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Wisconsin FFA President
BJ Chrisler - President
Sauk Prairie
bchrisler@wisconsinffa.org
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Neillsville MFE Conference
Mar. 12, 2010
Today I made the treacherous drive through the rainy and foggy roads leading to Neillsville. Although the weather wasn't great, Neillsville FFA brought the energy. There was an introduction and kickoff and then four rounds of workshops and a wrap up. I was given the great honor to present one of the workshops. My workshop discussed the important components or process of getting a summer job. Although the workshop was very informational the members were great to work with.
It is my hope that I was able to provide some great tips and motivation to begin the job searching process. I only wish I had more time!
Thanks again to Neillsville FFA!
BJ
SOCK
Mar. 10, 2010
State Officer Candidate Kickoff was held at UW-Madison on Saturday. Over 20 State Officer Candidates made the trip to UW to meet the other candidates and learn about the election process.
The candidates learned about the different perceptions and images of State Officers and the importance of being a transparent leader. They also learned that also learned about each of the interviews and how to be successful in each. After interviews the candidates got the chance to introduce themselves as they will during one of the sessions at convention. We recorded everyone's so they can see how to improve their stance, appearance, or content.
It was a long day but I believe everyone was able to learn something valuable. If nothing else they were able to meet the other candidates and will know people when they walk into the Sheraton for interviews!
A big thanks to UW-Madison CFFA for sponsoring and hosting the event. There was no cost to attend in order to attract as many candidates as possible. Rest assured that Wisconsin FFA has some great State FFA Officer Candidates!
BJ
Day 5 - National FFA Week
Mar. 02, 2010
Well, National FFA Week has come to an end for me. This morning we had our February Board of Director's meeting and it was great. Once again, our team brought a lot of great discussion and proposed multiple new ideas. It is great to have too much to discuss but at the same time a bit stressful. We ended just before the first luncheon at the 2010 Farm Forum Conference!
After our morning meeting we switched gears to Farm Bureau. The whole team was invited to take part in the Annual Farm Forum Conference. Now the great part of Farm Forum is that we are participants. We are able to attend the sessions and learn about the different opportunities that are available to us through the Farm Bureau and learn about our industry. Today we had three rounds of fantastic and educational workshops and they have all gotten me fired up for the Farm Bureau Young Farmers program.
After the workshops we had dinner and listened to some inspirational words from Bill Bruins, President of Wisconsin Farm Bureau. We then had free time and a fantastic energizer put on by the State Officers. Overall, today has been a very busy but wonderful day.
Thank you Wisconsin FFA for the BEST National FFA Week ever. It was great to work with so many members and continue to spread the good work of FFA and agricultural education.
BJ
Day 4 - National FFA Week
Mar. 02, 2010
Well today has been great so far! This morning Mr. Fredrick had to leave to head back home to Nebraska. It was sad to see him go, but his son had a big competition! Mr. Fredrick was so great to travel and work with this week!
Randa and I hit the road this morning with Mr. Hicken to head to Heartland Farms. Heartland Farms is a large potato grower that provides potatoes for Frito Lay potato chips and is now getting into cranberries, too! We toured the facility with TJ, who just so happened to be Mr. Hicken's college roommate. He did an awesome job explaining the entire process. We started in the lab where we learned about quality testing to ensure the product they send will meet Frito Lay's standards. We learned about how bruises show up in chips and how the sugar content can change the products color. It is safe to say, that I will never look at a bag of potato chips the same way. After the lab we toured the holding rooms, say the flume system, watched the potatoes being sorted, and finally got to see the equipment. It was great to see such a successful farm and a dedicated employee. A big thanks to TJ and everyone at Heartland Farms.
After the tour, Randa and I headed to Wausau for a noon TV interview at WSAW News Channel 7. Our interview was rather quick but we still got our message across the airwaves. We interview with Amy and she is a great advocate for agriculture and FFA. She is a past FFA member and is very willing to inform about FFA whenever possible.
After the interview we had lunch and then headed to Spencer for a middle school workshop. Greenwood, Stratford, and Spencer were all in attendance and they were a great group of students. Randa presented a workshop on influence and the students were all encouraged to write and perform a song. The songs were great and one is even posted on Randa's blog! After the workshop we had a chance for Q and A and ended with some fun activities. A special thanks to Spencer FFA for hosting.
