Items in this listserv:

HOT TOPICS - MUST KNOW:

• HOT, HOT - Sam Taylor Scholarship Application - DUE March 1  Sam Taylor Scholarship Application.

• HOT - 2024 Illinois FFA Selection Committee

The State FFA Officer Selection Committee application is due March 15, 2024.  If you have students who are interested in being on the 2024 Selection Committee click here to apply.  Should a student be selected, they need to know the selection committee will meet on April 27, 2024, in Springfield, Illinois. Their attendance will be critical to the process. Their ability to travel to Springfield on that date is required.

• Getting Warmer - National Chapter Award - DUE April 1, 2024, and MUST be SUBMITTED on AET, need a REMINDER on how to submit?  Click Here.  Great news, the January State Scoop podcast special guest is Trent Taber, Cambridge FFA provides insight and advice on the National Chapter Award.  

• Second Semester Students added to roster.  Just a reminder that if you have second semester students who are not on your roster yet, please get them submitted.  If you have any questions, contact Tammy at tyard@illinoisffa.org.

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• CORRECTED Link for the Illinois FFA Leadership Camp Alumni Scholarship - The Illinois FFA Alumni and Supporters Camp Scholarship Application and Letter of Recommendation is due on Friday, March 8, 2024.

****NEW Information****

1. Dave Cain Photo Contest

2. 2024 American FFA Degrees submitted to National FFA from Illinois

3. 2024 Spring Survey

1.  Dave Cain Photo Contest

Click here to submit your photos by Wednesday, May 1, 2024.   

Here are some good example photos.  Click here for the rubric.  

click here to view the 2023 winning photos.  

Rules and Guidelines

1. Contestants must be members of the Illinois Association FFA.

2. All work must be that of the entrant. 

3. There are six categories: 

   1. Blue Jacket Best 

   2. Scenes of the Agriculture Industry 

   3. Animal Agriculture

   4. FFA Magical Moments

   5. Ag Teachers in Action 

   6. Ag Education at It’s Finest

4. Each contestant may submit a total of six photos; one photo per category. 

5. Judges reserve the right to move a photo into a more suitable category. 

6. All photos must be in horizontal or landscape format. 

7. Photos must be submitted by or on Friday, May 1, 2024. 

8. Photos must be taken by the contestant during the time frame of June 1, 2023, to May 1, 2024.  

9. Photos may be digitally enhanced. 

10. Photos are to be submitted through the Photography Contest Google Form. 

11. Photos may not have been entered in a previous Illinois FFA Photography Contest. 

12. Photos become the property of the Illinois Association FFA for use in publications and promotion.

2. 2024 American FFA Degrees submitted to National FFA from Illinois

Click here to view the 2024 American FFA Degree applications submitted to the National FFA from Illinois.  Those applications will be reviewed by the National FFA. If there are any corrections allowed, National FFA will notify me and I will connect via email with both the candidate and their teacher/s.  These notifications will happen in late Spring/early summer.  Final notifications from the National FFA will come via email in late August.  

Special Congratulations to the Illinois FFA American FFA Star Nominees: 

• Star Farmer: Ty Steffen, Newark FFA Chapter

• Star in Agribusiness: Kendra Downing, Cambridge FFA Chapter

• Star in Agricultural Placement: Jack Beetz, Mendota FFA Chapter

• Star in Agriscience: Lizzie Schafer, Taylorville FFA Chapter

Here is a copy of the letter sent to all candidates last week.  

3.  2024 Spring Survey

Please click here to complete the Illinois FFA Spring Survey.  The survey is asking about your preference on dates for CDEs, LDEs, conferences and other FFA awards and processes.  Please make and take the time to share your very valuable opinion with us.  
**** PREVIOUS Information Shared - WORTH Sharing Again****

• CLICK HERE to view

• 2023-24 CDE/LDE Calendar Updated 1-23-24

• C.A.R.E. Form in AET Instructions

• Fall & Spring Conferences Registration & Site Information

*Please NOTE, that if you click on Dates & Deadlines it will take you to the www.ilaged.org calendar.  

