Here is an email from the National FFA Leadership in regard to this well done TV Spot. Dear Ag Ed and FFA Leaders, As many of you may have seen, the National FFA Foundation and National FFA Organization cooperated with RAM Trucks on a two-minute Super Bowl commercial honoring the American Farmer that aired during the fourth quarter of the telecast. The ad, which features a popular poem by the late broadcaster Paul Harvey, is being supported with a cover wrap of USA Today and a significant Web presence across other electronic media. The primary link is at www.ramtrucks.com/en/keepplowing/ The ad serves as a call to action for the public to celebrate 2013 as the Year of the Farmer. Individuals may do so by visiting a special Web page, viewing the positive messaging of the video and inviting others to do the same. RAM will contribute up to $1,000,000 to the National FFA Foundation based on the views of the video and activity on the website. The bulk of the new funding will be dedicated to supporting the FFA hunger initiative “Feeding the World–Starting at Home.” The ad web page is not a sales site. Individuals will only be asked to view the video and recommend it to others. There is a link on the website for those interested in learning more about RAM products as well as a link for individuals wishing to learn more about FFA and agricultural education. Supporting this positive messaging about the American Farmer will raise awareness of the National FFA Organization within the general public while providing significant support to a major FFA initiative. We ask that you share news about the opportunity among members and supporters as appropriate. Many thanks, Dwight Armstrong Rob Cooper Chief Executive Officer Executive Director National FFA Organization National FFA Foundation The Oswegatchie Educational Center is a state wide destination. Why would hundreds of students from Syracuse University travel to Croghan, NY to spend their weekends? It’s for the Oswegatchie Educational Center! Long known as the “FFA Camp”, Oswegatchie is set on the shores of Long Pond and has been hosting retreat groups from all over New York. Syracuse University has found Oswegatchie to be the perfect combination of lodging, meals, and educational programs, without the modern day distractions of wifi and cell phones. Syracuse University is an example of the new wave of business that has been filling the property for several weekends each year. Additionally, Clarkson University, Hamilton College, and Cornell University all make annual pilgrimages to Croghan NY to retreat at Oswegatchie. On 1200 acres, 4 large ponds, and 2 miles inside the Adirondack “Blue Line”, the Oswegatchie Educational Center’s location is both beautiful and refreshing. This summer camp and educational retreat center is in the northeast corner of Lewis County inside the Croghan Township. Its 4 full time staff members live on site and work throughout the year. Oswegatchie is owned and operated by the New York FFA Foundation. Long term development at Oswegatchie has been steady and pragmatic over the years. Starting with the long anticipated addition of a state of the art shower facility in 2008 and continuing this past year with the addition of a new maintenance building, Oswegatchie has found ways to reinvest in itself without acquiring major debt. In the past 10 years, major donors have stepped forward to make things happen. Charitable IRA rollovers and Estate planning has allowed large gifts to find their way to Long Pond. More important, Oswegatchie has opened its doors to sponsorships and naming rights for new structures. For 2013, the ground is being broken on a new lodge / infirmary. Naming rights on the structure have started at $50,000. Oswegatchie is now at a tipping point, and needs the right mix of continued customer support, financial contributions, and collaboration with the industrious people of Lewis County. Our current customer base is very loyal and provides invaluable word of mouth promotion. This has been the cornerstone of our growth. However a little known fact is that 95% of our customers travel from outside of the county to participate in our programs. This presents a great opportunity for economic development for many Lewis County businesses. Many of our customers stop at one of many restaurants, purchase fuel, supplies, and even ice cream cones. Croghan has benefitted greatly from hungry people wanting ice cream, chocolates, and bologna! Lewis County maple syrup is also a valued commodity. Not only is it the best syrup, it is also priced right. We invite Lewis County residents and businesses to consider planning a retreat at Oswegatchie. Whether for a weekend family reunion, or a staff retreat for your employees, we can plan an event that is unique and unforgettable. Summer Leadership Camp for youth ages 11 and up continues to be our most popular program. In 2012, the summer program (www.oswegatchiecamp.com ) hit another record attendance with 768 campers during 5 weeks of camp. The Oswegatchie program is packed full of high level programs, including