Finally we called it a day and headed back to Wisconsin Rapids for a State Officer Team work night. The rest of the night looks like it will be filled with a lot of computer work and hearing about each other’s FFA week activities.
Can't wait for tomorrow!
BJ
Day 3 - National FFA Week
Feb. 25, 2010
What a day it has been! We got into Tomah late last night and slept for a few hours before heading to Whitehall this morning. When we got to Whitehall we could really tell it was National FFA Week!
Randa, Jessica, Caitlin, and I hosted workshops for FFA members from Whitehall, Arcadia, Blair-Taylor, G-E-T (pictured), and CFC. The members were great and very willing to learn about the topics we were covering. I focused on "Why FFA?" We talked about why they had joined FFA, how to manage their time, and that as FFA members we don't have to do everything. The trick is to specialize and find FFA events or activities that you really enjoy. Thanks to Whitehall for hosting the workshop!
Then we had some radio interviews with Bob Bosold, the legend. Bob is one of the nicest guys out there and we are so lucky to have him as a component of our industry. Thanks Bob for all you do!
Next we headed to Arcadia to tour their program and speak to some students and members. Their facilities were great! I had a blast seeing what was available to members and the great education they receive. After the tour we had a chance to meet some members, answer questions, and do some fun activities, too. After all of this we got to try some of their brats they made in a processing class and boy were they good. As if the brats weren't enough we sample every Farm Bureau nut available and some Jack Links beef jerky. Thank you Arcadia for the hospitality, we had a fantastic time.
Finally, we headed to Wisconsin Rapids for a night of catch up. Catch up on sleep, school, FFA, and emails! We made a late night run to Culver's and I am now getting ready for some sleep! This has been a great National FFA Week so far!
-BJ
Day 2 - National FFA Week
Feb. 25, 2010
Today was another crazy busy but really rewarding day. We kicked off the day by heading to the radio studio to speak with Pam Jahnke, The Fabulous Farm Babe. She was highly entertaining as always. We were able to complete a nice interview with her that will air tomorrow.
We then headed back downtown to DPI to visit with the Secretary of Agriculture, Mr. Rod Nilsestuen. What a great meeting. Mr. Nilsestuen informed us very well on Wisconsin Agriculture and some of the issues that are headed our way. He is a huge supporter of agricultural education and FFA!
Next we headed for a short lunch break where Randa was able to try her first Brat. Can you believe she hasn't had one before! She wasn't willing to eat kraut but this will change with time!
Then we headed back to the Capitol to visit with legislators. Shaun Pfaff with the Wisconsin Farm Bureau offered to assist us. He was a great advocate for our programs and events and really helped to keep the meetings moving. We met with four legislators and Mr. Steve Boe; all of which truly supported FFA and agricultural education.
Next we headed to Sauk Prairie to host a small leadership conference. Sauk Prairie and Wisconsin Heights were both present and really fired up. Tyler, Caitlin, and I put on a workshop about conflict resolution and Randa put on a workshop focusing on team commitment and positive influence. We had a great time working with the members and thanks to everyone that attended.
Finally, we had dinner with the Sauk Prairie FFA Alumni at Mason's Grill. Thank you to those that attended. Ranada also got to go sledding for the first time ever, thanks to Mr. Hicken and his boys' sled. She also was able to have some Culver's Custard from the original location in Sauk City.
What a day it has been!
-BJ
Day 1 - National FFA Week
Feb. 22, 2010
Happy National FFA Week! I know today isn't actually Day 1 but it is for my schedule. This week we have the great honor to host two amazing individuals: Randa Braune, National Western Region Vice President and Mr. Craig Fredrick, National FFA LPS Specialist. Randa brings such a bright spirit to the week and a culture shock with her being from Texas! She was so excited to see it snow today, which really made me laugh inside. Mr. Fredrick is an outstanding individual with a vast knowledge of the National FFA initiatives and projects and it has been great working with them so far.
This morning we went to the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to visit with State Superintendent Evers, he is a non-partisan, elected official which leads DPI for a four year term. It was a real pleasure to meet with him and I was amazed by his knowledge of FFA and Ag Ed. He was familiar with our program and really took time to meet us and discuss the education structure in Wisconsin.
