Growing Our Future: Texas Agricultural Science Education Magazine

City Lab FFA Members Find Internship Opportunities at Big Tex Urban Farms

2023-2024 Ford Leadership Scholars Projects

2023 Star Greenhand Members Why ATAT?

Motivating and Maintaining Motivation in the Classroom

2023 Star Chapter Members

ATAT Mentor Program Script Writing Tips

2024 Chapter Visit Highlights

Family Tradition 2023 Star Lone Star Members

Hall of Fame Inductees

of Summer Checklist for Advisors

FROM THE EDITOR

Motivation is defined as our enthusiasm for doing something. It is the ‘why’ behind every action. The reason, or reasons, for acting or behaving in a particular way.

In agricultural science education, it is common that our motivation is passion. That might be a passion for agriculture, leadership and/or student development. Whatever the case, we are a highly motivated group of individuals. That fact is reflected in the pages.

We hope you enjoy the Summer 2024 issue of Growing Our Future!

Ashley Dunkerley

2024 Professional Development Conference July 22-26, 2024 Dallas, Texas

In April, the Brush County Ducks Unlimited chapter in Floresville, Texas, held its annual banquet and auction, raising more than $175,000 for conservation and education efforts. More than $55,000 was attributed to items built by Poth FFA, and $27,000 of that profit went back to the local FFA chapter.

Collaboration efforts between the area Ducks Unlimited chapter and Poth FFA were built on shared values, including career and technical education and student success.

The event showcased shop projects constructed by FFA chapter members, displaying the students' abilities gained in the agricultural education classroom. These skills are transferable and applicable at school, on the job, and at home. Items up for bid included a custom epoxy river ta-

POTH FFA MEMBERS COLLABORATE WITH DUCKS UNLIMITED

ble and chair set, four porch swings, three coat racks, and an assortment of metal artwork.

"I have great students that want to learn and spend time in the shop," said John Dziuk, Poth FFA Advisor and Agricultural Science Teacher. "Before the auction, most of these projects are also exhibited at the Wilson County Agriculture Mechanics Show, providing a dual experience."

The Poth FFA earnings from the auction directly fund additional learning experiences and student projects.

"When this collaboration was presented, I knew it was an opportunity for my student to continue to have the monetary resources to build stuff,"

said Dziuk. "Our students were excited to participate and just ran with it."

In 2022, Dziuk was introduced to Tom Johnson, a Texas Ducks Unlimited representative. Johnson proposed a mutually beneficial effort. Poth FFA members would use the skills they were learning in the agricultural education classroom to construct ag mechanics auction items for the local Ducks Unlimited fundraiser, and when they sold, the chapter would profit 50% of the earnings.

"Ducks Unlimited has been partnering with local Texas FFA chapters to raise funds to support their students for a few years," said Johnson. "With Poth FFA, it is a proven successful effort."

The first year, the effort raised approximately $10,000 for the chapter. The following year, it increased to $17,600, and this year, it reached a record high.

Ducks Unlimited is a tenured supporter of the Texas FFA Association and Texas FFA Foundation. Their efforts are rooted in a passion for agricultural science education and contribute through scholarships, next-level leadership development, and professional networks.

"If you are an FFA chapter interested in collaborating, don't hesitate to reach out," said Johnson.

IS YOUR CHAPTER INTERESTED IN COLLABORATING WITH DUCKS UNLIMITED?

CONTACT TOM JOHNSON AT TOM@ENCINOLANDSCAPEINC.COM

BIG TEX URBAN FARMS

In 2016, the State Fair of Texas introduced Big Tex Urban Farms, a revolutionary, mobile agriculture system. It consists of planting beds and hydroponic systems housed in the heart of Fair Park.

In the spring of 2023, the Big Tex Urban Farms Internship Program was created. Through this effort, interns from City Lab FFA began working with them to learn about urban farming. This spring the second cohort of students completed the program.

City Lab FFA is a new chapter that will receive its charter at the 2024 Texas FFA Convention in July. Located in the heart of downtown Dallas, the students have found an agriculture outlet in Fair Park.

The project has proven successful by investing in immediate Fair Park neighborhoods. It connects like-

-minded agriculture entities and provides fresh produce to organizations focused on hunger and healthy lifestyle programs.

To this day, the effort has produced 142,240 pounds of produce, 193,425 heads of lettuce, and 1,543,257 servings.

In October, during the annual State Fair of Texas, members from City Lab FFA shared what they'd learned with fairgoers.

What’s New at iCEV

All-Inclusive Curriculum | Industry Certifications | Data Management

Earn TIA Allotment with iCEV!

iCEV is offering pre- and post-testing for both certifications a nd courses, which means your school can now use iCEV courses to qualify for Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) funding.

Determine student progress with reports detailing growth by standard between pre-test and the final exam. Ask your iCEV representative how to get started!

New iCEV Agricultural Science

• Turfgrass Management Coming August 2024

Courses

• Introduction to Agriscience Coming August 2024

Updated iCEV Agricultural Science Courses

• Animal Science – Now Available

• Plant & Soil Science – Now Available

• Floral Design – Coming Soon

New Certification Coming August 2024

Sports Field Management Association

Turfgrass Science Certification

NEW CERTIFICATION

NRCS Fundamentals of Conservation & Sustainability in Agriculture

iCEV now offers prep content for the following agricultural certifications:

• NOCTI 21st Century Skills for Workplace Success

• NOCTI Agricultural Biotechnology

• NOCTI Floriculture

• NOCTI Floriculture - Greenhouse

• NOCTI Heavy Equipment Maintenance & Repair

• NOCTI Horticulture - Landscaping

• NOCTI Natural Resource Systems

• NOCTI Production Agriculture

• NOCTI Small Animal Science & Technology

• NOCTI Welding

• UAS Remote Pilot Certification (FAA Part 107 Training)

Free Teacher Certifications

Interested in exploring industry certifications?

