Items in this listserv:

HOT TOPICS - MUST KNOW:

• HOT, HOT, HOT - Conference Teacher Assistants

GROUND Zero Teacher Assistance NEEDED - Conference Facilitators need your help! Click here to sign up to serve as a conference teacher assistant. Upon selection, credits will be applied to chapter invoices.

• HOT, HOT, HOT - Here is the Illinois FFA Center HOLIDAY office schedule: December 23, 2024 - Illinois FFA Center Closes at 12:30 p.m. for the Christmas/New Year’s Holidays and CLOSED - December 24, 2024, to January 1, 2025 for Christmas/New Year’s Holiday. FFA Center is open on Thursday, January 2, 2025.  

• GETTING HOTTER - American FFA Degree - Illinois Procedures  - AGAIN THIS YEAR***** The Intent to Apply form is MANDATORY and DUE on January 6, 2025.  BIG ITEM to DOUBLE CHECK - Student EMAIL that is in their profile - DO NOT have an old high school email address they no longer have access to.  PLEASE make sure they UPDATE their email address PRIOR to completing the American FFA Degree application.  

• GETTING HOT - CREW Meeting - January 8, 2025, 6:00 p.m. - MARK your calendars today!  

• GETTING HOT - Alumni Annual Meeting, Friday, January 24 - Saturday, January 25, 2025 Click here for the Alumni Meeting listserv.  

• GETTING HOT - We are THRILLED to announce that Dr. Larry Case will be attending and speaking at the 2025 Illinois FFA Alumni and Supporters Annual Meeting and will be signing copies of his book. Please fill out this form to preorder your book. This is a unique opportunity to own a piece of history and meet one of FFA’s most influential leaders!  Get a copy of his book entitled; “A Thread of Blue Corduroy” by Dr. Larry D. Case for $25.00.  

• Luke Warm - State Officer Candidate and Parent Orientation - Saturday, February 8, 2025, from 1:oo p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Click here to RSVP. 

****NEW Information****

1. 2025 Selection Committee

2. American Judges Needed

3. National FFA Scholarship - DUE January 9, 2025

4. Section President Candidate Orientation and Mandatory Survey

1. 2025 Illinois FFA Selection Committee

The Illinois FFA Selection Committee is an amazing opportunity for FFA members and friends of the FFA, click here to check out an awesome video about being on the Selection Committee.  The State FFA Officer Selection Committee application is due March 15, 2025.  If you have students who are interested in being on the 2025 Selection Committee click here to apply.   Click here for a flyer to show your students so they can learn more about the selection committee. The Selection Committee application can also be found on the www.ilaged.org website use the following steps:

1. Click on Participate

2. Click on About Illinois FFA

3. Click on the 2023-2024 Illinois FFA State Officer Team 

4. Click on the 2024 State Officer Selection Committee 

5. The flyer and the application are on this page.  

The State FFA Officer Election process is designed to ensure the delegates retain the right of choosing their own State Officer team, while at the same time: 

1) Allowing all candidates an equal opportunity for election, and 

2) Ensuring an efficient and timely election process.

The FFA Board of Directors’ policy establishes five selection committees to review and assess the candidates on their ability to serve as an officer of the Illinois Association FFA. To fill all committee positions, the service of fifteen FFA members is needed. It would be preferable to have three committee members from each of the five districts. Each chapter advisor is asked to recommend one student to serve on a selection committee. 

While all chapters are encouraged to have a student serve on the committee, the eligibility requirements are:

1. Applications are limited to sophomores, juniors, seniors, and one-year out-of-high-school FFA members.

   1. Non-high school FFA members shall fill no more than 5 of the 15 total student selection committee positions

   2. To complete an application for the Selection Committee, you must have the sign-off from the FFA advisor.

2. Students serving on an officer team with a State Officer Candidate (either chapter or section) will not be selected to serve. 

3. Students who might be strongly biased toward a particular candidate due to a personal relationship will not be selected.

4. A priority list shall be created, prioritizing those chapters that have not had representation as recently as other chapters.

5. A chapter may have a representative serve on the Selection Committee every 2 years. (Chapters that had a committee member in 2023 are not eligible.)

Should a student be selected, they need to know the selection committee will meet on April 26, 2025, in Springfield, Illinois. Their attendance will be critical to the process. Their ability to travel to Springfield on that date is required. The committee members will be informed in advance of their selection and will be provided with suggested driving assignments to help them avoid having to drive the entire distance to Springfield. 

Once again, the State FFA Officer Selection Committee application is due March 15, 2025. 

