Minnesota FFA Alumni Association Spring 2014 Minnesota FFA Alumni Officers President: Judy Barka jbarka@meekercoop.net President Elect: Harmon Wilts harmon.wilts@monsanto.com Secretary: Chicky Otte sddotte@gmail.com Treasurer: Fred Troendle fred.troendle@gmail.com Membership Coordinator: Mary Buschette mbuschet@umn.edu Past President: Kevin Dahlman Convention Edition 2014 2014 MN State FFA Convention: Fuel Your Fire dahlman@xtratyme.com Region I: Open Region Representatives Region II: Aimee Brichacek tabric2001@gmail.com Region III: Charles Erickson cyerick@prtel.com Region IV: Cara Soper soper.cara@gmail.com Region V: Lynn Suter jlsuter@westtechwb.com Region VI: Open Region VII: Jim Burns jim.burns@procisesolutions.com Region VIII: Stacy Fritz sfritz@chatfield.k1 2.mn.us Member At Large: Nate Janssen Janssen.Nate@gmail.com The 85th Minnesota FFA Convention begins on Sunday, April 27th. The theme for this year s convention is Fuel Your Fire. This theme relates to the opportunities that FFA provides for members. FFA gives members the tools to grow and succeed in life. Agricultural teachers fuel the fire by helping students learn and discover their passions and interests. Alumni fuel the fire by providing support to continue the tradition of FFA for generations to come. The three days of State Convention promise to be very eventful. Members will participate in CDE contests, attend sessions and workshops, members will receive their State FFA Degree, the 2013-2014 State Officer team will deliver their retiring addresses, FFA supporters will be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and the 2014-2015 State Officer Team will be announced. Get excited for three days of celebrating MN FFA!
Learning to Do Alumni Development Conference: July 9-12 The 2014 Alumni Development Conference (ACD) will be held in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This conference is a great opportunity for Alumni members. Participants will be able to learn a lot and bring that knowledge back to their own affiliates and communities. This year s conference will focus on engaging the community, from administrators to business professionals, and everyone you meet. The conference will be held on July 9-12. Registration is now open. If you have any questions about the Alumni Development Conference, contact Fred Troendle at fred.troendle@gmail.com We will also provide 10, $200 scholarships to help cover expenses for ADC conference attendees. From the President: Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve. Judy Barka, Litchfield It s Convention Time!!!!!! State Convention is here! I love to watch the sea of blue jackets move around the University of Minnesota Campus. If the weather is good, the lawn outside of the CECC building is covered in Blue. Spending the last couple years working in the Stop and Shop has given me the opportunity to visit with members, advisors, parents, chaperones and bus drivers from around the state. Everyone always seems so positive about how things are going. I enjoyed asking the members why they came to convention as a delegate or to compete in something. Very rarely do I hear about coming to get out of school. In the Stop and Shop, I have visited with FFA members that are looking for something for their bus driver. Usually when they are doing this, there is a story or two that goes along with gift: Joe has been driving us to FFA events for years, he is a great driver and we just want to say thanks. Jim got on the wrong street going over to Mariucci, we want to say thanks for the experience. I most enjoy Stop and Shop in the morning. Members come in because they have some time before they go to their next activity or session. Many look half asleep! I greet them with my most perky good mooring and either gets a scowl or a little grin. The scowlers especially, I have to ask Did you get any sleep last night. Usually it s no, because we watched or talked. or listened to.. Those are the memories they will take home from convention. MN FFA Alumni members are involved in lots of activities as well during convention, both behind the scenes and in front. Stop and Shop is just one. Alumni members serve on the State Office Selection Committee, coach in all CDE areas, do workshops, serve on planning committees, chaperone, drive bus, and of course support FFA member in a hundred different ways. Don t forget to thank them for that service. Fuel the Fire sums up my continuing involvement in the FFA Alumni. I love the energy, excitement of the FFA members and they continue to Fuel my Fire to be involved. 2
Doing to Learn Stop N Shop at State FFA Convention Once again, MN FFA Alumni will be hosting the Stop N Shop at State Convention. This is a great place to pick up any essential FFA items. They will be selling FFA ties, suspenders, degree chains, shirts, mugs, sweatshirts, scrapbooking supplies, key chains, lanyards, caps, nylons, and more! It s a great place to pick up any items that you may have forgotten as well as a great place to buy gifts. You can find the Stop N Shop in room 166 of the CECC. The Stop N Shop will be open on Sunday from noon to 4:30pm, Monday from 7:30am to 4:30pm, and Tuesday from 7:30am to noon. We look forward to seeing you at MN State Convention! Minnesota FFA Alumni Affiliate Profile Dassel Cokato FFA Alumni Region: 5 Alumni Affiliate Members: 20+ Year Chartered: Reorganized in 2000 The Dassel Cokato FFA Alumni was selected as this year s outstanding FFA Alumni Affiliate. The Alumni stay very busy with many activities. Some of the activities they are involved with include assisting with National FFA Officer preparation day, corn drive, National Convention, fruit sales, coaching CDE s, chaperoning State Convention, and managing the school land. They also conduct chapter officer and proficiency interviews. Another event is the community dinner, held during FFA Week. The Dassel Cokato Alumni are dedicated to assisting the agricultural teacher/ffa advisor. Ag teachers need assistance in order to operate a quality program. The Alumni is able to fill the gaps that the instructor does not have time or expertise in. Advice that Dassel Cokato Alumni would give to others is to be wiling to offer assistance to the FFA and the instructor. Don t say that you are unable because you don t have experience in a certain area. Be willing to learn in order to assist the program. Offer assistance to the instructor before he or she even has to ask for it. There is no age limit to who can help. It is also important to remember that anyone can help, regardless of if they wore the blue jacket as a member. The Dassel Cokato FFA Alumni are committed to providing opportunities for the advisor, students, chapter, and community. *We are excited to welcome two new FFA Alumni Affiliates: Hawley and Sauk Rapids/Rice! 3
