The Role of the FFA Advisor

You are an FFA Advisor…

You need one more person to make up a livestock judging team. Your chapter vice president did very well on the livestock unit in class, but has no career plans for animal science (She is working toward a career in biotechnology). She judged livestock with 4-H for eight years. Should you ask her to serve on the livestock team?

Roles

Selecting and Training Officers Developing a Chapter Program Securing Experience in Agriculture Developing Leadership Improving Scholarship Serving the Community Financing the FFA Chapter Program Securing Advancement of Members Developing and Using a Constitution and Bylaws

Real Advisors…

InspireMotivate - “Strike fear in the hearts of

many”?Encourage, ConsoleTeachEncourage calculated risk-taking.Have long-term best interests of the student

at heart.

Real Advisors do NOT:

Lead the chapter.“Boss the job, run the show, etc.”Forget their job as a teacher.Advise “Cheese Doodle Chapters”.

The consequences could mean that the chapter “dies” after the FFA advisor retires.

You are an FFA Advisor…

Janet and Michael, two very good friends, ran for chapter office. Both are seniors and both expect to be the next chapter president. Janet is elected president and Michael became the vice president. Michael is furious and vows to never again participate in FFA, even though he is in your 3rd period class.

Selecting and Training Officers

Providing local leadership experience for all students.

Providing practical “on the job” training.

Coordinating the development of a responsible officer selection/training process.

Inservice learning about leadership.

You are an FFA Advisor…

Your FFA chapter officers have always planned a program of activities for the chapter. This year, you want include more FFA members in planning. During the first week of the new school year, a chapter meeting is called for the purpose of setting up the POA. Four students show up.

Developing a Chapter Program

Training members to cooperate and deliberate in group setting (committees).

Providing a framework for organizing and distributing information, resources.

Providing a framework for maintaining the system (fail-safe mechanisms).

Securing Experience in Agriculture

Understand the value of SAE in Ag. Ed.Competition that isn’t founded in career

development for the student is just competition.

Developing FFA activities that parallel the development of SAE in students.

Developing Leadership

Having a good knowledge of leadership theory.

Developing learning materials and activities that develop leadership.

Providing students with experiences that encourage leadership skill development.

Improving Scholarship

Developing a mechanism for creating and distributing scholarship funds.

Find the scholarship application at ffa.org.Find the scholarship information at

ncffa.org.

Serving the Community

Developing a presence within the school and community.

Serve in civic activities whenever and wherever appropriate.

Develop programs that contribute something good to the community.

Advertising isn’t community service.

Financing the FFA Chapter Program

Training chapter leaders how to make sound fiscal decisions.

Coordinating fund-raising efforts.Adhering to school fundraising

requirements.

You are an FFA Advisor…

You are going through the State FFA Degree applicants and find that Tom, in your class has completed all of the requirements for the degree except one. He is a good student and tries very hard, but he cannot complete the one requirement (not enough years in Ag.). He wants to run for state office next year.

Securing Advancement of Members

A firm knowledge of: FFA Proficiency Awards FFA Star Awards Career Development Events FFA DegreesThe single greatest thing to help students secure

advancement is SAE.How many different proficiency award areas are

there?

Your are an FFA Advisor…

Your school is on a block schedule. Fifty percent of chapter officers are not enrolled in an ag. class this semester. You are having difficulty getting information about FFA activites out to the officers and other members.

Developing and Using a Constitution and Bylaws

Having a good knowledge of how a chapter constitution works.

Setting up policies and procedures that allow the smooth flow of information and resources to all parts of the local FFA program.

You are an FFA Advisor…

You have just opened a brand new agriculture program in a school that has not had one before. How do you recruit members for an organization they have never heard of before. The neighboring has a very poor FFA chapter.

Recruiting and Retaining Members

Develop a framework by which students within the Ag. Program are recruited to join.

Develop a system for recruiting new students into the Ag. Program using FFA as an incentive.

Develop a system for retaining members.