Earn a free industry certification to see what it could look like to implement them into your Ag program. Use the code to sign up!

Every year, ten deserving students are selected to join the Ford Leadership Scholars Program. During the student's senior year of high school, the FFA members commit to a hands-on leadership program and complete year-long substantial and sustainable service capstone projects.

Let's take a look at the class of 2023-2024's projects.

TRACER RICE

McGREGOR FFA

The project consisted of creating a staff appreciation program for McGregor ISD. Through various initiatives such as recognition events, steak dinners, and morning brunches, the program has helped foster a positive and motivated work environment among staff members.

THOMAS DEAN

MADISONVILLE FFA

The project included creating "Roofs For Rufus," which was designed to fund shelters for the local animal foster care system, "Rufus Refuge." Rufus Refuge is a 501(c)3 organization that has been Madison County's primary animal control for the past ten years. They expressed the need for additional fundraising to allow the shelter to house additional animals. A "Roofs For Rufus" website was created to accept donations in hopes of raising $15,000 for dog and cat houses. The excess will go toward pet food.

HUNTER LAWSON

PARADISE FFA

The project involved renovating the City of Paradise’s Leone Park, with the hope of increasing community involvement and supporting physical activity. The efforts consist of rebuilding and painting fences and dugouts, updating and renovating bleachers and pathways, and creating a pocket park in the heart of the complex.

MIA STOWE

GILMER FFA

Gilmer Reads mission is to advocate for literacy in Upshur County. The project hosted a book drive on four Gilmer ISD campuses and fundraised and advertised for the Upshur County Literacy Council. More than 800 books were collected and donated between the Gilmer Head Start and the Upshur County Library. The Gilmer Reads committee has collected $4,750 through sponsors in the community.

JOELI HARDY

MADISONVILLE FFA

The project has raised $27,000 to establish the Madison County Hay Relief Program. The program was established to help local agriculturalists, whether 4-H or FFA members, as well as farmers and ranchers who need hay for agricultural purposes. The next step of the effort is to contact 20 local hay producers to gauge interest in hay donations.

SHAYLA MADER

STEPHENVILLE FFA

The project collaborated with the local Summer Food 4 Kids Program to increase community awareness, gain support, and attract volunteers. The project also established social media platforms and a website and conducted fundraising. In addition, a collection of $1,350 in generous private donations and $4,000 from the Stephenville Evening Lions Club were obtained.

GUS MUSHINSKI

BRIDGELAND FFA

The project involved creating a website that stores local community service organizations and events in an easy-to-access database. Through collaboration with philanthropists and community organizations such as the Lion Club, more than 25 organizations have begun using the website.

GAUGE McCAIN

BRAZOS FFA

The AgVentures project has wrapped up its first year of service. It started with a building donated to me by the Austin County Fair Board. It was transformed into an agriculture education walk-through. During the first week of being open, it had over 2000 visitors. The building has also been used as a station for Ag in the Classroom, where over 300 third-grade students were educated on agriculture and all the fields in which agriculture is involved.

NATALIE TROYER

CLEAR BROOK FFA

The project consisted of creating four agricultural education videos for middle schools within Clear Creek ISD. Eight industry professionals in different sectors of agriculture were interviewed. The Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce helped edit the videos, including the b-roll that the Texas FFA and Texas Farm Bureau provided. The end goal is for the videos to be integrated into the curriculum for the semester-long class.

LILY ADAMS

WHITEHOUSE FFA

The project cultivated a recreational element to the Blackhawk Creek Trail in Whitehouse, Texas. Along the winding paths and verdant forestry hang ten man-made habitats, including birdhouses, bat boxes, owl houses, and duck boxes. As the official debut and outreach program to advocate for this trail's wonders, elementary school visits were conducted across the district to educate the younger minds about the local environment.

Prairiland FFA member, Ally Stapleton, is building a resume of experience for her future career while working for her family at Bar S Ranch.

“I have spent my entire life growing up on this ranch and have taken an interest in learning everything that I can so that I can one day have my own operation,” said Stapleton.

In addition, she has aspirations to become a veterinarian. To learn while doing, she assists her dad closely while working cattle. She administers medications and as-

2023 STAR GREENHAND PLACEMENT

sists with artificial insemination, castrating, and doctoring sick animals.

“Many of my day-to-day activities are routine, such as feeding and watering livestock and checking overall health daily,” said Stapleton. “During certain months, some of my duties are increased based on if we are checking for heat, feeding hay or grain, or halter breaking calves.”

2023 STAR GREENHAND PRODUCTION

White Oak FFA member, Merritt McMahon, is exploring all that diversified livestock production has to offer.

"I took on raising a diversity of animal species this year where in the past I have only focused on two species at a time," said McMahon. "I worked with four species, eight animals total."

This past year, she raised two market goats, one market lamb, one market pig, and four market rabbits.

Thanks to her livestock sales from the previous years, she was able to use her savings to purchase animals for the current school year and secure all the feed, supplements, and preventative care needed.

"One of my future goals is to add cattle to my animal entrepreneurship, diversifying my SAE even more," said McMahon.

2023 STAR GREENHAND AGRISCIENCE

Stephenville FFA member, Tucker Hubbard, is analyzing agricultural literacy and how it can impact consumers and producers.

“I strived to understand the current level of agricultural literacy of the public,” said Hubbard. “I was able to analyze various demographics to determine their literacy level. Understanding consumer perception can help agriculturists better market products and advocate for the industry.”

The high school member learned that at least 30 responses to a survey are needed to achieve an

S

pring Branch FFA member, Emily Valicek, has embraced her creativity and design skills to establish her own vinyl decal business, Happygrams.

"I make vinyl decals and sell them to agricultural-related businesses," said Valicek. "I design logos, select fonts, use clients' brands or business logos, whatever fits their needs."

