South Dakota FFA Foundation, Inc. Newsletter

SD FFA Foundation Email Newsletter ~ | ~ Volume 7, Issue 8 ~ | ~ February 2017

The SD FFA Email Newsletter highlights special projects of the SD FFA and SD FFA Foundation. Please forward this newsletter to others you know who are involved and interested in FFA and agriculture education. Thank you for your support of the FFA in South Dakota! Transform

Director’s Message:

The excitement is building in South Dakota FFA. On Saturday, FFA chapters across the country will begin celebrating National FFA Week! This is an opportunity for FFA members, alumni and you, FFA supporters, to advocate for agricultural education and FFA. Please share what FFA is and the impact it had on you.

Some of my favorite FFA memories involve making pancakes & eggs at 6 a.m. for our businessman's breakfast. I was proud to share what our chapter was doing. FFA chapters are celebrating the impact through a variety of activities including agriculture olympics, appreciation breakfasts and service learning projects. Have fun with FFA in your community, take your jacket to work, and share your FFA story on social media.

Gerri Ann Eide, Executive Director, SD FFA Foundation, Inc.

Because of people behind the scenes, FFA members TRANSFORM their voice

The SD FFA Foundation believes in the future of agriculture, and helping our young people grow. Members recognize how the Ag Ed team impacts their lives … Cheyenne

Cheyenne Adams, Jr, Dell Rapid Junior shares, “FFA creates opportunities, like speaking in front of others, helping me be comfortable and confident speaking, which will help me share my strengths when I apply for jobs. I meet great people who will be life-long friends. None of it would be possible without my ag teacher (Mr. Tom Wolff) encouraging me.” The SD FFA Foundation board works hard, because we TRANSFORM the voices that will speak for the future of our industry and accomplish great things for agriculture! Thanks to all our sponsors behind the scenes at FFA events, providing the necessities to help students.

Upcoming events:

February 18-25 - National FFA Week - National FFA officer visiting various SD FFA chapters
March 3 – Redfield CDE
March 10 – State Officer & Ambassador Applications DUE
Mar 7 – Watertown CDE
Mar 14 - Platte Geddes CDE
Mar. 21 - Miller CDE
April 4, 11 – 3 pm, Science Fair, Mitchell, SD
Mar. 27 - Tri-Valley CDE
Apr. 5 – Bowdle CDE
April 23-25 – State FFA Convention, Brookings
July 30 – Aug 2 – SDAAE Conference, Brookings

JOIN US

Support the FFA! Anyone who believes in the importance of FFA & agricultural education can be a member. Even if you never wore a blue jacket yourself, you’re welcome to join the South Dakota FFA Alumni Association as we prepare students for a brighter future.

For more information contact: Dawn M. Nagel, SD FFA Alumni Coordinator, sdffaalumni@outlook.com

Advocate for Ag Ed during National FFA Week

February 18-25 is National FFA week, an ideal time to reconnect with the organization that may have played a role in where you are today. Show everyone you know that you support the FFA and are FOREVER BLUE! Share your FFA pride with others -

Drape your jacket on the back of your chair at work, hang it in your car for all to see, or display it on your coat rack at the office.
Post an old photo of you in your FFA jacket as your Facebook profile photo.
Share the South Dakota FFA Foundation facebook posts, to increase our # of followers
Park a trailer full of hay by the road, and spray paint FFA on it
Wear FFA blue on Friday the 24th along with people across the country.
Share your AgEd/FFA experience on social media.
Run an ‘FFA Week challenge’ at work – put up a sign about FFA, ask for employee donations and get your company to match the total donations employees make! Send in your donations, marked as FFA week challenge - we'll highlight companies who participated in the next newsletter!

Help promote American agriculture, and share the positive things FFA and Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources programs provide for our youth.

Business & Industry Visits

The South Dakota FFA State Officers will hold their annual Business & Industry Visits on March 6-8. You may see them as they travel through Brookings, Volga, DeSmet, Huron, Pierre, Rapid City, Sturgis, Belle Fourche & Newell. This is a great opportunity for them to:

Learn more about various businesses representing South Dakota agriculture's diversity.
Learn about the future needs of the industry.
Share what agriculture education classes/FFA are doing to help meet the needs of South Dakota’s future.

Transform

FFA Career Carnival

South Dakota’s number one industry is agriculture and we produce some of the best crops and livestock in the world – and we need to raise our voice. Help future agricultural leaders tranform their voice for agriculture knowledge to share about the ag industry! We would like to invite businesses and commodity organizations to host a carnival game and interact one on one with the next generation of producers, leaders and consumers, during the SD FFA State Convention. Have a game to draw them in and then provide them the knowledge to promote and defend the agriculture industry, as well as possibly choose an agriculture career. The South Dakota State FFA will be hosting a Career Carnival for high school students on Monday, April 24, during the 2017 State FFA Convention on the SDSU campus. Cost is $250/booth - contact gerri@sdffafoundation.org for more information.

State Convention is coming!

The South Dakota FFA Association and Foundation are deep in the heart of State Convention planning for 2017. Mark your calendars for April 23-25 and check next month for details. Sunday night there will be a highlight of sponsors, proficiency awards, past state officer recognition and the keynote speaker. Monday are the Career Development Events, workshops, Career Carnival, State Degree banquet, scholarships, National FFA officer speaking, and over 270 students will get their State FFA Degrees. Tuesday will be the Career Development results and the election of officers. Join us for the celebration! We are still short sponsors for several areas. If you are interested in TRANSFORMING young leaders contact: gerri@sdffafoundation.org to see what is still available.

Advocating for Agriculture Education at the state capitol

Nearly 50 FFA district and state FFA officers met with state legislators and other government officials in Pierre, January 18-19 to share how FFA is helping them ignite their interest in leadership.

Thank you to our continued and new sponsors (listed on our website at www.sdffafoundation.org) of the FFA Legislative Breakfast! Students visited the state capital in action learning about state government and shared their leadership experiences and the need for Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources programs, so that FFA chapters can continue.

Featured Fundraiser

Drive with FFA Pride!
Put FFA License plates on your vehicle!

When getting the new license plate this year, ask for "organizational plates" at your County Treasurer's office.
Purchase a set of SD FFA license plate decals from the SD FFA Foundation at 39393 133rd St., Bath, SD 57427, 605-765-4865. Decals are $15, checks payable to the SD FFA Foundation.
Put the decals on your organization license plates!

Zoetis supports Local FFA chapters
South Dakota FFA chapters will again have the opportunity to earn funds through the Zoetis FFA Support Program starting in February. Eligible Zoetis accounts complete an enrollment form (by May 6), and receive a 1 percent rebate on all Zoetis cattle products, excluding MGA® purchases, from Feb. 1 to April 30, 2017. The rebate can be donated to local FFA chapter(s) of their choice. Talk to your local Pfizer rep and ask them to sign up for this program! S.D. FFA chapters earned $56,428 in 2015 through this program. Thank you!!

Plan a gift to the SD FFA Foundation
in your annual budget.

You can donate online here or mail a donation to: SD FFA Foundation, 39393 133rd St., Bath, SD 57427