water sports, horseback riding, Zip Lines, climbing towers, and so much more. Summer camp tuition is all inclusive and very affordable. Lewis County youth are encouraged to talk to their FFA Advisor about how they can become a part of the Oswegatchie experience. If your school does not have an FFA Chapter you can visit us individually. Oswegatchie’s annual AdironDUCK Race (www.adironduckrace.com) has become a fixture in the Lewis County calendar of events not to be missed. With the addition of a new flock in 2012, the opportunity to participate in this event is greater than ever. In 2012 1,700 people attended and enjoyed great food, free entertainment, and beautiful spring weather. We would appreciate your presence on Sunday April 28, 2013 for the 19th Annual Oswegatchie AdironDuck Race. To learn more about Oswegatchie, go to www.oswegatchie.org. We can be reached by phone at 315-346-1222. We look forward to furthering the discussion about how Oswegatchie can be a big part of the future Lewis County. This article will run in the Lowville Journal and Republican "Progress Edition" in February 2013. Belleville Henderson FFA Receives NYS Agricultural Society’s 2013 FFA Chapter of the Year Award1/21/2013
The New York State Agricultural Society awarded its 2013 “FFA Chapter of the Year” Award to the Belleville Henderson FFA Chapter at its 181st Annual Agricultural Forum on January 10th in Syracuse. The New York State Grange sponsors this award and presented the “golden tractor” rotating trophy. (article submitted by: Marcie Hauri, student) For a chapter who sends over 30 FFA members to a chapter officer training, has done interviews on a local television station to further educate the public about agriculture, and has three different research crops for their students, there is no question why Belleville Henderson FFA is the chapter of the year. Ms. Tedra McDougal is the agricultural teacher and advisor at Belleville Henderson. There she teaches Aquaculture, Horticulture, Environmental Science, Agricultural Science, Animal Science, and Agricultural Engineering. This October at the 2012 National FFA Convention, State President Amanda Rhodes proudly went up on stage to accept a plaque for Belleville Henderson-- chapter of the year for New York State. Belleville Henderson FFA helps to develop their members on a personal level through leadership conferences such as COLT (Chapter Officer Leadership Training), and the 212/360 leadership conference in January. Members also have the opportunity to participate in job shadowing with Poulin Grain where students work with others in the agricultural industry and learn about becoming dairy nutritionists. On the chapter level Belleville Henderson grows and sells their own sweet corn as a way to educate the students on what environmental conditions are necessary to grow quality corn and to teach them how to manage their finances with a hands-on experience. In addition to growing corn and learning about business management of the chapter, they also hold a Community Agricultural Fair attended by over 300 community members to learn more about agriculture and to see what students have done with their exhibits. Belleville Henderson FFA is very involved in their community: they collect canned food items to donate to the Rhode Center-- a local food pantry, and Ms. McDougal and the chapter work with 4th grade students to make dog biscuits to donate to the homeless dogs. Another thing that the chapter does annually in their community is to read to the elementary classes on Ag Literacy day to teach younger students where their food comes from. Congratulations to Belleville Henderson FFA and to Ms. Tedra McDougal for all of your work and dedication to educate the public and further FFA and agriculture. Strengthening agriculture since 1832, the Ag Society played an instrumental role in establishing vital organizations in New York State including Cornell University’s College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, the Department of Agriculture and Markets, the New York State Fair, LEAD New York, and most recently, the New York State Agricultural Society Foundation. The Society's mission is to improve New York agriculture through education, leadership development and recognition programs. For more information or to join the NYS Agricultural Society visit www.nysagsociety.org or contact Executive Secretary, Penny Heritage, at penny@nysagsociety.org , (518) 384-1715. -30- Photo ID: (L-R) Back Row- Jake Allen, Erik Shelmidine, Nicole Race, Leann Green. Front Row—NYS Ag Commissioner Darrel Aubertine, Paige Levandowski- NYS FFA Vice President, Samantha Furman, Jazmine Ferguson, Tedra McDougal- Advisor, Stephen Coye- NYS Grange (award sponsor). Penny Heritage Executive Secretary & Publicity Coordinator New York State Agricultural Society 493 Charlton Road Ballston Spa, NY 12020 518-384-1715 www.nysagsociety.org Like New York State Agricultural Society on Facebook Follow @nysagsociety on Twitter This post is copied verbatim from email. Thank You Shari Lighthall, NY Ag Ed Outreach!
