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Wisconsin FFA President
Ethan Giebel - President
Mauston FFA Chapter
egiebel@wisconsinffa.org
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Admirals and Dierks Bentley
Jan. 28, 2012
Friday night was the perfect time for a combination of hockey and country music! It was FFA night at the Milwaukee Admirals game. The Delavan-Darien FFA Chapter invited me to come along with a group of thirty to the event. I had a great time meeting some very enthusiastic FFA members.
During the game I took part in the Buffalo Wild Wings eating contest. Those wings were HOT! Although I did not win, I did get a cool Milwaukee Admirals t-shirt. After the hockey game finished, Dierks Bentley came out and put on a great show. It looked like there was a good turn out of FFA chapters in attendance for the game and concert. A BIG thank you to Delavan-Darien FFA for inviting me to come along!
-Ethan
January Updates
Jan. 25, 2012
Winter finally made it to Wisconsin earlier this month and we have been seeing snow and cold in all parts of the state. District speaking contests are in full swing and results can be found on sectional officer blogs. I look forward to seeing FFA members soon in Westby on Februrary 6th!
State FFA Degrees are due February 1st, be sure to get them in on time. Other upcoming deadlines include:
Feb. 6 State FFA Honors Band and Chorus Applications
Feb. 15 National FFA Scholarship Applications
Feb. 20 State FFA Proficiency Awards
March 5 American FFA Degrees
Also coming up is the 212 and EDGE Conferences in Manitowoc on March 23rd and 24th, be there!
-Ethan
District 11 Speaking Contest
Jan. 19, 2012
Sitting along the Mississippi River in the southwestern corner of the state is the small town of Cassville, Wisconsin. The District 11 Speaking Contest was hosted by the Cassville FFA Chapter at the high school. 16 students competed in five different speaking events. I had the opportunity to moderate the Discussion Meet and it was great to watch. Here are the results from tonight's contest:
Creed Speaking
1st: Beth Zimmer, River Ridge
2nd: Mike Adams, Lancaster
Prepared Speaking
1st: Madeline Bode, Cassville
Job Interview
1st: Candace Wetter, Fennimore
Discussion Meet
1st: Brian Patterson, River Ridge
2nd: Brooke Groom, Platteville
Extemporaneous
1st: Brian Patterson, River Ridge
2nd: Amanda Patterson, River Ridge
Congratulations to all of the contestants and best of luck to those moving on to the Sectional Contest in Mineral Point! A big thank you to Mr. Uppena and the Cassville FFA Chapter for their work in making tonight a success.
-Ethan
Team Trip
Jan. 14, 2012
Coming back to Wisconsin on Thursday in the middle of a snowstorm was a reality check after a four day cruise to The Bahamas with the state officers! Right after Half-Time we headed south for some rest and relaxation. It was great to do some team bonding on the islands and the ship as well as catch some of the sun's rays.
This coming week I will meet up with Kayla and representatives from WAAE at the State School Board Convention in Milwaukee to advocate for agricultural education programs. I will also be traveling to Cassville for a district speaking contest in Section Four.
-Ethan
Half-Time Recap
Jan. 07, 2012
Destination: Unknown. The theme of this year’s Half-Time Conference reflected the fact that we may not always know where we are going but if we are to succeed, we must put our best foot forward.
The conference began with registration Friday afternoon. 364 students attended which is a record! After dinner, the state officer team presented our opening skit that featured a group of friends traveling to Switzerland with a flight diversion along the way. The evening rounds of workshops featured personal growth topics ranging from service to building a resume. Tacky Tourist dancers could be spotted in the evening just before the reflections program. Conference attendees were able to reflect and write down what they want their legacy to be after hearing about the legacies that others have left.
Saturday morning students went through workshops that were based on FFA chapter activities. We also had a special presentation from two past state officers, Mr. Reinders, Agriculture Instructor and FFA Advisor for the Loyal FFA Chapter and Mr. Wehling, Agriculture Instructor and FFA Advisor for the Mondovi FFA Chapter. Their presentation was called L.E.A.D and gave students tools to help advocate for their Ag. Ed. and FFA programs. After lunch, representatives from the Wisconsin FFA Alumni spoke about opportunities for students to get involved and I delivered my President’s Challenge about taking what was gained at the conference and using it when we went home.