• March 1, 2024 - Sam Taylor Scholarship Applications DUE

• March 1, 2024 - Ag Legislative Seminar Registration & Food Allergies Form CLOSES

• March 2, 2024 - State Meats & State Vet Science & Ag Ed CDEs, University Of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Stock Pavilion, 1380-1476 W Pennsylvania Ave, Urbana, IL 61801

• March 2-3, 2024 - State Officer Meeting, IL FFA Center, Springfield

• March 2-3, 2024 - Products Expo, IL State Fairgrounds, Springfield

• March 6, 2024 - District Proficiencies

• March 8, 2024 - IL FFA Alumni & Supporters Camp Scholarship Application & Letter of Recommendation DUE

• March 8, 2024 - ICAE Meeting

• March 8, 2024 - IACCAI Conference Registration & Food Allergy Form CLOSES

• March 12, 2024 - Virtual IAVAT Board Meeting, 3:30-5:00 p.m.

• March 12, 2024 - Ag Legislative Seminar, Inn 835, 835 S 2nd St, Springfield

• March 13, 2024 - Ag Legislative Day, Springfield

• March 13, 2024 - CREW Meeting, 3:30-4:30 p.m.

• March 13-15, 2024 - Tentative National PAS Conference in Illinois

• March 15, 2024 - IL FFA Alumni & Supporters Rosters & Dues DUE 

• March 16, 2024 - Illinois FFA Alumni & Supporters Council Meeting, Springfield

• March 20, 2024 - Intents due for Marketing Plan Invitational CDE

• March 20-24, 2024 - National MANRRS Conference, Chicago, IL

• March 21-22, 2024 - IACCAI Conference, SIU, Carbondale

• March 22, 2024 - Mandatory Registration ENDS for State Dairy Cattle/Handlers CDE

• March 22, 2024 - Special Accommodations Form DUE for State Dairy Cattle/Handlers CDE

• March 22-23, 2024 - State Officer Meeting

• March 23, 2024 - State Awards Day

• March 23, 2024 - Mandatory Registration ENDS State Food Science 

• March 23, 2024 - Special Accommodations Form DUE for State Food Science CDE

• March 28, 2024 - IL FFA Center Closing at 12:30 p.m. for Holiday

• March 29, 2024 - IL FFA Center Closed for Good Friday

• April 1, 2024 - National Chapter Application DUE - MUST SUBMIT - Here’s How

• April 1, 2024 - Eldon Witt Student Teaching Scholarship Applications DUE

• April 5, 2024 - State Dairy Cattle/Handlers CDE, Kaskaskia College, 27210 College Rd, Centralia, IL 62801

• April 5, 2024 - State Livestock Reasons Mandatory Registration CLOSES

• April 5, 2024 - State Horticulture CDE Mandatory Registration CLOSES

• April 5, 2024 - Early Bird Registration Ends for State Livestock Non-Reasons & State Poultry CDEs

• April 6, 2024 - State Food Science CDE, SIU College of Agricultural Sciences, 1205 Lincoln Dr, Carbondale, IL 62901

• April 9, 2024 - Spring Middle School Conference Registration CLOSES & Food Allergies/Special Meals Form DUE for Spring Middle School Conferences

• April 10, 2024 - IAVAT Board Meeting, Tentative, IL FFA Center

• April 11, 2024 - Materials due for Marketing Plan Invitational CDE

• April 12, 2024 - Special Accommodations Form DUE for State Livestock, Horticulture, & Poultry CDEs to IL FFA Center 

• April 15, 2024 - Ed Curry Memorial Camp Scholarship DUE 

• April 15, 2024 - Illinois Foundation FFA Annual Meeting, IL FFA Center, Springfield

• April 15, 2024 - Results Due for Parliamentary Procedure & Conduct of Chapter Meetings

• April 15, 2024 - Illinois FFA Agriscience Fair Applications DUE

• April 15, 2024 - WLC Registration CLOSES and 1st payment DUE

• April 16, 2024 - FFA Board Meeting, IL FFA Center, Springfield

• April 17, 2024 - State Ag Business Management Early Bird Registration Closes

• April 18, 2024 - State Ag Mechanics Mandatory Registration Closes & Results DUE

• April 18, 2024 - State Ag Mechanics CDE Waiver DUE

• April 18, 2024 - Special Accommodations Form DUE for State Ag Mechanics CDE

• April 19, 2024 - State Livestock & Poultry CDEs, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Stock Pavilion, 1402 W Pennsylvania Ave, Urbana, IL

• April 19, 2024 - State Horticulture CDE, Parkland College, 2400 W Bradley Ave, Champaign, IL 61821

• April 23, 2024 - Virtual IAVAT Administrative Council Meeting, 3:30-5:00 p.m.