The role of a business owner comes with a lot of responsibility. She must communicate with cur-

adequate standard deviation within the data points.

“I was able to get over 200 survey responses,” said Hubbard. “It was not only exciting that people took my survey, but it increased reliability.”

He says that he realized after talking with his FFA advisor that participating in agriscience was, in fact, not like another FFA contest. It is real-life research.

STAR GREENHAND AGRIBUSINESS

rent customers, market the business via social media, complete and package orders, maintain supplies, and manage financials.

"From beginning to end, I see that each client order is produced at the highest quality and completed promptly," said Valicek.

WHY ATAT?

The ATAT Professional Development Conference is the premier professional development event for agriculture science teachers in Texas.

FIVE DAYS OF CONTENT

INSPIRING KEYNOTE

EXHIBIT SHOW

HANDS ON WORKSHOPS AND CERTIFICATIONS

DISTRICT, AREA, AND STATE NETWORKING

TEA, TEXAS FFA, TEXAS FFA FOUNDATION, AND ATAT UPDATES

Attendees can receive up to 30 PD hours throughout the week of conference. These hours include virtual workshops that can be accessed throughout the year.

FIVE DAYS OF CONTENT

TEA, TEXAS FFA, TEXAS FFA FOUNDATION, AND ATAT UPDATES

INSPIRING KEYNOTE

DISTRICT, AREA AND STATE NETWORKING

UP TO 30 PD HOURS

HANDS ON WORKSHOPS AND CERTIFICATIONS

The Tuesday General Session includes a motivational keynote speaker. The 2024 speaker is Chase Mielke. Past speakers have included Jones Loflin, Gary Moore, and more.

Attendees have opportunities to visit with teaching material, agriculture curriculum providers, fundraisers, and agricultural business and industry representatives.

The ATAT Professional Development Conference is the only dedicated agricultural professional development conference in Texas. Attendees walk away with over 30 hours, hands-on opportunities, teacher certifications, and more. Workshops area variety of teacher and industryled, providing tools to use in the classroom throughout the year.

District and area planning meetings are held at the ATAT conference, where rules are established and approved by the members in attendance. Dates and locations of events throughout the year are selected at these meetings. Statewide committees meet to to improve contests and events.

Attendees will hear current agricultural education updates from the Texas Education Agency, Texas FFA, Texas FFA Foundation, and ATAT. These updates keep attendees up to date on changes that affect every area of their profession.

The Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association of Texas was established to promote and advance agriculture education in Texas and provide legislative representation to safeguard agriculture education programs.

Now known as ATAT, the Association informs agriculture teachers about the latest agricultural education practices, encourages higher standards of teaching agriculture and provides agriculture education a unified voice in the state legislature.

AGRICULTURE EDUCATION RESOURCES TEACHER RESOURCE

Updates from TEA, Texas FFA, Texas FFA Foundation,

District and Area Networking

Up to 30 PD Hours

MOTIVATING AND MAINTAINING MOTIVATION IN THE CLASSROOM

Hands-On Workshops and Certi cations

BY: MICHELLE VASBINDER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR AGRICULTURE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS

Inspiring Keynote

Motivation is a key factor in student success, yet it can be difficult to maintain in the classroom year-round. Many factors can contribute to a lack of motivation, including the difficulty of the material, the student's interest in the subject, and the lesson's teaching method. However, there are also many things that teachers can do to motivate their students and help them maintain their motivation throughout the school year.

Five Days of Content

dents' lives. Luckily for us, agriculture is part of our everyday lives. Connecting lessons to how they learn applies to the real world helps increase motivation to learn.

One of the most important things teachers can do is create a positive and supportive learning environment. Another important factor in motivation is teaching style.

Finally, teachers can motivate their students by setting high expectations for them, even at the end of the year. When students know their teachers believe in them, they are more likely to rise to the challenge.

Here are some specific tips for motivating and maintaining motivation in the classroom:

Start the year off with a strong start. Set the tone for the year by creating a positive and supportive learning environment from day one.

Get to know your students. Learn about their interests and learning styles, and tailor your teaching to their needs. Taking an interest in getting to know your students is the start of building a positive teacher-student relationship.

Make your lessons relevant to your stu-

Use a variety of teaching methods and activities. Keep your students engaged by using various teaching methods, such as lectures, discussions, group work, and projects. If they do not know what to expect, it keeps them engaged, unlike walking in and knowing what to expect, which allows them to figure out ways to disconnect.

Set high expectations for your students. Let your students know you believe in them and expect them to succeed. Set expectations on day one and hold to them. Remind them often what you expect, especially before new activities. When expectations are not being followed, it does not feel like a reset of your classroom is a failure. Sometimes, regrouping is necessary to continue successfully.

Provide your students with the support they need. Offer your students help when needed, and provide them with the resources they need to succeed. This prevents giving up and losing all motivation.

Celebrate your students' successes. Acknowledge their accomplishments and let them know how proud you are of them. Positive reinforcement is one of the most effective ways to motivate higher performance.

MeadowFFA member, Ryder Day, is capitalizing on the opportunity to expand his successful agriculture production operation.

"My project consists of embryonic collection and transfer between donor and recipient cows," said Day. "I focus on breeding my herd to raise replacement heifers and steers to sell or to show myself."

The FFA member must make breeding decisions such as when to AI his cows and which bulls to pair with each donor.

2023 STAR CHAPTER PRODUCTION

He believes that one of his most substantial accomplishments, thanks to his SAE, has been acquiring his own land.

"I was able to purchase 320 acres of pasture in 2021," said Day.

He manages the land and continues to grow his operation through income generated from the sale of steer projects and beef animals.

