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Sectional Information - Section Four
Abbie Baker - Vice President
Mineral Point FFA Chapter - Section 4
abaker@wisconsinffa.org
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What's New?
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District 10 Speaking Contest
Jan. 30, 2012
Tonight the District 10 speaking contest took place and it was such a great time. The turn out was small but it allowed the students to relax and use this competition as a good practice round. I was happy to be able to see some advisors and members and hear about what their chapters have done since my chapter visit. The 1st and 2nd place participants will move on to the sectional speaking contest in Mineral Point on March 19. Great job to all the participants!
Creed Speaking
1st: Jessica Steger, Prairie du Chien
Extemporaneous Speaking
1st: Courtney Kaul, River Valley
Discussion Meet
1st: Sierra Lurvey, River Valley
2nd: Paige Poad, River Valley
Job Interview
1st: Brittany Crook, River Valley
2nd: Corisa Anderson, River Valley
Quiz Bowl
1st: River Valley
Good luck to all the participants at the sectional contest!
Abbie
Speaking Contests Underway
Jan. 17, 2012
Good afternoon,
I am excited to say that district speaking contests are now underway and won't be finishing up until February. There are 3 district speaking contests in each of the 10 sections and I am sure there will be plenty of competition in each of the 7 speaking contests.
Speaking contests were my favorite FFA activity. I chose to participate in Quiz Bowl, Creed Speaking, Parliamentary Procedure, and Job Interview. The three other events you can participate in are, Extemporaneous Speaking, Prepared Speaking and Discussion Meet.
Each of the speaking contests are unique. In Quiz Bowl you must be in 7th or 8th grade and you are quizzed on facts about FFA. The facts could include history, people's names, or programs put on by the FFA. In Creed Speaking, you recite the FFA Creed written by E.M. Tiffany and then you are asked 3 questions at the end of your speech. In Job Interview, you must prepare a resume and cover letter and send them to the contest host two weeks before the contest is held. Then at the contest you fill out a job application and have a job interview. In Parliamentary Procedure, you run a meeting based on Robert's Rules of Order. All of these contests are extremely helpful, and Quiz Bowl and Parliamentary Procedure are team events so if you don't want to do an individual speaking contest, these might be perfect for you.
In prepared speaking, you prepare a 6 to 8 minute speech and turn your manuscript in to the contest host two weeks before the contest. You must memorize and recite your speech in front of the judges and then answer three questions based on your speech. In extemporaneous speaking, you write your speech at the contest. You are given 30 minutes to write your speech, and then you recite your speech to the judges and also answer 3 questions based on the speech you wrote. Discussion meet is a great contest if you are good at reacting to other's information. Discussion meet gives you a topic and you discuss that topic until you come up with a few different way to solve the issue.
All of the speaking contests are a lot of fun and can be used to boost your confidence in public speaking. I am very grateful for all that speaking contests have taught me. I look forward to being at the district contests in River Valley on January 30, Juda on February 1, and Dodgeville on February 8. Good luck to all the contestants!
Abbie
Destination: Success!
Jan. 07, 2012
This weekend we had a great Half-Time Conference. There were over 360 members in attendance. Destination: Unknown focused on the importance of strengthening your individual leadership qualities. On Friday night, members went to four workshops that focused on their individual qualities. Deserted, with Isaac, Alissa, and Ashleigh, taught us about the way our role of FFA members can change. Sometimes the changes can be overwhelming, but it is okay to find your place in another part of the FFA. Brian, Nicole, and Sara, went to Nashville, and taught us how to model expectations. Katie, Ethan, and Stacey, went to Tokyo and New York City. They focused on your resume and how it can help you with your future. Kayla and I talked about service. There is a lot to know about serving on the local, national, and international level. We kicked off the Wisconsin Association of FFA service project, Water Drops of Hope. Our goal is sell 470 water bottles that will give clean water to 3 people for 5 years in Africa. The water bottles are for sale for $20 and you can get them now until state convention.