I had a great time at the conference and students really enjoyed it! Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to put the conference together and to all the students for coming.
-Ethan
2012
Jan. 01, 2012
Happy New Year! 2012 is here and will be gone before we know it. What will you do this year to make it count? Many FFA events are coming up and I hope to see you at one of them. One of these events is National FFA Week.
This year, National FFA Week is February 18-25. I will be making the most of the week by traveling to a number of FFA chapters and visiting with media about the importance of agricultural education and FFA. This is an opportunity for us to get students involved and educate the public about our organization!
From hosting an Ag. Olympics program to serving a pancake dinner, National FFA Week is a great week of the year! Let a state officer know if we can help out at your chapter during FFA Week.
-Ethan
Happy Holidays!
Dec. 19, 2011
This past week, the state officers met at Mauston High School to work on Half-Time 2012, Destination: Unknown. We spent a few days building and practicing! We also had some time to have fun as a team. This Half-Time will be the biggest the conference has ever been with over 360 attendees! Don't forget your Tacky Tourist outfits for the dance.
With the holiday season just around the corner we all will have some time to spend with our families. Enjoy the break from school and have a Happy Holidays!
-Ethan
FFA Farm Forum
Dec. 14, 2011
Are you looking for something to do February 24th and 25th? Look no further. The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation hosts the FFA Farm Forum annually. In high school, this was one of my favorite conferences to attend! There will be a variety of workshops hosted by people that work in and advocate for the agricultural industry. Mr. Craig Culver owner of Culver's and Mrs. Jillian Beaty Agricultural Educator and FFA Advisor from Oregon High School will be the two speakers for the event.
County Farm Bureaus sponsor students to attend this conference. Just ask your FFA advisor for more information about this opportunity.
The state officers will be meeting this week to continue work on the upcoming conference, Destination: Unknown. Over 350 members are registered for the 2012 Half-Time Conference! Don't forget to look for your Tacky Tourist costumes for the dance!
-Ethan
Destination: Unknown
Dec. 08, 2011
Pack your bags! Let’s hit the road FFA members! It is time to take a vacation with the State officers for the 2012 Halftime Conference. Our starting location is Stevens Point, WI but our ultimate destination and ETA (estimated time of arrive) is not yet to be determined! It will be up to you to decide how to use your experience, your chapter, and your strengths to reach your final stop. Destination: Unknown is a high energy, fast moving, extremely inspiring and motivating conference with the 2011-2012 State FFA Officers. Passport check points on our journey will include resume building and preparing us for after high school; what do we do after we hang up the blue jacket; living to serve opportunities; developing a plan of action to support your agricultural education program; and many more tourist attractions! Bring your cameras and your official dress shoes, we are ready to take off! The dance theme is Tacky Tourist.
Registration is due DECEMBER 9th!!! Hurry, seats are filling fast!
-Ethan
WFBF Annual Meeting
Dec. 03, 2011
A Voice for Agriculture. The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation is an organization that represents the interests of production agriculture. The state FFA officer team is in attendance at the annual meeting this weekend in Wisconsin Dells.
The Young Farmer and Agriculturist Program held the Discussion Meet competition with the finals tomorrow morning. The state officers have served as time keepers for the contests. Best of luck to the finalists tomorrow!
It has been great to reconnect and meet so many people that are passionate about agriculture. We will be here tomorrow as well where we will be manning a booth in the trade show area that showcases Wisconsin FFA. After that closes, we will be heading to Marshfield for our December Meeting!
-Ethan
December is Here!
Dec. 01, 2011
Today is the very first day of December. Although there is no snow on the ground where I am, there are reports of snow in other parts of the state and the forecast looks likes we will see snow soon. With December comes delivery for many chapter fundraisers such as fruit sales and time with the family of the holidays. Also, the first of December is the day that all rosters are due for FFA members as well as POAs.