2023 STAR CHAPTER PLACEMENT

Kynlee Bright writes about fulfilling a sustainable lifestyle while working for Shelbizleee, a communications company owned by Shelbi Orme, a YouTuber focusing on sustainability in everyday life.

Through her work, Bright has not only contributed to sharing sustainability practices but also developed valuable skills in research, writing, and communication, paving the way for continued growth in agricultural communications and sustainability advocacy. Her

career goal is to be a journalistic writer, and credits this placement as a stepping stone towards her future goals.

"FFA has encouraged me in my professional and personal lives and has helped me to keep pushing through assignments, even when things are tough or frustrating," Bright said.

2023 STAR CHAPTER AGRISCIENCE

Corsicana FFA member, Sara Beck, has embraced the opportunities offered by agriscience fair to research a problem related to agriculture, conduct an agriculture based scientific experiment over this problem, and report results.

The first project was an analysis of fat percentage during the finishing phase of market broiler production. After the success of her first exploration, she quickly realized her passion for agriscience, and jumped into her next experiment.

V

eribest FFA member, Lane Howard, is capitalizing on mentor experience and building a budding sod business.

"Since I was ten years old, I have worked with a family friend, Randy Gully, on his grass farm, The Other Side," said Howard. "Two years ago, he encouraged me to start my own grass company, Veribest Sod."

Once he takes delivery of the grass, he is solely responsible for every remaining step of the pro-

analysis of the addition of fruit peels and rinds to increase water retention in soil.

“The significance of this project is meaningful to the agriculture industry because these soil additives can potentially help crops survive a drought,” said Beck. “I shared the results of my project with the local farmer who had planted the corn in the fields where I observed the issue the drought had caused on the plants.”

cess.

"A pallet sod contains fifty-seven, two-foot by four-foot sections of grass," said Howard. "This sod is only viable on the pallet for approximately three days. If it sits on the pallet longer than that, it will spoil and mold. It is, therefore, very important that I quickly get the sod laid for the customer."

New teachers entering any discipline in the public schools of Texas face many challenges. A beginning agriculture teacher has a regular educator’s responsibilities, s well as managing an FFA program, livestock show and project center responsibilities, booster clubs, and many competitive leadership and judging activities.

The Agriculture Teachers Association has established a professional mentorship program. The program includes careful selection of the mentors and mentees through an application process, where new teachers indicate their interests and areas of need.

New teachers participating in the program have access to our mentor’s combined experience of over 400 years of agriculture education experience, and the following benefits:

• On-site classroom and facility visits

• Year round communication

• Facilitation of meetings with administration

• Individualized support

If you are a beginning agriculture teacher and would like to take advantage of this program, please complete your application by August 1, 2024.

SCRIPT WRITING TIPS POSTER PD

WRITING A SUCCESSFUL FFA SCRIPT IN ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING THINGS FOR AN AG TEACHER TO DO. THIS WORKSHOP WILL GO THROUGH THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FFA SCRIPTS AND WILL PROVIDE RESOURCES ON HOW TO MAKE YOUR SCRIPTS STAND OUT FROM THE COMPETITION. WORKSHOP WILL INCLUDE: HOW TO CHOOSE AN ENGAGING TOPIC, HOW TO MATCH YOUR SCRIPT TO YOUR EVENT, AND HOW TO FIND RESOURCES TO IMPROVE YOUR SCRIPT.

PICK YOUR CONTEST

PUBLIC SPEAKING

FFA BROADCASTING

THE GOAL OF THIS SCRIPT IS TO PROVIDE THE LISTENER WITH INFORMATION ABOUT AGRICULTURE TOPIC(S).

MEMBERS CANNOT ASSUME FALSE CHARACTERIZATIONS! NO SKITS, WEATHER REPORTS, ETC.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

THE GOAL OF THIS SCRIPT IS TO PROMOTE LOCAL FFA PROGRAM. IT NEEDS TO BE DIRECTED TOWARDS THE AUDIENCE NAMED IN THE RULES. STUDENT MUST REPRESENT THEMSELVES! BE CREATIVE & FUN

CHOOSE A TOPIC

WHAT QUESTION DO YOU WANT TO ANSWER?

FIND A TOPIC

RESOURCES FOR AG TOPICS AND CURRENT ISSUES: AGRICULTURE MAGAZINES AG NEWSLETTERS TEXAS FARM BUREAU PODCASTS

ADDITIONAL TIPS

JUDGE OTHER CONTESTS TO GET IDEAS, BUT BE ORIGINAL! PLAGIARISM WILL GET YOU DISQUALIFIED AND RUIN YOUR TEACHER REPUTATION. IF YOU ARE NOT HAVING FUN WITH IT, YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG. DON’T ADDRESS EVERYTHING IN YOUR SCRIPT ABOUT YOUR TOPIC. LEAVE SOME CLIFF HANGERS. THIS WILL GUIDE THE JUDGES TO QUESTIONS THAT YOU WANT THEM TO ASK.

AG ISSUES

INVESTIGATE A VARIETY OF LOCAL, STATE, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL ISSUES FACING AGRICULTURE. PROMOTE AWARENESS OF AGRICULTURE ISSUES. MAY USE SKITS AND PROPS, BUT NO COSTUMES. PRESENTED AS A “PRO VS CON” OF AN ISSUE.

FFA SKILLS SCRIPTS

IT IS A “HOW TO” PRESENTATION WITH A LITTLE BIT OF FLAIR.

DO YOUR RESEARCH

DO A DEEP DIVE INTO THE TOPIC. USE UNIVERSITY LEVEL SOURCES. WHAT ARE THE ISSUES RELATING TO THE TOPIC? IS THERE SOME TYPE OF TWIST TO THE TOPIC THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC DOESN’T KNOW? INVOLVE YOUR STUDENTS IN THIS PROCESS!!

