National FFA Organization
The National FFA Organization, often referred to simply as FFA, is an American non-profit career and technical student organization, which offers middle and high school classes that promote and support agricultural education. FFA was founded in 1925 at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, by agriculture teachers Henry C. Groseclose,[9] Walter Newman, Edmund Magill, and Harry Sanders as Future Farmers of Virginia. In 1928, it became a nationwide organization known as Future Farmers of America.
Formation
1928
- U.S. Department of Education Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education
1410 King Street,
Alexandria, Virginia, 22314, U.S. - 6060 FFA Drive,
Indianapolis, Indiana 46278, U.S.[2]
945,988 (9,163 chapters in 50 state associations and 2 territories)
Dr. Travis Park [3]
Scott Stump[4]
Amara Jackson[5]
- Dr. Travis Park -Chair and National Advisor
- Matt Winkle -National FFA Treasurer
- Ben Lastly -Executive Secretary, Southern Region (NASAE)
- Brandon Davis -State Supervisor, Eastern Region (NASAE)
- Charles Parker -State Supervisor, Western Region (NASAE)
- Matthew (Matt) Eddy -State Supervisor, Central Region (NASAE)
- Deanna Thies -AFNR Teacher (NAAE)
- Dave Gossman -AFNR Teacher (NAAE)
- Eric Rubenstein -Teacher Educator (AAAE)
- Jessica M. Blythe -Teacher Educator (AAAE)
- Barbara Jenkins -Business and Industry, U.S. Poultry
- Daphnne Bonaparte -U.S. Department of Education [6]
Future Farmers of Virginia [7]
In 1988, the name was changed to the National FFA Organization, now commonly referred to as FFA, to recognize that the organization is for students with diverse interests in the food, fiber, and natural resource industries, encompassing science, business, and technology in addition to production agriculture.[10] FFA is among the largest youth organizations in the United States, with 945,988 members in 9,163 chapters[11] throughout all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. FFA is the largest of the career and technical student organizations in U.S. schools.
The organization holds a congressional charter under Title 36 of the United States Code.[12]
Overview[edit]
The National FFA Organization is a youth leadership organization that claims to make a positive difference in the lives of young people by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agriculture education. The FFA Motto is Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve.[13]
FFA functions within the three-circle model of agricultural education as a student leadership organization that complements a student's classroom/laboratory instruction and supervised agricultural experience program.[14]
FFA members can compete in Career Development Events (CDE) that cover job skills in everything from communications to mechanics. Some events allow students to compete as individuals, while others allow them to compete in teams.[15] These competitions can happen at a local or district level, state level, and on the national level.
Students are supervised by agricultural education teachers that have to cooperate with parents, employers, and other adults who assist individuals in the development and achievement of educational and career goals.
The official colors of FFA are national blue and corn gold.[16]
To be an active member in the National FFA Organization, a member must have a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) project.[17] The projects involve hands-on application of concepts and principles learned in the agricultural education classroom, with guidelines for the SAE projects governed by the state FFA delegation. SAE programs are grouped into four areas:
FFA Career and Leadership Development Events (CDE/LDEs) are competitions that members compete in to test their skills learned through agricultural education instruction. They vary at the different levels of FFA, and some are contested only at certain levels or in specific states, districts, areas, or regions.[29]
At the national level, there are 25 Career and Leadership Development Events offered:[29]
Examples of CDE/LDEs offered in some states but not at the national level include:
Talent Competition, Band, and Chorus[edit]
In addition to the various Career and Leadership Development Events, the organization also hosts a national band and chorus alongside a talent competition. Although not officially recognized until the 20th National FFA Convention, concert bands have been present in the FFA since 1933.[31] The debut of the National FFA Chorus and Talent was in 1948 at the 20th National FFA Convention in Kansas City, Missouri.[32] Since then, members of the talent competition chorus, and band have provided entertainment at each National FFA Convention during the sessions. Members of the talent competition must apply and audition directly in the case that their state does not host a competition. In this instance, they must win their own state competition to qualify.[33] Similarly, members seeking to be in the national band and chorus must apply to participate.