2.  GREAT need for American FFA Degree Judges

Click here if you are interested in helping review applications and assist with interviewing the American FFA Degree candidates on February 10 - 12, 2025.   HELP is needed and greatly appreciated. 

3.  Apply Now for a National FFA Scholarship

Only one month left to apply for a National FFA Scholarship. If you are a senior FFA member in high school or an FFA Alumni in college, just one application is required for multiple scholarship opportunities totaling nearly $2.5 million. Apply today!

4.  Section President Candidate Orientation and Mandatory Survey

Again this year, Illinois FFA will be hosting a Section President Candidate Orientation meeting for FFA members interested in running for Section President, their parents and advisors.  In the role of being a Section President on the state officer team, there are many responsibilities and an extensive summer schedule, to set our future Section Presidents up for success and make them aware of those responsibilities, expectations and time commitments we are having a Section President Candidate Orientation Webinar on Thursday, March 20, 2024, at 5:30 p.m.  The webinar will be recorded and can be watched at your convenience.  Following the webinar, we will release a mandatory survey that all potential candidates running for Section president must take to run for Section President.  The survey covers all of the information provided to the candidates in the webinar, as well as information about Section Presidency on the www.ilaged.org website.  The survey is not scored nor are results shared, but all candidates running for Section President must complete the survey and have an understanding of the responsibilities, expectations and time commitments of being on the Illinois FFA State Officer Team.  

Join Zoom for the Section President Candidate Orientation Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87648981803?pwd=oU9kMSubrZ4ekguohNTul6Sav1NC8z.1

Meeting ID: 876 4898 1803

Passcode: 354974

One tap mobile

+13126266799,,87648981803#,,,,*354974# US (Chicago)

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• +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

**** PREVIOUS Information Shared - WORTH Sharing Again****

• PREVIOUS LISTSERVS - CLICK HERE to view - 2024 - 2025 School Year

• CLICK HERE to view - the 2023 - 2024 School Year Previous Listservs

• 2024-25 State CDE/LDE Calendar - Added New Event - 11-7-24

• All Conference Event Information, Flyers, Required Forms, Registration Information

• 2025 State FFA Convention Wyndham Hotel Room Block Link (PAL Full)

*Please NOTE that clicking Dates & Deadlines will take you to the www.ilaged.org calendar.  

• December 12, 2024 - Virtual FFA Board Meeting, 3:30

• December 14, 2024 - State Dairy Foods & Agronomy CDE, University of Illinois, Stock Pavilion, 1402 W Pennsylvania Ave, Urbana, IL 

• December 20, 2024 - IL FFA Center Christmas Party, 11:30 am - 3:00 pm.

• December 23, 2024 - IL FFA Center CLOSES at 12:30 pm

• December 24-January 1, 2025 - IL FFA Center CLOSED for Holiday

• January 3-4, 2025 - Joint Board Meeting & Section Chairs Meeting, Springfield

• January 6, 2025 - American Degree Intents DUE

• January 8, 2025 - Ground Zero Conference at the Northfield Inn Registration & Food Allergies/Special Meal ENDS

• January 8, 2025 - CREW Virtual Meeting, 3:30-5:00

• January 10, 2025 - IL FFA Alumni and Supporters Registration & Food Allergies/Special Meal ENDS

• January 13, 2025 - IL Foundation FFA Board Meeting, Springfield, IL

• January 15, 2025 - American Degree Applications DUE

• January 15, 2025 -  Ground Zero Conference at the WIU, Macomb Registration & Food Allergies/Special Meal ENDS

• January 17, 2025 -  Ground Zero Conference at the SIU, Carbondale Registration & Food Allergies/Special Meal ENDS

• January 20, 2025 - IL FFA Center Closed for Holiday

• January 20, 2025 -  Ground Zero Conference at the JJC, Joliet Registration & Food Allergies/Special Meal ENDS

• January 22-23, 2025 - Ground Zero Conference, Northfield Inn & Suites, Springfield

• January 23, 2025 -  Ground Zero Conference at the Effingham Registration & Food Allergies/Special Meal ENDS

• January 24, 2025 - State Horse Reasons Mandatory Registration ENDS

• January 24, 2025 - State Horse Non-Reasons Early Bird Registration ENDS

• January 24, 2025 - Special Accommodation Form DUE for State Horse CDE

• January 24-25, 2025 - Illinois FFA Alumni & Supporters Annual Meeting & Auction, Springfield, IL

• January 29, 2025 - Ground Zero Conference, WIU, Macomb, IL

• January 31-February 1, 2025 - Ground Zero Conference, SIU, Carbondale, IL