BUILD SCRIPT

USE THE HAMBURGER METHOD ESSAY WRITING. CREATE AND OUTLINE KIDS DON’T ALWAYS KNOW HOW TO WRITE A GOOD PARAGRAPH; THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO TEACH YOUR STUDENTS HOW TO WRITE EFFECTIVELY

SCRIPT OUTLINE GUIDING QUESTION: INTRODUCTION:

POINT # 1: POINT # 2:

POINT # 3: CONCLUSION:

FOR MORE RESOURCES ON THIS TOPIC VISIT

SPRING 2024 CHAPTER VISIT

AREA I

TEXLINE FFA

“Texline FFA was a truly welcoming chapter that made our first day of travel in Area I start on a great note. These members were involved and truly engaged in all aspects of our workshop. While they may have been small in number, they were big in heart!” - Summer Bowman

AREA II

GLASSCOCK COUNTY FFA

“Glasscock County FFA was one of the larger chapters that the travel team visited this spring in Area II. Though this chapter belongs to a small school, they see success in every aspect of competition and leadership. During our workshop, every student was well engaged and participated in our workshop!” - Henry Downing

AREA III

TRAVIS FFA

“The members of Travis FFA were ecstatic to learn about how to get more involved in the FFA! Each member was passionate about agriculture and supporting their FFA chapter.” - Jaime Hahn

AREA IV

GRAFORD FFA

“We had a great time visiting with the Graford FFA chapter this spring. We were able to really connect with the students, and our smiles never left as we played games and had plenty of laughs. Graford FFA really made a point to make us feel welcome and bring home to us on the road.” - Isaac Hawkins, Jr.

AREA V

NIMITZ FFA

“Nimitz FFA was one of the most refreshing schools we visited in Area V this spring. The members were eager to engage with us and were attentive during the workshops. The chapter's students were truly full of personality, and I know they will leave a legacy on the world around them!” - Weston Parr

AREA VI

NORTH LAMAR FFA

“From the first greeting at a local restaurant to the overwhelming excitement during our presentation, North Lamar FFA was a joy to get to know. They were willing to participate, eager to grow, and proud to show us around their sweet home, including a Texas Eiffel Tower tour! It's people like them that make me proud to represent Area VI, and I look forward to seeing all the amazing things these students will accomplish.” - Jacqueline Rand

AREA VII

TIVY FFA

“This spring, we spent time in Kerrville with the members of Tivy FFA. We shared a passion for our beloved Aggies at Johnny Manzel's high school and felt right at home with members who welcomed us with open arms. Thank you, Tivy FFA, for a great visit!” - Nicole Pruski

AREA VIII

BRUCEVILLE-EDDY FFA

“I absolutely loved getting to visit Bruceville Eddy FFA. Everyone made the temporary classroom work and helped each other throughout the workshop. I had a good laugh when the officer team brought out a big rubber chicken during photos. These FFA members were attentive and energetic, and I know they have become strong leaders in their community.” - Paris Sanchez

AREA IX

HARDIN FFA

“I was greeted by the smiling faces of Hardin FFA when I returned home for spring travel week. They opened their hearts to Isaac, Elise, and I. They participated fully in our workshop and even contributed their thoughts to a group discussion. And, of course, they included us in one of their TikToks, which made the visit that much more fun. With it being so close to my home chapter, it is always great to fellowship with people who get me.” - Cheyenne Cooley

AREA X

HARLINGEN FFA

“From the second we walked into the doors of Harlingen High School, they made us feel right at home. The members of Harlingen FFA were nothing short of fun, and they reciprocated that fun to us throughout dinner and a great workshop at their school. Thank you to Harlingen for making us welcome in the valley.” - Blake Koether

AREA XI

SEALY FFA

“Sealy FFA was a highlight of our week in Area XI during the spring semester! This group of students showed up, actively participated, asked thoughtful questions during our Q&A time, and even showed off their talent by singing a silly song they wrote about one of their ag teachers.” - Elise Sharp

AREA XII

LAKE BELTON FFA

“Lake Belton FFA was such a joy and blessing to visit! The officer team was so welcoming, and I loved getting to know them and hang out with them after our chapter visit. They have incredible FFA members dedicated to their program and a passion for FFA. This was easily seen throughout our workshop. I feel so blessed to meet the students and spend some time with them!” - Rylee Sassenberg

JOHNNIE DAY, MEGAN DAY MILLER & MALLORY DAY FATHER AND DAUGHTERS

WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU WANTED TO WORK IN AG EDUCATION AND WHY?

“I knew I wanted to work in ag education early on in my young adult life. I have always loved agriculture, and I knew I wanted my kids to have exposure to it. I did not have any other influence in my life to lead me to this decision other than my ag teachers in high school. I saw them working in this career field and enjoying the experiences with their families.” - JOHNNIE (FATHER)

HOW DO YOU THINK AGRICULTURE PLAYS INTO THE FAMILIAL ENVIRONMENT OF FFA AND AG EDUCATION?

“I think agricultural education, in general, is somewhat of a family. I believe that having my daughters in my ag program and showing them all the positives that come with it helped influence their career choices. Not only did they experience the ag ed family through me, but they also got to work with and see several other ag teachers and their families.” - JOHNNIE (FATHER)

HAVE YOU EVER HAD TO COMPETE AGAINST YOUR FAMILY MEMBER? IF SO, IS THERE A BIT OF A FRIENDLY RIVALRY?

“I regularly compete against both of my daughters. There is definitely some rivalry. I love to win, but there is something very special about watching them succeed. At times, we train teams together and help each other transport. We are showing a good reflection of the ag ed family while also hoping to do our best at every contest.” - JOHNNIE (FATHER)

YOUR CHILD NOW TEACHES AG AFTER WATCHING YOUR CAREER; HOW DOES THAT FEEL?

