Leadership Development Events

Leadership Development Events focus on creating situations for members to demonstrate their abilities in public speaking, decision making, communication and their knowledge of agriculture and the FFA organization. Team and individual events are used to reinforce what is taught in agricultural science classrooms.


Agricultural Issues Forum
A team of 3 to 7 students research and analyze a current agricultural issue, create a portfolio and also develop and deliver a presentation that stresses both pros and cons of their selected agricultural issue. At the event competition, members use verbal skills and presentation abilities to defend their findings and answer judges’ questions.

Agricultural Advocacy
This contest will be designed to inform the general public and consumers about the importance and value of the agriculture industry and how agriculture impacts human lives. Agricultural Advocacy teams will be made up of 3-5 members from the same chapter.

Chapter Conducting (Greenhand and Sr.)
Teams conduct a mock chapter meeting to demonstrate knowledge of basic parliamentary law and the use of correct parliamentary procedures. At the conclusion of the meeting, team members are asked questions regarding parliamentary law. There are both Greenhand and senior levels for this event.

Creed Speaking (Greenhand and Sr.)
A member presents the FFA Creed from memory and answers questions about its meaning and purpose. This event is just one way to boost self-confidence, earn recognition, and develop powerful, organized and professional communication skills. There are both Greenhand and senior levels for this event.

Greenhand FFA Quiz
An exam testing knowledge of the Grays Guide to Parliamentary Procedure for FFA and FFA knowledge including history, facts, business structure, leadership and programs is given to individuals. Quiz teams can be made of 3 or 4 members.

Chapter Agricultural Quiz
An exam testing team members’ understanding of the FFA, agricultural education, current agricultural events and parliamentary procedure is given. Teams can be made of 3 or 4 members.

FFA Broadcasting
A team of 3 members presents an informative radio program covering one or more agricultural subjects that is current in nature and local in content. The contest assumes that the chapter has a regularly scheduled non-commercial radio program once each month over a local station.

Job Interview
At the competition, each member submits their resume, completes a job application for an agricultural position on site and participates in an interview via telephone, in person one-on-one and with a panel of possible employers.

Public Relations
A team of between two and four FFA members develops and presents a 5-8 minute program to inform a specified target audience regarding the Texas FFA and what it represents. The presentation is developed assuming that the target audience has no knowledge of the FFA. Team members are asked questions in response to their program following the presentation.

Skills Demonstration (Greenhand and Sr.)
A team of 3-5 members performs an actual demonstration of an agricultural skill including anything in the Agricultural Science and Technology curriculum using effective public speaking and communication methods. There are both Greenhand and senior levels for this event .




Career Development Events

Career Development Events build on what is learned in agricultural classes and encourage members to put their knowledge into practice. These events are designed to help a member prepare for a career in agriculture by testing and challenging the student's technical, leadership, interpersonal and teamwork skills as well as their knowledge of this subject matter.  

Dairy Cattle
During this event, team members complete a written exam, evaluate dairy cattle on physical characteristics and analyze cows based on pedigree and herd record.  Teams consist of three or four members and the top three scores are compiled for team results.   

Floriculture
Classroom knowledge and skills are applied as students identify and evaluate cut flowers, house plants, flowering plants, floral designs and complete an exam that tests their knowledge of floral design, propagation as well as preparation of floral and foliage products for sale  

Livestock Evaluation
 Beef cattle, sheep and swine are evaluated for market values and desirable physical traits.  Team members also rank livestock for breeding purposes, using observed physical characteristics and performance data.  
     
Veterinary Science 
Students working in teams demonstrate their technical competency with small and large animals by completing a written exam, critical-thinking scenario questions, identifications and hands-on practicums.

Range 

An actual pasture is evaluated on the basis of characteristics of the soil exposed and observations of landscape conditions- slope, gullies, etc. Team members make pasture management recommendations using information provided on a "pasture condition sheet" and by observing landscape and vegetative features. The range evaluation portion of the competition requires members to record the degree of utilization, kind of site, range condition and the predominant decreaser, increaser, and invader plant species while also recommending range management practices.



Spring Speaking Events

Speaking Development Events are designed to develop the ability of all FFA members to express themselves on a given subject. Students are encouraged to develop their communication skills and learn to formulate their remarks for presentation in a variety of situations. The state finals of the speaking development events are held in conjunction with the Texas FFA convention.

Extemporaneous Public Speaking
Members learn how to think on their feet and make a case quickly and persuasively.  Contestants are given 30 minutes to prepare a speech on one of three randomly selected agricultural topics.  After delivering the speech, contestants may be asked questions about their speech and topic.

Senior Prepared Public Speaking
Each contestant writes and delivers a six- to eight-minute speech about a current agricultural subject of their choice.  Participants are then rated based on the written speech, speech delivery and their answers to judges’ questions.

Junior Prepared Public Speaking
Each contestant writes and delivers a four- to six-minute speech about a current agricultural subject of their choice.  Participants are then rated based on the written speech, speech delivery and their answers to judges’ questions.

Soil Stewardship Prepared Public Speaking
Contestants write and deliver a six- to eight-minute speech in accordance with the year’s theme selected by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board.  Prior to competition the speech must be presented to the local chapter and to at least one civic or school group if competing above the district level.