At the 2012 NAAE Convention in Atlanta we honored NY teachers and leaders for their outstanding work in agricultural education. Congratulations to each award winner. Tina James - Outstanding Agricultural Education Teacher and Mentor http://www.naae.org/awards/2012winners/ot.html#6 Mandi Millen- Outstanding Secondary Agricultural Education Program http://www.naae.org/awards/2012winners/omsp.html#6 Mary Lou Genaway - Ford Grant Challenge http://www.naae.org/awards/2012winners/newsreleases/Ford/Ford%20Grant-R6-Pioneer.doc Johanna Fox Bossard- Teacher Turn the Key http://www.naae.org/awards/2012winners/newsreleases/TTTK/Region%20VI/12-TTTK-R6-J.Fox-Bossard.doc Travis Park- Outstanding Cooperation Kaylie Ackerley - Upper Division Scholarship Jessica Devries - Ag Ambassador This is an email posted Verbatim from Dr. Travis Park and Dean Kathryn Boor.
On behalf of Dean Kathryn Boor of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, please find additional information regarding the recent MAT decision below. Since late fall, when we in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University announced our decision regarding MAT reaccreditation, I have heard some concerns and confusion regarding this change. With an appreciation for the wide reach of this community, I am writing to clarify our decision and to reassure you of CALS’ continuing commitment to providing educational opportunities to students with interests in agriculture. As you may recall, CALS announced the closing of the Department of Education in 2010. That decision was finalized after considering an extensive review of options, in the context of CALS efforts to achieve Cornell’s and CALS’ long-term strategic planning objectives. At that time, education faculty were relocated to other departments. However, since then, three education professors have left, two of whom were part of the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program. This past summer, I, along with Senior Associate Dean Max Pfeffer, met with remaining education faculty, including Professor Travis Park, to address the pending reaccreditation process, as the current accreditation ends in December 2013. Education professors were not confident the program could be reaccredited without replacement, and potentially new, faculty positions. Given the extensive review process that led to the decision to close the department, the college will not commit new faculty lines to the program. As a result of those discussions, CALS leadership and the education faculty decided not to pursue reaccreditation. However, our decision regarding reaccreditation does not reflect a move away from agricultural education opportunities by CALS. While the end of the MAT program at Cornell University does change how students can receive their certification, the college continues to offer robust opportunities to our students and to New York State. Those include: • We will continue to offer the education minor and several majors with direct links to agriculture and education, including Agricultural Sciences, International Agriculture and Rural Development, Applied Economics and Management with a focus on Agribusiness Management, and Animal Science. • We have developed an articulation agreement with Ithaca College (IC) for their MAT program. Cornell students minoring in education will have a direct path to the IC MAT program. Professor Park will be directly engaged with the IC program’s development. • IC is currently exploring the expansion of their teacher certification opportunities to include agricultural sciences, earth science, physics, chemistry, and biology, in addition to the humanities and social sciences concentrations already offered at IC. Students completing the CALS education minor could also pursue an MAT through other campuses of the SUNY system, including Oswego. • CALS has provided Professor Park with financial resources to further support his efforts to work with FFA and agriculture education outreach programs–including Ag In the Classroom, as the college recognizes the vital importance of these initiatives. Those resources will also serve to reinforce Professor Park’s research on agricultural education. Further, we will continue to direct effort and resources towards recruiting undergraduate students who come from an agricultural family, particularly those from New York, as part of fulfilling our land-grant mission. Those considerations extend to both first-year and transfer applicants. Materials from FFA members are noted in the admissions process, and members of our admissions team attend regional and national FFA conferences and events. As you know, students from agricultural backgrounds enroll in the broad spectrum of CALS majors and minors. I appreciate that changes to the prior path can cause worry and frustration. I am fully confident that this evolution offers the most sound way forward as CALS strives to fully achieve its mission of teaching, research, and extension. Posted by Bill Waite November 2012
Grow!!!! To those of us who possess an inborn fondness for agricultural life, we know and appreciate what it takes to grow our basic daily needs. The food, fiber, and fuel the world needs to prosper rests squarely on the shoulders of agriculturalists. We are also depended upon to sow the seeds of knowledge and awareness. With an ever increasing number of consumers further removed from the source of their food, growing an agriculturally literate society is among our greatest challenges. To that end the New York FFA is doing its part by preparing thousands of youth across our state to be the next agricultural leaders, business owners, teachers, labor force, and spokespersons for our industry. The preparation of youth for careers in agriculture is a great and inspiring task, which is made easier when our FFA Alumni and friends make financial contributions to support the New York FFA. Just as our crops will not grow and prosper without proper inputs, our youth also require investments to optimize their preparation to be involved in agriculture. More than 85% of the money raised by the New York FFA Foundation goes back to the FFA chapters and members to support their development. Your support matters and speaks volumes about what traditions are important to you. Many of our great traditions in New York, including agricultural education, continue to be threatened by the economic condition of our federal, state, and local budgets. Our stakeholders; parents, FFA alumni, small business owners, agricultural industry leaders, among many others, are the key pillars we rely on to engage youth in agricultural and career success. In the past 12 months our members have been afforded opportunities based solely on the generosity of over 250 individual and business donors. The highlights include:
Will you help us GROW our NY FFA Members by making a financial contribution today? It has never been easier to show your support. You can make your contribution on line at www.nyffafoundation.org , or you can simply print the form below and mail your contribution to our office. The time to show your support for agricultural education and the NY FFA is now. Please stand with those who believe the FFA is the greatest youth organization in the world and make your contribution today! Thank you for your support, Todd Lighthall Two major, unrelated events prompted a desire for action in NYS FFA Officers. October 24-27, students participated in the Rally to Fight Hunger at the National FFA Convention. The day after they returned home, Hurricane Sandy came ashore and resulted in devastation that consumed the news and social media for days. The storm damage made it impossible not to see the need people had in New York and the officer team wanted to respond, somehow. A series of messages were sent back and forth between the 14 member team of students. From their locations in separate parts of the state, officers contemplated how to respond to the need from the storm but also to do it in a way that aligned with the beliefs of the organization. A partnership with the New York Farm Bureau triggered in a plan that would not only respond to needs of those displaced and set back by Hurricane Sandy, but also bring awareness to a real issue that exists in every part of the state at every time of the year. Farm Bureau annually collects donations for regional food banks through the Harvest for All project. Understanding the role food banks play in responding to food emergencies, state officers decided to help direct FFA members wanting to respond after the hurricane to do so through agriculture. In addition to supporting the New York Farm Bureau’s Harvest for All efforts, however, officers added a component to their challenge – education. The Food Insecurity Challenge asks schools to do three things: 1, educate themselves about the variables that contribute to food insecurity and specifically how food banks help to provide people with access to affordable food; 2, take the stigma off of services and programs that exist to help alleviate food insecurity by educating their schools about why it exists and the real demographics of hunger in New York; and 3, launch a campaign within their schools and communities to collect donations for regional food banks in New York State. Over the course of a weekend, New York State Officers developed the project, created a script and a story board and recorded pieces of a video to launch the project. Officers worked in their bedrooms, hallways and dormitories from hundreds of miles apart to complete the project, together. After using partner organizations for feedback, they launched the project through social media and agricultural education networks on Tuesday, November 6. “I’ve never been so proud of a project in my life,” said New York State Sentinel, Kaylin Broadwell. Broadwell is an FFA member from Hamilton, NY and currently studies agricultural communications at SUNY Cobleskill. She acted as the hub for all media and put the project together in her college dorm room, but doesn’t claim responsibility for the project. “It was a team effort. Like we say in the video, we’ve got to see that this is happening, recognize that it’s a problem and say it’s not okay. We hope that the video gets members thinking about the reality of food insecurity and gets them to do something to change the way people think about hunger.” “We believe a lot of things about hunger,” District 6 President, Ashley Willits states in the video. “That it only happens to lazy people. That it only happens to people without jobs. That it only happens to people in big cities – and that there’s nothing we can do about it.” Willits is a junior at Lowville Academy in upstate NY and was eager to help develop the script for the video. “We want to take the stigma off hunger… until we make people realize that there is no shame in being hungry, we keep ignoring the people who need agriculture the most.” The Food Insecurity Challenge is designed to engage all people in the reality of the issues of hunger all around them and to respond to the short-term needs of people following Hurricane Sandy – but it has the bigger goal of restructuring the way people think about hunger and to engage young people, long term, in finding solutions for hunger. “It has to be more than just a bake sale,” State Secretary Leann Green, a student at SUNY Cobleskill states. “It’s more than just a can drive. We want people to understand why food insecurity exists and to realize they can do something about it.” Guest Post: New York FFA Food Insecurity Lesson / Challenge In the last 2 weeks, state officers participated in the Rally to Fight Hunger and then watched the news to see people’s homes destroyed and their families left in need in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Many of your students may be having the same conversations with each other as the state officer team has been having among themselves.