“It is absolutely awesome! I love watching them progress in their careers. Both of my daughters have opened up many opportunities that were not available at their schools before. They are very hardworking and encouraging, and watching them get students who were not involved before get involved is something to be proud of.” - JOHNNIE (FATHER)

2024 2024

AGRICULTURE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS

SCHOLARSHIP

RECIPIENTS

Vance Aaron

Luke Anderson

Whitley Anderson

Riley Arrington

Marian Ashcraft

Timothy W. Barger

Brendon Bowman

Brooklyn Byars

Brock Byrd

Alfonso Cavazos III

Matthew Collins

McKinley Corley

Maddie Day

Madeline Day

Tony Fisher

Caylee Fuller

Mary Hancock

Macey Hutchinson

Wyatt Key

Caroline Klose

Montgomery Lankford

Jenna Lindig

Lacey Linke

Jackson Lucas

Paden Maass

Jacob Martinez

Clayton Miller

Reyana Molina

Emily Muehlstein

Emilee Munchrath

Andrew Newman

Thomas Wade Neyland

Dakota Norman

Sagen Oaks

Kytlin Peterson

Garrison Pieniazek

Hadley Reeves

Maggie Rempe

Patrick Ritz

Marshall Rogers

Kelsey Sims

Tanner Smith

Garrett Stutts

Josephine Sumrall

Emma Tittor

Payton Tullis

Kason Wehba

Hunter Wernecke

Brooklyn Wiley

Rance York

With a passion for serving his community, Frenship FFA member, Garrison Pieniazek, utilized the knowledge he gained through his FFA experience to start his businesses, 5P Metal Designs and GP Lawn Service.

5P Metal Designs started by selling nativity scenes at local farmer markets. Using the equipment and skills he learned in the ag classroom, Pieniazek was able to expand his business and offer more to clients such as Christmas ornaments and swing hanging feeders. Meanwhile, "the idea of GP Lawn service was sparked from my love

2023 STAR LONE STAR AGRIBUSINESS

of maintaining my parents and grandparents lawn and using a push mower," Pieniazek said.

With the essential equipment and his father's support, he navigated the challenges of starting a lawn care service during a drought. Through strategic marketing and relentless dedication, GP Lawn Service flourished, establishing regular customers and a reputation for reliability and quality service.

2023 STAR LONE STAR PLACEMENT

S

terling Richmond's passion for his family's production agriculture operation paved the path for his successful Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE). "Farming and ranching have been in my family for generations," said Richmond. "I work alongside my father, mother, and two younger siblings to keep our operations running."

His first responsibilities included baling hay; however, as the years went by, his duties within the operation grew. He now helps with the

transportation of hay, tending to cattle, and assists with all aspects of the forage operation.

"I have developed a large skill set that will help me in my future in and out of the field," said Richmond.

2023 STAR LONE STAR

AGRISCIENCE

Canyon FFA member, Kade Lawrence, has capitalized on his passion for meat science to establish five separate Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs). Two are agriculture-based scientific experiments that allowed him to apply his knowledge of the scientific method to solve practical, real-world problems.

“All of these experiences allowed me to explore various aspects of the meat industry,” said Lawrence.

His first project examined the effect of freezing temperatures and

AGraford FFA member has solidified her passion for agriculture through her livestock production Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) project.

Emilee Munchrath has shown cattle and lambs since she was three years old. As she grew older, she became interested in raising her own show projects. Through that, her business of breeding, raising, and eventually selling registered cattle and club lambs was established.

freezing frequency on purge losses and tenderness of Eye of Round steaks. Lawrence’s second project revolved around steak maceration. It examined the effect of maceration frequency on changes in surface area, purge loss, and objective tenderness of Eye of Round and Bottom Round steaks.

“I plan to apply these skills to my future academic and professional pursuits and further enrich my understanding of meat science,” said Lawrence.

STAR LONE STAR PRODUCTION

As an entrepreneur, the high school senior has significantly increased the scope of her business throughout her time as a FFA member.

“No matter my line of work, I know I will be involved in production agriculture for a lifetime,” said Munchrath.

2024 INDUCTEES

The Agriculture Teachers Association of Texas Hall of Fame exists to recognize and honor agricultural science teachers whose careers, achievements, and contributions stand exemplary. Inductees are known as well-rounded professionals that have proven their success with FFA activities, in the classroom, as well as community involvement. They have proven their desire to provide students with opportunities for premier leadership, personal growth and career success over a significant period of time.

AG TEACHER

THE TEXAS FFA ASSOCIATION IS EXCITED TO GIVE BACK THROUGH

THE STATE OF TEXAS AGRICULTURE RELIEF FUND (STAR)

FOR OUR ANNUAL CONVENTION SERVICE PROJECT.

CHAPTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BRING MONETARY DONATIONS TO THE TEXAS FFA CONVENTION JULY 8-12, 2024.

BRINGING MORE TEXANS TO

Help high school students dive into production agriculture with assistance from Texas farmers and ranchers. These videos and lesson plans will bring the farm to the classroom and grow a deeper understanding of Texas agriculture.

END OF SUMMER CHECKLIST

FFA FRIDAY TEACHER RESOURCE

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Week 11

Week 12

• Discuss the significance of agriculture. (What Does Agriculture Mean?)

• How does FFA contribute to agriculture? 130.2.(c) (4) (5)

• SAE Show and Tell

• Have experienced members discuss their SAE with classes. Have them bring in animals or items that assist in explaining their SAE.

• Explore the various SAE opportunities.

130.2.(c) (2) (4) (5)

• AET Profile Set-up, AFNR Courses, and Resume 130.2. (c) (1) (2) (4) (5)

• Review the Various Types of SAEs 130.2. (c) (1) (2)

• Non-Traditional SAEs 130.2. (c) (1) (2)

• Introduce Leadership Development Opportunities

• Setting Up Your Experiences in AET

• Adding Expenses/Income to Your SAE

• Career/Personality Profile

• Students complete modules over SAE For All in order to develop their roadmap.