Today brought growth for our teams. Isaac, Alissa, and Ashleigh stressed the point that you cannot build a successful FFA chapter over night. They focused on constructing and utilizing members. Brian, Nicole, and Sara helped us understand the five main stages to having a successful chapter event. Hopefully you took away a full suitcase of new ideas for your chapter. Katie, Ethan, and Stacey helped us understand the right ways to go about advocating for our terrific agriculture program. Kayla and I helped members understand the different stages our teams go through. It is normal to go through five stages especially the storming stage. We also learned a little about what is in each of our box about us.
I really enjoyed presenting and preparing for Destination: Unknown. All of the members were so respectful and fun to work with. Thank you to all the members for making this conference a great time! I will blog again after some of the state officers get back from our own destination…THE BAHAMAS!
Have a great week Wisconsin Association of FFA,
Abbie
Half-Time is Fast Approaching
Jan. 04, 2012
In just a few short days more than 350 FFA members, and their advisors will be headed to Stevens Point for the 2012 Wisconsin FFA Half-Time Leadership Conference. The conference is sure to help you grow as an individual and as a team. The state officers have great workshops planned and we cannot wait to present them to you. We are looking forward to meeting with members we connected with during chapter visits and learning how their year is going. I am especially excited to see how you grow from the beginning of Half-Time until the end of Half-Time. You can expect a great skit, an inspirational reflections, and some delicious meals. Everyone jump on board because our destination is unknown!
Tonight I am headed to the River Ridge FFA banquet. I had a great time at their chapter visit and this will be my second banquet of the year. The members there are so respectful and full of great ideas. I am excited for this great event!
Happy Holidays
Dec. 22, 2011
Good afternoon,
It has been a busy few weeks and I apologize for not updating everyone sooner. Last week, the team got together in Mauston to make our Half-Time props and decorations. All of the decorations look exceptional and I know this is going to be one great conference. The team also went over our reflections and skit. There will be time for laughs and time to reflect on what you want your legacy to be.
The team was also able to enjoy a nice meal in Wisconsin Dells along with bowling. We had a great time together and it put us all into the holiday spirit.
Speaking of holiday spirit, Santa will be arriving in just a few short days. Today, I finished the last of my shopping, and finished wrapping all of my presents to give to loved ones. I will be working a little bit on Christmas eve, but I will also be spending time with my family and friends.
I also cannot wait to ring in the new year! 2012 is sure to be exciting. It is a time to appreciate what we have been through and celebrate what we have achieved throughout 2011. On New Year's Day I will be going to watch the Green Bay Packers play the Lions in their last regular season game. I am very excited for this.
I hope everyone has a great holiday season! Enjoy time with family and friends, and have safe travels.
Abbie
Half-Time Planning
Dec. 09, 2011
Good morning,
This past week the Wisconsin FFA state officers have been planning for a great Half-Time Conference. The conference will be held in Stevens Point on January 6 and 7. The state officers have determined a theme and we are very excited to announce the theme is....Destination: Unknown.
Destination: Unknown is about all the places you may go in your journey to becoming a great leader. We never know where life will take us but we must always be ready to grow personally and for your team. Each of the state officers are planning great workshops. On Friday night, we will look into growing as an individual and on Saturday we will learn how to grow our chapter. Also, the dance theme for Half-Time is Tacky Tourist. We want to see all the fanny packs, floppy hats, and Hawaiian shirts possible!
At our December meeting, which was held in Marshfield, we also went over our experiences at chapter visits. All of the officers loved meeting each chapter and the students that made it a great experience for us. Chapter visits are something we will never forget. We looked at our upcoming calendar, and we will be very busy in the last six months as officers.
Yesterday we began planning for State Convention. It is right around the corner, and we are expecting to give you the best convention in years! We are excited to make some changes, and respect the long time traditions.