This next week, the state officers will be getting together. On the weekend, we will attend the Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Wisconsin Dells and then travel to Marshfield! There, the team will hold our December Meeting to plan for Half-Time and the rest of the year. The team is looking forward to Half-Time!
Have fun in the snow!
-Ethan
Speaking Contests
Nov. 28, 2011
Looking back, I recall the first time that I did an FFA speaking contest. I was a Freshman and the contest was Creed speaking. I remember being able to stumble through all of the words and answer the judges questions as best as I could. I did not walk away with a plaque that day, but I did build up confidence for public speaking. The next year I did Discussion Meet and that is when I found my true passion for speaking contests in FFA. My knowledge of agricultural issues grew and I became better able to convey my ideas to others.
December starts this week, can you believe it? District speaking contests are just around the corner, beginning in January. Will you be competing in one of the seven speaking contests offered?
In the past month, UW-River Falls Parli Pro team put on workshops to help students learn about Parliamentary Procedure as well as the Parli Pro contest that goes on. Recently, topics for the Discussion Meet contest were released as well. I know that some Quiz Bowl teams are already hard at work and people are coming up with topics for their Prepared speeches.
Now is the time to start thinking about getting involved in one of the FFA speaking contests. Well over one thousand students participate in the contests each year. If you aren't sure yet if it is for you, give it a shot! You never know how you will do unless you go out and do it. I look forward to seeing some of you in January at those contests!
This upcoming week, the state officers will be attending the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Wisconsin Dells. After that, we will travel to Marshfield for our December Meeting to continue work on Half-Time Conference and the second half of the year. There are 38 days until Half-Time 2012!
-Ethan
A Day of Thanks
Nov. 22, 2011
Thursday I will be celebrating Thanksgiving at home with my family, including my aunt and both sets of grandparents. It will be a great day to go hunting, eat TONS of great food and finally to sit down to rest while watching the Packer game. Later that night, I just might wait outside of the mall for those great deals they have going on.
Thanksgiving is not just a day to load up on food, watch the Packers dominate or even hunt for whitetails and bargains. Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate family and give thanks for the blessings in each of our lives. This Thanksgiving I will be thankful for my family and friends, the people I have met, places I have been and the opportunity to serve as a State FFA Officer. Thank you to each person that I have encountered over these past two years that have made me thankful on this Thanksgiving.
What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?
-Ethan
A History Lesson
Nov. 18, 2011
History is all around us. As I took a look at the history of agriculture in our state, it was fun to research some individuals who have come from Wisconsin and made an impact nationwide. One such person in Jeremiah McLain Rusk.
Since its establishment in 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln, the United States Department of Agriculture has been led by 30 different Secretary’s of Agriculture. Iowa has had more than any other state with a total of five including our current Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack. Wisconsin has had only one, Jeremiah McLain Rusk.
Secretary Rusk served as Wisconsin’s 15th Governor and became the second Secretary of Agriculture under President Benjamin Harrison. Secretary Rusk was born in Ohio and lived in Viroqua, Wisconsin.
Take some time to think about those who have come before us. Think about the impact that those people have made and the kind of impact that you can make. What legacy will you leave?
-Ethan
Montello/Westfield Banquet
Nov. 14, 2011
After the 212/360 conferences wrapped up, Sara and I made our way to the small town of Harrisville. That is where the Montello and Westfield FFA Alumni affiliates hold an annual Sportsman's Banquet! We were blown away by this event to say the least.
It was a sold out event with over 220 people in attendance. The food was delicious and there were a variety of raffles that people could buy into to have the chance to win one of over 40 guns as well as some other great prizes like the weekend with a John Deere Gator. This event is used every year to help fund trips for the chapters, scholarships, improvements to facilities like the greenhouse and to buy FFA jackets.
Thank you to the Montello and Westfield FFA for having us at the event! We had a great time and are already talking about coming back next year.
-Ethan
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