• Update Record Books

130.2. (c) (1) (5)

130.2. (c) (1) (5)

(c) (1) (2)

(c) (1) (2)

(c) (1) (2)

(c) (1) (2)

• Resume Development 130.2. (c) (1) (2) (6) (9)

Week 13 • Writing A Cover Letter

(c) (1) (2) (6) (9) Week 15 • Speech Writing • Update Record Books

Week 16 • Schedule a visit to a local elementary classroom to share an agricultural lesson and promote your FFA chapter.

Week 18 • Present Speech to Class

Update Record Books

Week 19 • Introduce Career Development Events

Week 20 • Update Record Books and Prepare to Submit any Applications130.2.

FFA FRIDAY ALLOWS TEACHERS TO SATISFY THE SAE/RECORD BOOK REQUIREMENT FOR COURSES WHILE ALSO CREATING LEARNING EXPERIENCES FROM STUDENTS THAT LIE WITHIN THE CORE OF THE 3-COMPONENT MODEL. LISTEN TO THE FFA UNRAVELED PODCAST EP. 7 FOR MORE FFA FRIDAY

PLANNING TIPS PLANNING TIPS C venti For Advisros

CONSIDER THESE ITEMS WHEN YOU’RE PLANNING YOUR CONVENTION TRIP

SCHEDULE MEALS

SERVICE PROJECT

WORKSHOPS

BANQUETS

CHAPTER PLANNING

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS

HOUSING STUDENT PACKING

DELEGATE INFORMATION

SAFETY

MAKE IT FUN

HEALTH AND SAFETY INFO

NEW THIS YEAR

CONVENTON PIN CHALLANGE

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

THE VALUE OF MOTIVATION

BY: TROY OLIVER PRESIDENT OF THE AGRICULTURE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS AND SEALY HIGH SCHOOL AGRICULTURE SCIENCE TEACHER

Congratulations on another successful school year! Thank goodness it is June! As ag teachers, you are so fortunate you get summers off. I am sure you are reading this from the beach, lake, or other relaxing destination. In reality, I know you will really be at degree checks, camps, conventions, shows, buying and supervising projects, professional development, maintaining facilities, and many more tasks that extend your time, talent, and resources throughout the summer. You do these things quietly each summer to benefit your students, programs, schools, communities, and profession. Your summers look very much like every other month of the year as you build relationships, facilitate learning, lead, and teach as you prepare students for "whatever comes next." The clock and the calendar never rest, the challenges are endless, and there is always something that needs your particular skill set. Thank you for all that you do!

As I sit down to write this article in May, I realize this issue focuses on "motivation." It does present a challenge and, without a doubt, generates a small ironic smile. I reflect on what I might be able to add to the discussion on this topic at this time of the year. We could discuss the value, need, or benefits of motivation in the classroom, the role inspiration serves in FFA activities, or the value motivation plays in inspiring others, sustaining focus and effort, and renewing and driving each of us daily. Without a doubt, the commonality of all success in the classroom, FFA, or any realm comes from our own motivation and source of effort to impact our students, schools, communities, and profession.

As teachers, without the ability to motivate, inspire, and engage in the classroom or shop, our students, at best, will only be compliant. The skills needed to connect with each student start with the ability to motivate them. By providing perspective, value, purpose, varying teaching styles, and authenticity, the opportunity to facilitate learning is built on an environment that fosters relationships and creates a desire, passion, or interest in learning. I am reminded of the old quote," We don't teach content, we teach kids."

How you do this is where we start to see your superpower. Each of us is unique in how we build this place to allow the magic to occur. How you deliver content, the incentives you provide, and the connections you make are essential. It is equally important to have value in what you say, how you say it, and when it is said to ensure it connects with your students. The very best recognize the outcome is contingent on the student connection and "when they are ready to learn, you will teach." We also

“AS AG TEACHERS AND STAKEHOLDERS, WHY DO WE INVEST SO MUCH TIME, ENERGY, AND EFFORT INTO PREPARING FOR AND FACILITATING STUDENT SUCCESS IN FFA ACTIVITIES? BECAUSE THE IMPACT IS REAL, MEASURABLE, AND LASTING."

benefit from knowing not every kid is the same; not all learn, process, and succeed the same way or at the same time. When students are motivated, the classroom and shop learning possibilities become endless. Is there a more satisfying outcome than connection, success, and creating a motivated learner in your classroom? Without a doubt, it makes the effort and sacrifice worthwhile.

FFA activities are uniquely structured to allow each of you to show off your superpower. I love all SDE, LDE, and CDE contests, stock shows, and any FFA event or activity that rewards talent and effort with the highest level of intensity. All LDEs culminate on Saturday at the State LDE contest in Huntsville, a special day when you consider all that goes into the journey to be there. If you want to witness the value of motivated students or be renewed by the purpose of what we do, being that room when results are announced.

Recently, Texas FFA hosted the state CDE contests with the help of our university partners. Without a doubt, we circle and highlight these days on the calendar each year. The events present real-time measures of student motivation, which is the ultimate example of student's passion for learning and competing.

Why is it such a big deal? As ag teachers and stakeholders, why do we invest so much time, energy, and effort into preparing for and facilitating student success in FFA activities? Because the impact is real, measurable, and lasting. My experience is when an FFA member shows up at practice, gets on the bus, and bubbles a scantron; they are declaring, "I am ready to learn; teach me." Being ready to learn means being motivated, and the possibilities are endless. The opportunity to impact students becomes authentic, purposeful, live, and incentivized.

At the same time, at FFA events, watch the styles, methods, and extent of teaching and motivation that ag teachers use. Listen to the passion in the voices, the importance of the moment, and the value of the experience as you visit with ag teachers on the biggest of stages. Motivation is at

the center of these events. Many involved have found the key to a trifecta of talent and effort driven by motivation.

