Items in this listserv:

HOT TOPICS - MUST KNOW:  

• SURFACE OF THE SUN HOT, HOT, HOT - Important Announcement: Transition to New Website Provider - Please check your email, this message was sent by Jennifer Waters on Friday, May 16, 2025.  

• HOT, HOT, HOT - FY26 Fair Contracts Due May 21, 2025 - THAT’S TOMORROW

• HOT, HOT, HOT- The Illinois FFA Alumni and Supporters Gator Raffle Tickets are still available to sell or purchase through PayPal.  After selling tickets, you can send them by Priority Mail to the IL FFA Center (please do not mail cash) or bring the money/tickets on the convention's first day. Please contact pdavis@illinoisffa.org for more information.

• HOT, HOT - Camp Health Profiles and Forms can be completed now to save time tracking down the students this summer.  More registrations might become available throughout May, so keep checking the registration page.

****NEW Information****

1. 2025 NAAE Awards & Eldon Witt Recipients 

2. 2025 Dave Cain Photo Contest Winners

3. 2025 Message from Illinois State Fairgrounds

1.  2025 NAAE Awards & Eldon Witt Recipients 

• Outstanding Middle/ High School - Heyworth

• Outstanding Teacher Award - Mark Steber - Olney

• Outstanding Teacher Mentor - Mark Steber - Olney

• Visionary Impact Award - Dr. Andrew Baker - WIU

• TTTK - Gwen Heimerdinger - Streator

• Early Career - Jacqueline Wetzell - Geneseo

• Ideas Unlimited - Michelle Wiseman - Edwards County

• Lifetime Award - Rodney Main - ROWVA

Eldon Witt

• ISU- Dana Merriman

• WIU- Elizabeth Cable

• UIUC- Jacqueline Schertz

• SIU- Emma Bohn

2.  2025 Dave Cain Photo Contest Winners

3.  Greetings from the Illinois State Fairgrounds!

Competitive Events wanted to provide you with step-by-step instructions to help you navigate the ShoWorks advisor approval tool for the 2025 Illinois State Fair. 

Here are a couple things to keep in mind: 

1. This process applies to Livestock events as well as our Junior Horse Show.   

2. ShoWorks is only being used at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield.

3. All entries must be approved by advisors by

   1. Thursday, July 3, 2025, for Junior Horse Show

   2. Friday, July 18, 2025, for Livestock Shows

• Step 1:  Go to Illinois State Fair website (statefair.illinois.gov). Under the Competitions tab, select Competitive Events Entry. From here you will either need to select the Livestock Events or Equine Events. Both buttons will take you to a page specific to that division with links to access the ShoWorks sites. Please note that there are two different websites. If you are approving both livestock and horses, you must log into each separate website.

• Step 2: Click the SIGN IN button in the upper right side of the page

• Step 3: In the “I am a…” drop down box, select CLUB

• Step 4: Choose your club/chapter name from the drop down

• Step 5: Enter your password

• The five-digit zip code of your school or office will be your password.

• Note: There is a single password per account. Once in system, you can change this password. If you have multiple approvers for your club, please make sure everyone knows the password. ISF will never see your password, nor will the students/exhibitors.  If you lose your password, click the button RESET MY PASSWORD under the login prompt.

• Step 6: Verify your club information or make edits, if necessary.  This info is used by ISF staff to contact you in the event we have a question. No exhibitors will see this information.

• Step 7:  Click GO TO MY ACCOUNT

• Step 8: Click APPROVE ENTRIES MADE UNDER THIS CLUB

• Step 9: A list of exhibitors will pop up on your screen.

  • Click the far-right button (check box) to approve each entry.

  • Once an entry is approved at the club level, the entire row will turn green. These entries do not disappear from your account. You will see them each time you log in.

  • When a new entry comes in, it will filter into your que for approval as a white row.  

  •  If you are unable to approve an entry, notify our office via email with the name of the exhibitor and the reason why you are unable to approve the entry.  

  • Email: Stephanie.Hardy@Illinois.gov

Again, all entries must be approved by the dates above for exhibitors to be eligible to show.

If you encounter technical difficulties during this process, please give us a call at 217-782-0786.   Our office hours are Monday – Friday 8:00-4:00pm.   

Stephanie Hardy, Illinois Department of Agriculture, COMPETITIVE EVENTS

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

• PREVIOUS LISTSERVS - CLICK HERE to view - 2024 - 2025 School Year

• CLICK HERE to view the 2023 - 2024 School Year Previous Listservs

• 2024-25 State CDE/LDE Calendar - Added New Event - 3-10-25

• 2025 IAVAT Conference Crowne Plaza Room Block Link: Closes 

May 16, 2025

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

• May 21, 2025 - FY26 Section Fair Contract DUE

• May 26, 2025 - Ag Issues Mandatory Registration ENDS

• May 26, 2025 - Ag Communications, Mandatory Registration ENDS

• May 26, 2025 - Special Needs Accommodations Form for Ag Issues or Ag Communications DUE

• May 28, 2025 - Ag Issues Materials DUE

• May 28, 2025 - Job Interview Materials DUE

• May 28, 2025 - Public Speaking Materials DUE

• June 1, 2025 - IAVAT Conference Registration $50 Late Fee Begins

• June 1, 2025 - Illinois FFA Leadership Camp Registration ENDS

• June 6, 2025 - Ag Communications CDE Mandatory Materials DUE

• June 9, 2025 - State Ag Communications, Lincoln Land Community College, 5250 Shepherd Rd, Springfield, IL 62703

• June 9, 2025 - Ag Issues, Lincoln Land Community College, 5250 Shepherd Rd, Springfield, IL 62703 

• June 10-12, 2025 - State FFA Convention, BOS Center, 1 Convention Plaza, Springfield, IL 

• June 10, 2025 - Public Speaking LDE at State FFA Convention, Springfield

• June 11, 2025 - Greenhand Quiz Bowl at State FFA Convention, Springfield

• June 16-18, 2025 - IAVAT Conference, Crowne Plaza, 3000 S Dirksen Pkwy, Springfield, IL 62703

• June 22-28, 2025 - IL FFA Washington Leadership Conference Trip

• July 3, 2025 - IL FFA Center closes at 12:30 p.m. 

• July 4, 2025 - IL FFA Center CLOSED

• July 7, 2025 - Illinois FFA Leadership Camp Health Profile, Signature Form/Insurance Card, and Obstacle Course FORMS DUE

• July 7-11, 2025 - State FFA Officer Meeting, SIU, Carbondale

• July 9-10, 2025 - 2nd Year Ag Teacher Conference, Lincoln Land Community College, 5250 Shepherd Rd, Springfield, IL 62703

• July 17, 2025 - Illinois FFA Leadership Camp Arrive Late/Leave Early Forms DUE

• July 21-24, 2025 - Illinois FFA Leadership Camp, 4-H Camp, Allerton Park, 515 Old Timber Rd, Monticello, IL  61856

• July 29-30, 2025 - Beginning Advisors Conference, Lincoln Land Community College, 5250 Shepherd Rd, Springfield, IL 62703

• July 31, 2025 - Joint FFA/IAVAT Board Meeting, Springfield, IL

• August 1, 2025 - IAVAT Section Chair Meetings, IL FFA Center, Springfield, IL

• August 5-6, 2025 - Illinois FFA State Officer Meeting, IL FFA Center, Springfield,

•  August 7-17, 2025 - Illinois State Fair, Springfield, IL