I hope everything is going great in your chapter, and your year as a FFA member!
Abbie
The final chapter visits
Dec. 01, 2011
This week I finished my final chapter visits. It is a little bit sad to think that I may not get to visit those schools again, but I am looking forward to things ahead. I will give my final recap of the week.
Monday: I had a visit in Highland. They are a new chapter this year, and they are off to a great start. They have a lot of good ideas, and some great members! I am looking forward to seeing the progress of this chapter in the coming years.
Tuesday: I had a visit in Riverdale. This was a truly amazing chapter! Riverdale has 108 members in their FFA, and each member is promising. I had a great time visiting with members during lunch, and I cannot wait to go back for their ag day.
Wednesday: On Wednesday, I went to River Valley. This was a fun visit for me as well. I was able to meet a lot of great members, and make some amazing personal connections. I am very excited to go to their donkey basketball game in March.
Thursday: Today I had my final two visits. In the morning I went to River Ridge. I only have GREAT things to say about this chapter! The members were so respectful and had great ideas about what a leaders should be like. They asked great questions and were fun to talk to in my down time. I am looking forward to making many more trips to River Ridge. In the afternoon, I went to Wauzeka. I had a great time talking to all the members, especially the middle school members. They have a very bright future ahead of them.
Tomorrow, I will be taking some time to prepare for the Farm Bureau meeting this weekend, and then the state officers December meeting. We will be preparing for our Half-Time Conference.
Thank you to every chapter for making the visits a great success,
Abbie
One Amazing Week
Nov. 26, 2011
Good Morning,
It has been one amazing week! On Monday, I made a chapter visit to Seneca. Seneca is a small school but has some really great members. The members there were very interested in the different careers that go into agriculture. We had some great conversations about agriculture laws. On Tuesday, I went to Ithaca and Richland Center. I had the pleasure of meeting with the whole Ithaca FFA. They sure do have some great things going on in Ithaca. I got to have a great meeting with the officers from Ithaca as well. They have some great ideas for the future of their FFA. In the afternoon, I went to Richland Center. The students there were so well behaved, I couldn't believe it. They truly were amazing to work with.
I had a terrific Thanksgiving filled with family, friends, and lots of food! I hope everyone had the same great experience I had on Thanksgiving.
Today, I will be bowling in a scholarship bowling tournament my family puts on every year. It is a really great time, and I am looking forward to seeing many great individuals from around the Mineral Point area.
Abbie
Some Great Football Teams
Nov. 17, 2011
Good Evening,
Right now I am sitting in my room while watching the Lancaster High School Football team compete in the State Football Finals at Camp Randall. When I think about it, the members of the Lancaster FFA chapter were really excited about the game when I visited their school on Monday.
I had a great visit on Monday in Lancaster. The students had great attitudes, worked through any activity I threw at them, and were definitely filled with spirit. Lancaster has a strong FFA chapter and I know great things will come out them in the future.
Tuesday, I went to Boscobel High School. They have block scheduling and I got to make some great connections with their members. They made some impressive leadership semi's, busses, and rocket ships.
Yesterday, I went to visit the Fennimore FFA Chapter. They had their ducks in a row, no doubt! The students knew the benefits of being an FFA member, all the careers available in agriculture, and asked some of the greatest questions! I enjoyed meeting their officer team, and the entire FFA. I can't wait to spend Monday night with them at their Parent's Night.
Today, I went to watch Seneca High School play in the high school football finals game. The Indians played with pride and definitely have something to be proud of even if they didn't come out with a win. I can't wait to visit their FFA chapter on Monday!
Congratulations to the TWO schools in section 4 playing in the state finals!
Have a fantastic evening,
Abbie
212 & 360 Conferences
Nov. 12, 2011
Good Evening Wisconsin FFA,
After a week of not seeing any FFA members at chapter visits, I was able to see over 600 Wisconsin FFA members this Friday and Saturday, and let me tell you, they did not disappoint me! On Friday afternoon, I headed north to Stevens Point where the 212 and 360 Conferences were about to take place.