We then met with Mrs. Wendt, Director of Career and Technical Education who is also Mr. Hicken's boss! She is a former Ag Teacher and her husband, Mr. Wendt is the Ag Teacher in Stoughton. It was great to meet with Mrs. Wendt and discuss the future of CTE in Wisconsin and the ideas they have. We also spoke about Youth Options, AP classes, and dual enrollment which is a program Texas has. Mrs. Wendt has done a great job and we are happy to have her in the current position.
After our meetings we were invited to the "Standing Up for Rural Schools, Libraries, and Communities" awards reception at the Concourse Hotel and awards presentation in the State Capitol Rotunda. Superintendent was nice enough to acknowledge us being present. These awards go to programs that are truly dedicated to protected rural education. While there we met an FFA member from New Auburn, Dru Galetka (pictured)! Pittsville FFA was also there and awarded for their Splash of Red Cranberry Tours. They have an amazing program that is respected nationwide. I also had the chance to meet an awesome FFA member, Drew from New Auburn!
After that we headed to a meeting with members of the Wisconsin FFA Foundation and Farm Bureau. It was so nice to talk with individuals that I truly respect and have done amazing things for Wisconsin Agriculture. We are so lucky to live in a state with such wonderful support.
Finally we ended the day by playing mini-golf at Vitense Golfland and had dinner with the UW-Madison CFFA! Thank you UW-Madison CFFA for your support and your warm hospitality.
What a great way to start National FFA Week! I wish you all best wishes with your activities this week and I will have more updates as the week progresses!
BJ
Black Hawk Awards Night
Feb. 22, 2010
Black Hawk FFA hosted their annual Awards Night this weekend. I was lucky enough to be invited again to provide a message to the members and parents. I was amazed by the amount of awards and quality programs at Black Hawk. Their members really understand the opportunities available to them as FFA members.
In my speech, I discussed the importance of celebrating the blemishes and mistakes we make in life. Shortly before the program began, I was talking to one of the officers named Chelsea. She was wearing a "boot" due to an injury she had sustained. The injury was quite intense, but the reason it happened was slightly funny. I used Chelsea as an example in my speech, because the entire time she was telling me the story she was smiling and laughing. Chelsea truly understands what it means to celebrate our blemishes in life.
If you ever see Chelsea, please ask here to tell the story, it really is priceless. Chelsea, I am sorry if I embarrassed you, but I knew you would be a good sport about it :) Thanks again to everyone and Black Hawk and I hope to see you all soon!
-BJ
Wisconsin FFA Alumni Convention
Feb. 16, 2010
The State Officer Team had the privilege to spend our weekend in Manitowoc and assist with the Wisconsin State FFA Alumni Convention! The event was well attended with Alumni members from across the state. At the Alumni State Convention many awards were given from best newsletter to most involved affiliates. There was also a banquet, workshops to attend, and a fantastic guest speaker at the luncheon. It was great to meet the many Alumni members that support all of us.
Our team was honored to judge the baskets that were sold during the Basket Auction, put on a workshop for children, assist with the live auction, and represent our organization. I think it is safe to say that we all had a fantastic time and we know our Alumni is in good hands. The National President, Diane Amera is even from Wisconsin! A big thank you to the Wisconsin FFA Alumni for all of their support!
Have a great week!
BJ
Assembly Bill 236
Feb. 14, 2010
On Thursday, we had the great opportunity to watch Assembly Bill 236 get signed into law by Governor Doyle.
Here is some information on this, courtesy of www.blackriverfalls.com. Assembly Bill 236- Agriculture Education Science bill- aims to ensure that if an agriculture course is certified as a science equivalent, that they are awarded a science credit towards completion of graduation requirements.
Specifics of the Agriculture Education Science Bill
• Reflects that agriculture education classes are becoming more firmly established in the sciences.
• Highlights that the Department of Public Instruction has a system in place to evaluate individual agriculture courses to determine if they are at a level to be certified as a science equivalent
• Ensures that those classes certified as equivalent count towards the two science credits required for a student to graduate from high school.