In response, the officers developed an initiative to engage local chapters with their schools in a dialog about food and food insecurity and a response to hunger in New York. They want students to focus in part on problems that threaten food security and how careers in agriculture can solve systemic and chronic problems – but they also know part of the challenge is that a general misunderstanding of the issue of hunger results in people not taking advantage of systems that are in place to serve people in times of need. The challenge officers are making is simple and significant. They are asking all chapters to educate themselves about the reality of food insecurity and the role food banks play in feeding New York. Then, chapters are to educate their peers and the faculty at your school about the reality of hunger issues. Finally, once that education has taken place, they want schools to collect donations for local food banks in order to respond to the anticipated increased need for food in food banks throughout NY – particularly in the weeks and months following Hurricane Sandy. Any donations made between now and the deadline made in the name of the Harvest for All project will go to help credit NY Farmers in their competition to see which state Farm Bureau network contributes the most food to their food banks throughout the year – there is a lot of good that can come out of this project. To launch the project, the team worked on a video laying out the problem and their challenge. I’ve included it as two different links – youtube and school tube. I’m also going to try to put it up on a file share site in case your school has blocked both of those sites. In the next few days we’ll be trying to put together some resources for your students to use to help them get started in understanding food insecurity. This is a phenomenal stepping stool to engage students in the World Food Prize Global Youth Institute next year, or perhaps to spark some ideas for agriscience projects, ag issues presentations or prepared speeches. Additionally, creating a school wide dialog and understanding of hunger may help to attract some students into your agriculture classes when they recognize the challenge this generation of students must meet. Good luck – and thank you for taking time to share this with your students. The video is 6 minutes and 20 seconds but I’d bet you could anticipate 10 to 15 minutes worth of discussion and planning to come out of it (if not more) if you propose this as a project your students take on. Let me know how I can help – the videos are below. http://www.schooltube.com/video/9efff49095a64c15b1c3/New%20York%20FFA%20Hunger%20Challenge http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjMEqC0MUnc&feature=youtu.be Sincerely, Juleah Tolosky NY FFA Executive Secretary The New York FFA Foundation, located at the Oswegatchie Educational Center in Croghan, NY has doubled down on their duck related efforts. Oswegatchie has held a rubber duck race for the past 18 years. Now with the success of that program, a new opportunity has started. In 2011, Oswegatchie had maxed out its “AdironDuck Race” sales and needed to increase flock size. In their efforts to have a new 10,000 duck flock created, they discovered the option to have a “100% Made in America” Duck created. While a cheaper duck was purchased for racing, the Foundation that owns Oswegatchie decided that the “Made in America” duck might be a good fundraiser. Partnering with a company called “CelebriDucks”, the organizations set out to have 100% of this duck made domestically. Everything from design, packaging, modeling, and manufacture was done inside our nation’s borders. The end product is a superior duck made with safe non-lead, non-phthalate, and BPA free vinyl product. “This is the duck you want your child to have in the bath tub,” says Jim Cooke, a retired engineer from the Bayer Corporation that helped with the due diligence process in finding new ducks. The New York FFA Foundation has received two flocks from CelebriDucks. The first batch had blue wings and only 100 of these prototypes were made. After some adjustments, the second flock of 1,000 ducks has arrived and has been on sale since October 15th, 2012. “The duck retails for $20, which is expensive compared to most other ducks manufactured overseas, but this duck is 100% American, meaning the cost of production was higher” says Todd Lighthall, the Executive Director of the New York FFA Foundation. All profits from this duck will be used to support New York FFA members who are learning about agricultural and leadership. These