The conferences were held at a new hotel this year, and everything went as smooth as we could have asked for. Mrs. Bernick and Mrs. Zimmerman did a great job making sure these conferences did not suffer after late notifications that our original hotel would not work. We got all the students and advisors situated and began the great first session.
I sat in on many of the sessions in the 212 Conference. The presenters focused on the ways we can grow as an individual. We touched on personal growth, social growth, mental growth, emotional growth, and physical growth. Students indentified ways to make sure they continue growing as an FFA member.
I only heard great things from the fellow officers and students about 360 Conference. We were also allowed to have some great fun at the conference when we had a celebration for Alicia Hodnik, our Central Region Vice President for National FFA this year! We had cake, soda, pizza, and even a dance.
Students finished up their conferences this afternoon, and headed home with a mind full of new knowledge. This week I will be doing chapter visits in Lancaster, Boscobel, Fennimore, and Highland. I look forward to meeting students in all of these schools!
Until next time,
Abbie
Darlington, Potosi, Cassville
Nov. 03, 2011
Hey FFA,
It has been a busy week for me. I have had some of the best chapter visits during this time. On Tuesday, I went to Darlington. I have been very excited about this visit because I know a lot of the members at Darlington. The day did not disappoint me. I presented to large classes full of great ideas! They have a very impressive FFA chapter with great SAEs. Mr. Lobdell should be very proud of his students.
Today, I shared a day between Cassville and Potosi. I got to Cassville where I learned that they only have 84 students in their high school. I was excited about this because I knew I could have a closer relationship with the students and connect better. I was not wrong. I left Cassville beaming with smiles. The students were put together in every way. They may be a small school but they are full of pride!
Potosi was next on the agenda. I spoke with two classes there and a total of 14 students. This made my day again because of the close conversations I would be having. The students were very interested in learning about all the opportunities FFA has to offer. The students are real role models in their school. I wish them the best of luck in picking a t-shirt design.
This has been one amazing week of chapter visits! Tomorrow, I will be going to Hoard's Dairyman Farm in Fort Atkinson for the FFA Foundation Board meeting.
Stay warm,
Abbie
Happy Halloween WI FFA!
Oct. 31, 2011
HAPPY HALLOWEEN WISCONSIN FFA!!!
To celebrate Halloween today, I went to Belmont High School and did my chapter visit. The FFA members and agriculture students were so eager to learn today. It was very impressive for being a Monday. They were very trusting in their other FFA members and chapter officers. I saw my first 4 wheeler leadership vehicle and it was very well done. Their advisor has it figured out and I know their FFA chapter will have a great year.
For the rest of the week, I am a busy body with a little bit of rest. Tomorrow, I will be going to Darlington High School to visit. I am very excited for this because my home chapter is very close to Darlington. On Wednesday, I have a day to work at home. I will use this day to finish up any work after national convention. Thursday, I will be in Cassville and Potosi. Friday is the FFA Foundation Board meeting. I look forward to the rest of my chapter visits coming up in the year!
Eat some candy, I certainly am!
Abbie
Iowa Grant and Cuba City Visits
Oct. 27, 2011
Hey all,
This week I only had two chapter visits, but they were some great visits with amazing FFA members. I spent a half of a day at Iowa Grant and presented to two classes since they have block scheduling. The two classes were so interactive and you could not tell some of the students had been at national convention for the last few days. They were ready to learn and take part in the exciting activities I had for them. I also got the great opportunity to meet with their chapter officer team. They have some great potential to lead their chapter to have an amazing year. They were full of new ideas that I know could be a huge success. I am excited to continue working with them throughout the year.
