2008-2009

The

Amanda-Clearcreek

FFA

February

Newsletter

FFA fact of the month: After 20 years of Decline,National FFA Membership increased in 1994.

* Monthly Chapter Meeting *

Themonthly chapter meeting is on Monday, February 9th at 7:00 P.M. in the Ag.Center. Depending on weather ajacket may be necessary. OfficerElections will take place, so everyone is highly encouraged to be at thismeeting! The Ag. Challenge ismarshmallow stuff. Sophomores wonthe feed bag hold last meeting. Congratulations to every member who received their Chapter FFA Degreelast meeting.

Ag. Sales CDE

The marketing of agricultural products is key to profitability intoday’s competitive economy, and agricultural sales play a major role in themarketing process. Through this CDE, students will save the opportunity todemonstrate skills in sales by participating in a wide range of activitiesoriented around the total sales process. This year our team consisted of: Jacob White, Mike Hite, and Jenni Miller. They placed 9th in the district as a team. Jacob placed 29th individually, along with Mike at 30th and Jenni at 43rd individually.  This was a good effort by thesemembers.

Job Interview CDE

The Ohio Job Interview CDE is designed for FFA members to practice anddemonstrate the skills needed inseeking employment in all areas of agriculture. Each part of this eventsimulates real world experiencesthat students will have when seeking employment in the future. One person per grade level for thisCDE. For the Freshman level, Jenna Ferguson placed 8th. DanielQuincelplaced 4th on the Sophomore level. Junior level, BrittanyStevensplaced 9th. C.J. Broaddus placed 9th on the Seniorlevel. Last but not least is Shelby Sizemoreplacing 1st in the 1st year Junior/Senior level. She will be going on to participate at State contest inMarch. Congratulations Shelby andthese other members!

Upcoming CDEs

Public Speaking: This CDEis used to develop agricultural leadership by providing FFA members theopportunity to participate in agricultural public speaking activities. Like Job Interview, there is one perarea for this contest: Creed Speaking, Beginning Prepared, Extemporaneous andPrepared.

Agricultural & Industrial Diagnostics: This CDE serves as an authentic assessment designed toevaluate students knowledge in recognizing and repairing malfunctions inagricultural and/or industrial power equipment. The skills Agricultural Education students employ in thisCDE are the same skills required by agricultural and industrial technicians.

Agronomy: This CDE teaches you about weeds, pesticides, etc. Weare in need of members to participate in this contest area - if interested,please see Mr. Tilley ASAP!

Equine Management: This CDE teaches you abouthorses; judging different classes, tack, etc.

Dairy Cattle: This CDE teaches you to judge cattle on dairy characteristics and take a written test on the dairyindustry.

General Livestock: This CDE teaches you how tojudge livestock for market. Members will judge classes of beef cattle, hogs andsheep.

Nature Interpretation: This CDE teaches you aboutsongbirds, wildflowers, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and has differentrelated practicums.

Wildlife Management: This CDE teaches you aboutgamebirds, shrubs & forbs, mammals, game fish and has different related practicums.

Anyone interested in these CDEs needs to sign-up onthe boards posted in Mr. Tilley’s room ASAP!!!

Degrees & Applications

All State& American FFA Degree Applications were due by January 27th. Along with the degrees, All ProficiencyAward Applications were due. TheState FFA Degree is the highest degree a state association can award an FFAmember. State FFA Degree winners represent the top 2% of the FFA members in thestate in the given year. TheAmerican FFA Degree is the highest degree a FFA member can earn. American FFADegree winners represent the top 1/2% of the FFA members in the country in thegiven year. Proficiency awards are based upon a member's SupervisedAgricultural Experience Project(s). Applicants must complete and submit theirproject books and a detailed application. Project books are evaluated foraccuracy and neatness while the applications are also evaluated for thesefactors plus numerous others such as the description of skills learned,supporting pictures, etc. Currently each February, applications are reviewedfor accuracy at the District level and submitted to the State level for furtherevaluation and placing. Those applicants deemed to be in the top few (generallythe top four) in the state in their respective area are then interviewed. Fromthese final applicants, three are then selected as the top three in the state,receiving their final placing and award plaques at the State FFA Convention inMay. This year our chaptersubmitted three State FFA degrees applications, one American FFA degreeapplication, and approximately 12 proficiency awards. District results shouldbe available in the next newsletter.