teens will be agriculture’s most valuable resource!” If you are interested in learning more about the “FFA Duck” go to www.nyffafoundation.org . To learn more about the AdironDuck Race held in Croghan every April, go to www.adironduckrace.com . To buy Ducks as individuals or by the case, Click on this Link! For more information, contact us at info@oswegatchie.org ! Greetings, NY FFA! This convention was an exciting one. We had teams and competitors in every single event. Our National Officer Candidate, Morgan Shaver, represented the very best of our state with grace and enthusiasm. State Officers made some of the most compelling, logical arguments for a key constitutional change I’ve seen in five years observing and helping with the national delegate process. On stage, NY students shone – students from Granville, Stockbridge Valley and Tri-Valley lit up the stage in the band and chorus. Behind the scenes, NY alumni made convention work. Several key roles were filled by OUR FFA alumni members. The Expo was loaded with former members helping students make strong decisions about college and careers. And of course, every NY student had a chance to recognize that they can achieve the highest levels of leadership in FFA as one of OUR members, Kenny Quick, served the last few days of his National Officer year of service. This success can be credited to the advisors who have built this association with their dedication to students and to agriculture. We’re starting to see greater success on a level beyond New York – and it is well deserved. But just as the officers challenged our members – we have room to grow as well. I think a phenomenal example of this is the Tri-Valley FFA earning the national Model of Innovation award for Community Development. This is not the first time they’ve applied, nor is it the first time they’ve been a finalist – but after years in the making, the chapter was finally recognized for something they’ve been doing well – and improving steadily – for years. As a state, we do many things well. Our classrooms are packed with relevance and taught by caring teachers. Our FFA members are eager and filling state level events. Student SAEs are diverse and there are some phenomenal projects throughout the state. The things your chapters do for students, for your schools and for your communities are practically unrivaled. I believe we can continue to see more NY students and schools being recognized by continuing to emphasize and facilitate the recognition process. We can take student development and the level of instruction we’re delivering to the next level. I’m going to do my part from the state office to provide as much support as possible, and as a state we can continue to grow the value of what we do for our students and our chapters. A little success brings a desire for greater success – and this is an exciting time to not only celebrate what NY FFA has already accomplished but to envision where we will go, together. I believe we’ll see schools making impacts in their community’s fight against hunger; students developing better speaking skills than we’ve ever seen on the local level; SAE projects that are garnering attention beyond our state convention stage and chapters being recognized for the full value of what they are delivering. Let’s start by telling our story. I’d encourage you to have your students write an article about their convention experience and send it to local media. Have them connect with your local supporters – partners, administrators, school boards – to share with them the value of what they just did. Sit down with your chapter officers to identify how they want to grow their membership and grow your chapter’s success. Capitalize on the post-convention enthusiasm. If there’s anything I can do to help, please let me know. Congratulations on all the success you earned this week in Indianapolis. Thank you for making me proud to say that I represent NY FFA. Sincerely, Juleah Juleah Tolosky NY FFA Executive Secretary |
The New York FFA Foundation The NYSFFALTF, Inc., chartered in 1946 by the New York State Board of Regents, is a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) charitable organization that provides businesses, associations, other foundations, and individuals the opportunity to contribute to the growth and success of our New York youth. Our mission is to build and maintain a financial base that will allow the New York FFA to generate well-educated and career focused productive citizens. Email our Director at tlighthall@oswegatchie.org . Archives
February 2021
Categories
All
|