On Tuesday, I was in Cuba City. They have a truly extraordinary FFA chapter. Their advisor and chapter officer team knows what it takes to have a great year. I can tell they enjoy their judging contests, conferences, and national convention. I heard many stories about the memories that were made in Indianapolis. I look forward to hearing how their year goes, as I am sure it will be terrific!
I finished a newsletter this week, and it will be mailed out on Monday. It is full of news about national convention results, upcoming conferences, and all the chapter visits I have done so far. I cannot wait to continue meeting FFA chapters for another month.
Until next time,
Abbie
National Convention
Oct. 24, 2011
Good afternoon,
It has definitely been one great week! Last Monday evening the team and I arrived in Indianapolis to begin National Convention. We toured two great places in Chicago. First, we went to the Chicago Board of Trade.
It was right downtown so we were able to take in a little bit of the city. When we arrived, we were all in awe of how beautiful the building is. Some of the building was built in the early 1900's and the rest was built much later. We began by watching a video of what really goes on at the Chicago Board of Trade. Next, we were able to see the bidding floor. It was truly amazing to see that what we see in the movies really is true. The bidding floor wasn't as busy as I had expected it to be, and that is because much of the trading goes on over the internet now. It was still a great experience to go there!
Next, we went to the Chicago High School of AgriScience. This is a public high school in Chicago that is focused on five career pathways dealing with agriculture. They have a working farm right in the city of Chicago. The school is very impressive!
Finally, we arrived in Indy and I knew it would be a busy week ahead of me. Monday night we spent sometime with the team and preparing for the busy week. Right away on Tuesday, we began delegate work. First, we were trained a little bit more on what we would be doing. We enjoyed many catered meals throughout our time as delegates, and I thank all of the great sponsors.
After more training, we broke into our committee groups and discussed the issues going on in National FFA. After a few hours of brainstorming ideas, we brought everything together and came up with a proposal for all 475 delegates to vote on. All of the proposals passed, and the business sessions were successful.
We spent most of our time at sessions, in the career show, and meeting with FFA members from Wisconsin and all over the United States. Wisconsin had a very successful National Convention. We had 5 proficiency award winners, 1 star over America, and a NATIONAL OFFICER!! Congratulations to all the award winners! I know that many more individuals and teams competed in CDE's and speaking contests. I am sure you all competed to the best of your abilities. It is truly an honor to compete on the National level.
This week is a little more laid back with only two chapter visits. I look forward to meeting with the rest of the chapters in section 4 very soon!
Abbie
New Memories, Old Traditions
Oct. 16, 2011
Good evening,
As I am enjoying the Brewer game tonight, I reminded what a big week it has been, and how big the coming week really is. This week I had some fantastic chapter visits. Shullsburg was excellent. The members had such good attitudes and were willing to embark in the mouse trap activity. This took a lot of trust in their partners, and it was evident how much the Shullsburg FFA chapter can work together. They certainly have something to be proud of. Prairie du Chien and Southwestern were great chapter visits as well. Their members are eager to learn all that FFA has to offer them while they are still active members. I met with the officer team in Prairie du Chien and shared some new ideas with them. They are looking to change things up a bit from years past and I know they have the right tools to do that. Southwestern is a new chapter this year, and while they are a small chapter right now, they will grow to do some amazing things.
Today, I enjoyed some time at the Mineral Point FFA Annual Donation Auction. This is one of Mineral Point’s biggest fundraisers, and the support from the community is huge. It was strange to sleep in this morning a little later than I have the past few years on the morning of this event, and sit in the audience bidding on goods instead of working at the clerk’s station. With every great thing you participate in, it must come to an end. I saw the auction from a different light today, and I appreciate the new memories I made while enjoying an old tradition.
Tomorrow morning will begin many more new memories. The state officers and national delegates leave tomorrow morning for national convention. We certainly have a full schedule, and will be enjoying the time we spend in Indianapolis. Wisconsin has some exceptional FFA members competing this week, and I wish them all the best of luck. I know everyone will make Wisconsin FFA proud!
Abbie
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