• April 23, 2024 - Spring Middle School Conference, Lincoln Land Community College, 5250 Shepherd Rd, Springfield, IL 

• April 24, 2024 - Special Accommodations Form DUE for State Ag Mechanics CDE, Parliamentary Procedure, & Conduct of Chapter Meetings to IL FFA Center 

• April 24, 2024 - Spring Middle School Conference, Sauk Valley Community College, 173 IL-2, Dixon, IL 61021

• April 25, 2024 - Spring Middle School Conference, Rend Lake College, 468 North Ken Gray Pkwy, Ina, IL 62846

• April 25, 2024 - Marketing Plan Invitational CDE, Via Zoom, Hosted by Richland Community College

• April 27, 2024 - IL FFA State Officer Candidate Selection Committee, Springfield Tentative

• May 2024 - Tentative Illinois Envirothon, Allerton Park, 4-H Camp Ground, Monticello, IL

• May 1, 2024 - State Ag Business Management CDE, District Sites TBA

• May 1, 2024 - WLC Final payment DUE

• May 1, 2024 - Dave Cain Photography Contest Entries DUE

• May 2, 2024 - State Ag Mechanics CDE, Parliamentary Procedure, and Conduct of Chapter Meetings, Illinois Central College, East Peoria Campus, 1 College Dr, East Peoria, IL 61635

• May 10, 2024 - ICAE Meeting

• May 15, 2024 - Virtual IAVAT Board Meeting, 3:30-5:00 p.m.

• May 15, 2024 - District Job Interview, District Public Speaking & Greenhand Quizbowl Section Results DUE

• May 17, 2024 - State FFA Convention Registration ENDS

• May 21, 2024 - Virtual FFA Board Meeting, 3:30-5:00 p.m.

• May 22, 2024 - FY25 Section Fair Contracts MANDATORY DUE

• May 24, 2024 - IL FFA Center Closing at 2:30 p.m. for Memorial Day Holiday

• May 27, 2024 - IL FFA Center Closed for Memorial Day Holiday

• May 28, 2024 - State Ag Issues CDE Mandatory Registration ENDS & Materials DUE

• May 28, 2024 - Job Interview & Public Speaking Materials DUE

• May 28-29, 2024 - State FFA Officer Meeting, IL FFA Center, Springfield

• May 29, 2024 - IL FFA Convention Business Session, Virtual

• June 7, 2024 - Ag Communications Mandatory Registration & Materials DUE to Lincoln Land Community College

• June 10, 2024 - Ag Communications & Ag Issues, Lincoln Land Community College, 5250 Shepherd Rd, Springfield, IL 62703

• June 11-13, 2024 - State FFA Convention, BOS Center, Springfield, IL

• June 11, 2024 - Job Interview & Public Speaking LDEs at State FFA Convention

• June 12, 2024 - Greenhand Quizbowl, State FFA Convention

• June 13, 2024 - IL FFA Alumni & Supporters Raffle Drawing, 1:00 p.m.

• June 13-14, 2024 - State FFA Officer Meeting, IL FFA Center, Springfield

• June 18, 2024 - IAVAT Board & Section Chairs Meeting, SIU-Carbondale

• June 19-21, 2024 - IAVAT Conference, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale

• June 23-30, 2024 - IL FFA WLC Trip, Washington, D.C.

• July 3, 2024 - IL FFA Center Closing at 12:30 p.m. for Holiday

• July 4, 2024 - IL FFA Center Closed for 4th of July

• July 8-12, 2024 - State Officer Meeting

• July 22-25, 2024 -  IL FFA Leadership Camp, Allerton Park, 4-H Camp, Monticello