Kansas State University

search

Department of Communications and Agricultural Education

Tag: National FFA Organization

Hock joins national committee

Posted on by Rachel Waggie

by Rachel Waggie, agricultural education and communication master’s student

Gaea Hock joined the National FFA Agriscience Fair Committee in July. She attended the national selection process and will assist at National FFA Convention in October. Her role on the committee will help strengthen the event in Kansas and across the nation.

The National FFA Agriscience Fair recognizes student researchers studying the application of agricultural scientific principles and emerging technologies in agricultural enterprises. Students can compete in one of the following categories: animal systems; environmental services/natural resource systems; food products and processing systems; plant systems; power, structural and technical systems; and social science.

Ag Ed Club Helps FFA Award Winners

Posted on by Deanna Reid

By Deanna Reid, agricultural education and communication master’s student

Ms. Kane helps agricultural education club members critique submissions.

The Agricultural Education Club had an opportunity to serve Kansas FFA members by providing feedback for high school state Agricultural Proficiency Award winners in preparation for the national competition. Based on supervised agricultural experience programs, proficiency awards recognize students who have developed skills they can apply to future agricultural careers.

Award areas include: entrepreneurship, placement, combined, and agriscience research. Though critiquing award applications, K-State agricultural education students were able to help potential students and use the experience as a learning opportunity for future teaching. Thirty K-State undergraduate students evaluated nearly 40 applications that were submitted.

 

Agricultural education students provide feedback for FFA Proficiency Award contestants.

 

Abby Goins, an agricultural education major, stated, “This opportunity was special and unique. As someone unfamiliar with the proficiency award program, it helped me to understand what students learn and what is involved. It was a really great opportunity!”

 

 

Ulmer to be Honored at National FFA Meeting

Posted on by Deanna Reid

By Linda Gilmore

Jon Ulmer, associate professor of agricultural education, was selected by the national FFA program to receive the Honorary American FFA Degree. This award is given to those who advance agricultural education and FFA through outstanding personal commitment. The Honorary American FFA Degree recognizes those who have gone beyond valuable daily contributions to make an extraordinary long-term difference in the lives of students, inspiring confidence in a new generation of agriculturists. Ulmer will receive the award at the 2018 National FFA Convention and Expo during an onstage ceremony on Friday, Oct. 26, in Indianapolis. All recipients will receive a certificate and medal, and their names will be permanently recorded. Ulmer currently serves on the National FFA Board of Directors.

Kansas FFA State Conference of Chapter Leaders

Posted on by Deanna Reid

Story by Deanna Reid, master’s student

Kansas State agricultural education faculty and students participated in the 2018 Kansas FFA State Conference of Chapter Leaders at the beginning of July. More than 150 Kansas FFA members came together at Rock Springs 4-H Center for three days to form effective leadership teams for their chapters.

During that time, they competed in a scavenger hunt, packaged more than 30,000 meals for local food banks and met other leaders from across Kansas.

Tagged to Teach Ag

Posted on by Anissa Zagonel

Story by Deanna Reid, master’s student

The communications and agricultural education department hosted the “Tagged to Teach Ag” event on April 30. This event brought more than 250 FFA members from high schools across the state to the Manhattan campus to learn more about what it means to be an agricultural educator.

Current Kansas State University agricultural education students and faculty gave presentations about the program and future career options. Information about the agricultural education degree and other K-State programs was also available.

FFA members also enjoyed ice cream from Call Hall and fresh cookies from the grain science and industry department while they played interactive games, collected “ag swag” and prizes  and took photos with Willie the Wildcat at the “Tagged to Teach Ag” photo booth.

“We would like to give special thanks to the ag ed students, FFA advisors and presenters for making this a great event,” said Instructor Brandie Disberger, one of the event organizers. “We hope everyone considers teaching ag as a career!”

Western Kansas Youth Water Advocates Conference

Posted on by Anissa Zagonel

 

 

Dr. Gaea (Wimmer) Hock (’03, ’06) assisted with the Western Kansas Youth Water Advocates Conference in Garden City, March 23–24.

This conference helps high school FFA members learn more about water issues and develop skills for advocating in their communities. Ten students from six FFA chapters participated in the event.