Earning to Live 2014 FFA Alumni Annual Conference Review On March 1st, approximately 70 Alumni members and FFA members gathered in Rochester for the Annual Conference. The event was held at Cascade Meadows environmental center. Attendees participated in different sessions. Some of the sessions include social media, successful FFA Alumni programs, bridging the gap between chapter and alumni members, and mobilizing volunteers. National FFA Secretary, Mitch Baker was a special guest and also a session facilitator. The day concluded with a noon meal and business meeting/awards ceremony. The Alumni Board was announced. Hall of Fame inductees were also recognized. Outstanding affiliates and members were recognized. Watch upcoming newsletters for more information in these individuals and affiliates. Shauna McReynolds representing National FFA Alumni presented a keynote address. Minnesota FFA Alumni Alumni Profile Larry Baumgardt 2014 Coach of the Year Sleepy Eye CDE events are an important part of an FFA program. One of the challenges that agricultural instructors can face is helping all teams prepare to participate in CDE contests. This is where community members and FFA supporters can step up to assist the FFA chapter and instructor. Coaching a CDE is a great opportunity to give back to the FFA program. Sleepy Eye FFA has an outstanding coach who goes above and beyond the call of duty. Mr. Larry Baumgardt serves as a coach for both the Soils and Poultry CDE teams. Larry Baumgardt has served as a coach for many years and has helped his teams reach levels of success in both contests. A past member of one of his teams, commented on how he had great knowledge of the contests and could present materials in a manner that was easy for students to understand and apply. He also takes the time to sit down with his teams after a competition. They are able to talk about the contest and what went well and how it could be improved for next time. This helps students really learn and understand the contest material. Larry Baumgardt also shares his time with Minnesota FFA members at State and National Convention. He conducts radio interviews with local FFA members. He talks to them about their FFA involvements and activities. This allows many people to hear what is happening in FFA and why it is an important part of Minnesota schools. Minnesota FFA is lucky to have dedicated coaches. These people are dedicated to teaching and preparing students to compete in various CDE contests. Thank you Mr. Larry Baumgardt and all coaches, for the dedication, support, and time you have given to your local FFA program and CDE participants. 2013 State Winning Poultry CDE Team 2013 State Winning Soils CDE Team 4
Living to Serve Banquet Speakers It is the end of the school year which means that it is also chapter FFA banquet season. This is an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of the FFA chapter and the individual accomplishments of members. MN FFA Alumni Board members would love to celebrate the accomplishments of your FFA chapter. If you would like to have an FFA Alumni member speak at your banquet, please feel free to contact us at mnffaalumni@gmail.com Good luck with all of your banquet preparations! Congratulations on all of your accomplishments over the year. 2014 Minnesota FFA Hall of Fame Inductees The Monday evening session of the Minnesota FFA Convention honors the accomplishments of many people who have worked very hard for things they are passionate about. One special group of individuals who will be recognized are the 2014 Hall of Fame inductees. These eight individuals have dedicated their time and talents to creating a bright future for agricultural education and FFA in the state of Minnesota. *Val Aarsvold, Altura MN *Greg Gosen, Albert Lea, MN *Dr. Allen S. Levine, Mendota Heights, MN *Kevin Dahlman, Cokato, MN *Rep. Rod Hamilton, Mountain Lake, MN *Joel Larsen, Savage, MN *Jim Molenaar, New London, MN *Dr.Deane A.Turner (Deceased) 5
Premier Leadership, Personal Growth, and Career Success April 27, 28, 29 Upcoming Events State FFA Convention April 27 12-4:30 Stop N Shop CECC April 27 4:30-5:30pm Past State Officer Reception-Mariucci Club Room April 28 7:30 AM-4 PM Stop N Shop-CECC April 28 10:30-11:30 MN FFA Alumni Gathering CECC Room 77 April 28 1:30 Second General Session Remarks from 25 Year Of ficer Team CECC 135 April 28 4:30 FFA Foundation Honors Reception-Mariucci Club Room April 29 8AM-12PM Stop N Shop-CECC Minnesota FFA Alumni Association PO Box 131298 Roseville, MN 55113 Email: mnffaalumni@gmail.com Minnesota FFA Alumni: Supporting the Blue Jackets since 1972! Newsletter created by Minnesota FFA Alumni Intern Lisa Roker. FFA Alumni Mission The mission of the Minnesota FFA Alumni Association is to secure the promise of FFA and agricultural education by creating an environment where people and communities can develop their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success. FFA Alumni Vision The vision of the Minnesota FFA Alumni Association is a world where people and communities can grow and develop to their fullest potential. Contact us! Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter! Link with us on LinkedIn! Find our website online! 6