“By passing this bill we are reflecting agricultures diversity by recognizing that many agriculture courses have been adapted to a rigorous science curriculum and students deserved to be recognized- not penalized- for taking those courses,” said Rep. Radcliffe.
Overall, this bill being signed into law is a huge victory for Wisconsin Agricultural Education. We now have approval from the Department of Public Instruction and the State Government! Ask your agriculture teacher about ag for science credit and see if they are going to partake in this great opportunity.
BJ
National FFA Scholarships
Feb. 07, 2010
National FFA Scholarship Applications are due on Monday, February 15!
Each year the National FFA Organization awards approximately $2 million in scholarships designed to fit the diversity of our applicants.
Scholarships are sponsored by businesses and individuals through the National FFA Foundation and are given for a wide variety of experiences, career goals and higher education plans. The selection process takes into account the whole student - FFA involvement, work experience, Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE), community service, leadership skills and academics.
More than 1,000 scholarships available – just one application to complete!
To access the scholarship go to:
http://ffa.org/index.cfm?method=c_programs.Scholarships
and click on the "Apply Today" link on the right hand side.
Good luck and please take advantage of these scholarships. Nothing is better than having someone else help pay for your education. Remember to use spell check and watch your grammar.
BJ
Fred Rogers Friday
Feb. 06, 2010
"There is no normal life that is free of pain. It's the very wrestling with our problems that can be the impetus for our growth."
STATE DEGREES ARE DUE TODAY!
Feb. 01, 2010
Don't forget that today, February 1, 2010; all State FFA Degree applications need to be postmarked. Receiving the State FFA Degree is a huge honor and it is the highest award you can receive at the state level.
Good luck to all that apply and if you haven't finished your application yet, get those fingers typing :)
BJ
Fred Rogers Friday
Jan. 30, 2010
"One of the greatest dignities of humankind is that each successive generation is invested in the welfare of each new generation."
Music...Yes Please!
Jan. 25, 2010
Every year at State Convention and State Fair we are entertained by a talented group of musicians...Wisconsin's very own Honors Band and Chorus!
If you can sing or play an instrument, please think about applying to be apart of our State Honor's Band and Chorus. Below is the information concerning applying to be apart of the State Honor's Band and Chorus and other important information.
How to Apply? Applications are located online at http://www.wisconsinffa.org/pg-applications.php Applications, audition tapes/CD and fees must be sent to: Cheryl Zimmerman, State FFA Executive Director, Wisconsin FFA Center,P.O. Box 110, Spencer, WI 54479. Applications, tapes/CDs and fees must be postmarked February 5. All audition tapes must be the work of the applicant and tapes/CDs should be a top quality performance to accurately review the applicants musical ability. Audition
tapes must be a standard size cassette tapes or CD. The application gives more
instructions on creating the audition tape.
Each applicant must send a $10 fee with the application and audition tape to cover processing, mailings and music expenses. Make checks payable to the Wisconsin FFA Center. Applications should be submitted only by those who will be available at two mandatory official FFA Honors Band and Chorus functions.
1. State FFA Convention: In June, (June 15-17, 2010) the State FFA Convention is held in the Exhibition Hall of the Alliant Energy Center of Dane County in Madison. Local FFA
chapters are responsible for housing and covering expenses of members participating at this event.
2. Wisconsin State Fair: August 12-15, 2010, the band and chorus performs at the Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis, Wisconsin. Participants will be housed and provided meals in the State Fair dormitory located on State Fair grounds. Each member will be charged $35 for lodging, meals and admission to the Fair. The Wisconsin Association of FFA covers the balance of the expense for the above items. This amount will need to be paid at the State FFA Convention to confirm participation. Also the participants are asked to wear polo shirts for the State Fair and orders for these are taken through the Directors. Chaperones are always welcome to supervise the dorms and assist the directors. There is no fee charged to chaperones other than their travel expense to and from the fair and parking.
Participants in the Wisconsin Association of FFA Honors Band and Chorus receive a pin for
their FFA jacket at the conclusion of the Wisconsin State Fair.
Members interested in participating in the National FFA Band or Chorus must be officially nominated by the State FFA Honors Band or Chorus Directors. Members then need to complete the National FFA application and audition requirements and are selected by the National FFA Directors.
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