Dr. Hock taught sessions about considering the target audience and the basics of research. Melissa Poet (’17) and Russell Plaschka co-hosted this conference and served as mentors for students and sponsors for the event. Poet currently teaches agricultural education at Greeley County High School, and Plaschka serves as the Career and Workforce Development Specialist at the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

 

 

Ag Ed Student Teacher Interns Participate in Professional Development

Posted on by Anissa Zagonel

Story by Anissa Zagonel, master’s student

K-State agricultural education student teaching interns recently participated in two days of professional development for the Ag Ed Enhancing Pre-Service Instruction (EPIC) Experience sponsored by Kansas Corn Commission. Students were able to tour and talk with various production agricultural sectors in Garden City, Kansas.

During the tour, students:

  • visited Royal Farms Dairy and learned from Kyle Averhoff about the farm’s story, goals, and the role of corn in the dairy industry;
  • toured Bonanza Ethanol Plant, where Jeff Gilbert and colleagues spoke about the ethanol industry and their Garden City plant;
  • visited Reeve Cattle Co., where the Reeve family discussed their use of ethanol, feed distillers grains, and other corn feedstuffs in their cattle operation;
  • visited the K-State Research and Extension Southwest Research Station, where Dwane and Grace Roth, Mike Meyer, and Michael Kempke discussed water issues in southwest Kansas and emerging technologies for sustainable water use;
  • heard perspectives from individual corn producers, Russell Komlofske, Kyler Millershaski, and Jeff Mai;
  • visited Sublette High School agricultural education teacher, Will Johnson who shared advice for starting a new agricultural education program and beginning careers as educators;
  • and visited Cimarron High School agricultural education teacher Ryan Miller who spoke to students about the importance of positive community relationships to create successful agricultural education programs.

 

AgEd Club hosts annual speech contest

Posted on by Anissa Zagonel

Story by Anissa Zagonel, master’s student

At the beginning of February, the AgEd Club hosted their annual KSU Speech Contest in Bluemont Hall. There were over 180 Kansas FFA members competing and 45 K-State students helping throughout the day.

Volunteers for the contest show off the t-shirt for the event.

Categories of speeches included freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, creed, and extemporaneous.

Kansas FFA members pose with a Willie the Wildcat cutout at the contest.

Alumni Feature: Bleeding Blue from a Heart of Gold

Posted on by Anissa Zagonel

Story by Katie Harbert, freshman (ACJ)

Beth Gaines, executive director of the Kansas FFA Foundation, experienced a change of heart her junior year of college. This occurrence was frightening at first, but allowed her to realize her true passion and started her on the track toward her current career.

“Follow your heart and your passions, they will take you where you need to go,” Gaines says.

Throughout her childhood and early college years, Gaines was solely interested in utilizing her Kansas State degree (’91) in agricultural communications and journalism for radio broadcasting.

“As a junior in college, I had an internship with a radio company and realized very quickly that was not what I wanted,” Gaines says.

Getting an opportunity to experience the reality of working in the radio industry allowed her to gain new insight and understand what to expect from a career in broadcasting. Although the internship caused her to drift from her original plan, it led her to her true passion within agricultural communications.

Continue reading “Alumni Feature: Bleeding Blue from a Heart of Gold” →

Agricultural education student selected to National FFA nominating committee

Posted on by Anissa Zagonel

Story by Anissa Zagonel, master’s student

For Katelyn Bohnenblust, FFA has been an integral part of her life she took her first agricultural class in the eighth grade. Now, as she begins her sophomore year at Kansas State University in the agricultural education program, it is still a foundational part of her life but in a different way.

Recently, Bohnenblust was selected through a strenuous screening process to serve as a nominating committee member for the 90th National FFA Convention, which takes place at the end of October in Indianapolis, Indiana. As a nominating committee member, Bohnenblust, along with eight other committee members from across the nation, will interview 41 national officer candidates for six national officer positions over the course of 11 days.

Few have the honor to serve on this committee. Bohnenblust is just the third Kansan to ever be selected.

Continue reading “Agricultural education student selected to National FFA nominating committee” →