*Spotlight*

Chapter FFA Degrees

The Chapter FFADegree is the highest degree a chapter can award one of it's members. This year 29 members receivedtheir degree, and they were: Lyndsey Alexander, Morgan Baldwin, Becca Bentz, StevenBrumfield, Hannah Chenetski, Austin Conte, Cynthia Cruit, Bo Finney, JoshHampshire, Erin Hiestand, Michael Hite, Chancey Holbrook, Andrea Hollett,Cheyenne Jepsen, Kyle Klingler, Kendra Lama, Aaron Miller, Hayley Moss, RyanMundy, Shala O'Hare, Devan Picklesimer, James Poetker, Daniel Quincel, AlishaRaymond, Kelsie Sharp, Justin Strittmatter, Evin Tipple, Colleen Trapp, &Jacob White.

Made for Excellence

The Madefor Excellence Conference is a large leadership workshop usually held in eithera hotel or at a hosting FFA chapter's school. This workshop is an overnightleadership training activity put on by a group of State FFA Officers andinfluential speakers from around the country. The main goals of the conferenceare to promote leadership in FFA chapters, individuals and communities, as wellas meet other FFA members from around the state. It is an excellent opportunityto interact with other chapters in the FFA Organization. MFE is generally heldduring the months of December, January, February and March.

Officer Elections

The chapter will be saying good-bye to theofficers and introducing new ones. It is a vital part of our organization, the voting process. It decides who represents you and thechapter. The new officers willpick and plan activities for the upcoming year. They need to be leaders, who will represent the chapter andyou positively, maturely, and respectively. It is important every member attend and actively participatein this month’s meeting. In theend new officers will be chosen and the installation ceremony will take place.

Top Fall Fundraiser’s Trip

In the Fall of each year, the Amanda-Clearcreek FFAchapter hold's it's annual Fall Fruit Sale. As an incentive, any member whosells 25 or more of any combination of fruit gift baskets or boxes of fruit hasthe opportunity to attend the National Farm Machinery Show and Tractor Pullsheld annually in Louisville, Kentucky in February. Also the top fall flowerbulb sales people get to attend. Attending members will leave on Friday , February 13th in the morningand return on Sunday evening. Members on the trip will see the machinery show, the tractor pulls andenjoy Louisville's hospitality. Each year, Mr. Sharp, one of the chapter's twoadvisors, also plans an educational tour for the weekend in addition to theother activities. In past years, the chapter has visited the Louisville SluggerPlant, Churchhill Downs and the Dayton Airforce Museum. This is an excellenteducational opportunity for the chapter's members and a great reward for thosehard working fruit/flower bulb sellers. This year ScottLoudermilk, Brandon Bresler, Josh Hampshire, J.D. Stover, John Miller, NateSeitz, Curtis Hayes, Micheal Hite, Aaron Miller, Becca Bentz, Megan Gierhart,Erin Heistand, Andrea Hollett, Cheyenne Jepsen, Kendra Lama, Shala O’Hare,Sierra Jepsen, Miranda Metzger, Brittany Stevens, Colleen Trapp, Aundrea Wymer,Reba Hyme, Kyla Drake, and Brittany Pinkstock will be attending. Chaperoneswill be: Mr.Sharp, Mr. Tilley, Joel Spires, Regina Bresler, Mike Miller, Richard Stevens,Becky Gierhart, and LouAnne Hyme.

National FFA Week

NationalFFA Week is a week in February dedicated to recognize the FFA. FFA Chaptershave their students participate in various activities that relate toagriculture and the FFA throughout the week. Some of the activities our chapterhas done are: FFA Shirt Day, Official Dress Day, Teacher Appreciation Day, BibDay, Truck & Tractor Day, and Ag Awareness Day. This year the week looks like this: Tuesday, Blue & GoldDay - Dodgeball Tournament (date still pending); Wednesday, Tractor & Bib/OverallDay; Thursday, A-C FFA Shirt &Teacher Appreciation Day; Friday, FFA Jacket/Official Dress and 8th GradeAwareness Day.

March Events

- Saturday, March 7th: Marysville Invitational CDEs @Marysville High School at 10:00 A.M.

- Tuesday, March 10th: District 7 Ag. Mechanics @ Teays Valley at 3:00P.M.

- Monday, March 16th: Monthly Chapter Meeting @ 7:00P.M. in the Ag. Center

- Wednesday, March 18th: Early Release

- Saturday, March 21st: Ashland Invitational CDEs @Ashland High School at 10:00 A.M.

- Friday, March 27th: End of 3rd Nine weeks GradingPeriod

- Saturday, March 28th: State Spring Skills CDEs @ OSUFairgrounds at 9:00 A.M.