CDE Schedule TBA)

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

IAVAT:

IAVAT Dues/Donations

• Click here to view the listserv sent from the FFA Center

IAVAT Fall 2020 Professional Development Series

• Click here to view the listserv sent from the FFA Center

 IAVAT Committees

• Click here to view the listserv sent from the FFA Center

SAE Committee State Proficiency Survey - PLEASE Take a Moment to Complete

• Click here to view the listserv sent from the FFA Center 

Membership Memos

• Please complete this form if you would like to notify the Illinois FFA Center about an event in the lives of someone in our FFA Family. 

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 = Click here for listserv from FFA Center to collect feedback

PAS: 

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

Illinois FFA:

National Chapter Award Chapter Strategic Plan

• Click here to view the listserv sent from the FFA Center

Section CDE Registration Reminder

• Click here to view the listserv sent from the FFA Center

2020 National FFA Results for Agriscience, National Chapter Award and Proficiency Results

• Click here to view the listserv sent from the FFA Center ~ Click Here to view the full results for all of our Illinois FFA Entries.  

Illinois FFA State Officer Team Updates 

• Click here to view the listserv sent from the FFA Center

FFA Rosters DUE - October 1, 2020

• Please click here for roster instructions.  

Illinois FFA Names Two American FFA Degree Star Finalists

• Click here to view the listserv sent from the FFA Center

Tallo-AET SAE Grant Winners

• Click here to view the listserv message about Olivia Charles, West Carroll FFA

• Click here to view the listserv message about Dennis Wollin, South Central FFA

State Theme t-shirt, Convention t-shirts & Buttons

• Click here to view the listserv sent from the FFA Center

FFA Board Updates - August 2020

• Click here to view the listserv sent from the FFA Center

 Notes of Thanks to Virtual Convention Sponsors & Friends

• Click here to view the listserv sent from the FFA Center

Donate to Virtual State FFA Convention

• Click here to view the listserv sent from the FFA Center 

Illinois FFA Alumni and Supporters:

Illinois FFA Alumni Ranger Raffle 

• Click here to view the listserv message sent by the FFA Center on 9/8/2020

Alumni - National Outstanding Chapter Applications

• Click here to view the listserv message sent by the FFA Center on 9/8/2020

• Click here to find the folder with those forms.  

Illinois FFA Alumni Council Officer Letter of Intent

• Click here to view the listserv sent from the FFA Center

Alumni Update - August 2020

• Click here to view the listserv sent from the FFA Center

Illinois FFA Alumni Annual Meeting & Auction Update 

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

Illinois FFA Center:

How to Pay Account Balances with a Credit Card  - For Teachers

• October 12, 2020 - Illinois FFA Center CLOSED - Columbus Day

• November 26 - 27, 2020 - Illinois FFA Center CLOSED - Thanksgiving

• December 24, 2020 - January 4, 2021 - Illinois FFA Center CLOSED - Winter Break

Celebrate our Staff - Patti Davis, Proudly Serving Illinois FFA Center since August 23, 2010

• Click here to view the listserv sent from the FFA Center

Celebrate our Staff - John Edgar, Proudly Serving Illinois FFA Center since July 6, 2015

• Click here to view the listserv sent from the FFA Center 

Celebrate our Staff - Tammy Yard, Proudly Serving Illinois FFA Center since April 30, 2007

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

Illinois Foundation FFA:

2019 - 2020 Illinois Foundation FFA Annual Report 

• Click here to view the 2019 - 2020 Illinois Foundation FFA Report

Industry Friends of agricultural education posts:

4-H Sustaining the Future Award

• Click here to view the listserv message sent by the FFA Center on 9/8/2020

GROWMARK Foundation to Provide FFA Jackets

• Click here to view the listserv sent from the FFA Center

National FFA:

National Awards Judges Needed

• Click here to view the listserv message sent by the FFA Center on 9/8/2020

The Horizon Conference

• Click here to view the listserv message sent by the FFA Center on 9/8/2020

National FFA Updates

• Please find a National FFA report at: https://ffa.box.com/s/m7h4aousg0fk73cubhfji8d2oldhnzci. 

• Find a detailed list of updates and additional national information at: https://ffa.box.com/s/m7h4aousg0fk73cubhfji8d2oldhnzci

***DATES & DEADLINES - Remember***

• September 24, 2020 - FFA Board Online Meeting - 3:30 pm

• September 24, 2020 - FFA State Officer Team Online Meeting - 6 to 8 pm

• September 26, 2020 - Forestry Virtual CDE - 10 am to 2 pm - More CDEs

• October 1, 2020 - FFA Rosters DUE - Roster Instructions

• October 1, 2020 - National Chapter Award - Chapter Strategic Plan DUE

• October 1, 2020 - Illinois FFA Alumni Council Officer Intents DUE

• October 12, 2020 - Illinois FFA Center CLOSED - Columbus Day

• October 13, 2020 - Administrative Council Meeting - 3:30 pm

• October 14-15, 2020 - Virtual Elite Conference

• October 17, 2020 - Horse Evaluation Virtual CDE - 10 am to 2 pm - More CDEs

• October 22, 2020 - FFA Board Online Meeting - 3:30 pm

• October 27 - 29, 2020 - National FFA Virtual Convention - More Information

• October TBA - FFA State Officer Team Online Meeting

• November 1, 2020 - FFA Roster Administrator Approval DUE

• November 1, 2020 - FFA Dues payment received by the Illinois FFA Center

• November 6, 2020 - GROWMARK Essay Contest Deadline

• November 16 - Celebrating 19 years of Lori Nelson at the Illinois FFA Center

• November 19, 2020 - FFA Board Online Meeting - 3:30 pm

• November 19, 2020 - FFA State Officer Team Online Meeting - 6 to 8 pm

• November 21, 2020 - Ag Sales -  Assigned Times - More CDEs

• November 26 - 27, 2020 - Illinois FFA Center CLOSED - Thanksgiving

• December 3, 2020 - FFA State Officer Team Online Meeting - 6 to 8 pm

• December 12, 2020 - Agronomy Virtual CDE - 10 am to 2 pm - More CDEs

• December 24, 2020 - January 4, 2021 - Illinois FFA Center CLOSED - Winter Break