My ag teacher told me nearly 40 years ago, "Successful people are self-motivated." I have stolen that line on many occasions. Was it memorable because he delivered it outside a pig barn, and the timing was right? Was it that the relationship we had? Or is some other factor that still rings true in my mind? It may be that it gives ownership to the foundational piece that makes us successful. It tells us our power is our very own, and we can use it as needed.

We all need help and a pat on the back; even today, we occasionally need a kick in the tail. We all benefit from those who provide the incentives, encouragement, environment, and actions to renew, sustain, and propel us forward. We all need someone to believe in us to provide us with a benchmark, guide, or model for success. The ag ed family is full of those who lift each other up; the same can be said for your schools, communities, and families. The need to rely on those relationships is critical. I am so thankful for those who continuously support and motivate me.

Ag teachers are special. Your gift of inspiring others is uplifting but comes with great sacrifice and, at the same time, tremendous reward.

Sometimes, you need to ask yourself, especially in June, why do I do what I do? Remind yourself of your gift to motivate, inspire, and teach by impacting kids, schools, communities, and our ag ed profession.

Your students, schools, and communities are fortunate to have you; you make a difference. Thanks for all you do; I am beyond grateful for the passion, efforts, and work each of you does to impact students and our organizations. From my heart T.O. yours.

YOUR MOTIVATION TO TEACH AGRICULTURE

BY: RAY PIENIAZEK AGRICULTURE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

This month's topic is motivation. Was it hard to get motivated to write this? Well, yes. Motivation may be defined as the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way. That being the case, writing sometimes takes some motivation. Most things we do in life require something to get us going or be motivated to do. It can also be considered the process that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behaviors. So, the things that motivate us to do many of our daily activities vary from person to person.

Your motivation to teach agriculture, or even teach, may differ from your teaching partner. Is there an incentive to motivate you to come each day to be with your students? Is it a biological, emotional, or social need that motivates you to be where you are?

In addition, this could be looked at as "What is your why?" Why are you teaching?

Looking back over my career, I realize that my original reason may have been twofold. For one, while a student at East Central, we had student teachers, and I thought they were not that good and I could do better. The other reasons revolved around judging contests and my teachers. My ag science teachers, Dennis Ellebracht and Glen Rode loved what they were doing and loved coaching judging teams. They also loved helping students with animal projects. My motivation to become an agricultural science

teacher was based on my high school agriculture and FFA experience.

When I finally became an ag teacher, I saw many more reasons to be motivated and share the greatness of agriculture and the FFA. My love of seeing student success at stock shows and CDEs motivated me to continue working hard. Seeing the smiles on their faces when they were recognized as a high individual or got a team award encouraged me to keep preparing them for more success.

Watching students work hard on their animal projects was also a motivation for me. Sharing information and what they thought were my secrets was always part of showing them I valued what they were doing. Whether they won or lost, in the ring was a way for me to help them succeed.

In the classroom, seeing a student blossom and have an "ah ha" moment was great. This gave me reasons to try hard

“MAY YOUR MOTIVATION TO HELP THEM BE INTENSE AND PERSISTENT AND GIVE THEM A DIRECTION TO FOLLOW IN THEIR LIVES. YOU ARE DOING GREAT THINGS. DON'T FORGET YOU ARE IMPORTANT AND CHANGE STUDENT'S LIVES EVERY DAY.”

to provide more opportunities for them to succeed and learn. I also enjoyed watching them gain confidence in themselves while giving presentations, being in front of the class, and facing their fears.

As I transitioned into the role of executive director, I had to find new motivations since I was not working directly with students but with teachers. One of my motivators is giving our teachers options at our conference to learn and providing them with ways to better themselves and their students. The final motivator in this job is the everyday opportunity to give teachers assistance and advice to navigate the challenges of today's teaching world. Sometimes, it is helping them find their motivation to continue working for their students.

I was scrolling through Facebook the other day and read the story of Anya Culling. She began running marathons in 2019 with a time of four hours and 34 minutes and finished as the 7,546th woman to cross the finish line. In 2022, she ran the same marathon in two hours and 36 minutes. In 2024, she ran again in the London Marathon and was the 16th female marathon runner to cross the finish line. She is now qualified to represent England in the marathon at the Olympics this year. She stated, "You don't need to be great to get started; you just need to start to be great."

We can share this message with all of our agriculture students and FFA members. The old adage of "try it, you might like it" can also be used. She did, and now she is working to become one of the greats.

As agricultural teachers, I hope each of you finds the motivation to inspire your students to succeed. May your motivation to help them be intense and persistent and give them a direction to follow in their lives. You are doing great things. Don't forget you are important and change student's lives every day.

AN EXCERPT FROM A PAST AGRICULTURE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS NEWSLETTER

80 THINKING PAST YEARS OF THE

THE DOINGS AND HAPPENINGS IN YOUR ASSOCIATION

July 2017

By: Barney McClure, VATAT Executive Director

"I had the chance to be at the State FFA Degree and Award check last week. I continue to be amazed at the quality of the people who come through our agriculture education programs. The common theme year after year is that schools with highly motivated, energetic, and committed teachers will succeed. Schools that do not have educators like that will always be at a disadvantage. I continue to be in awe of the quality of our agriculture teachers in Texas. Any program's success is determined by the one at the front of the classroom in that school."

MOTIVATED BY THE MAGIC

BY: JENNIFER JACKSON TEXAS FFA ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Do you ever have a day when you ask yourself if you can do this job forever? Or maybe there's a person who's added complexity to your job that makes you question why you do it.

It's the days we are at our wits end when a former student shows up with your favorite Sonic drink or a parent or student tags you in a Facebook post commending you for a positive impact. Every once in a while, someone at work, a teaching partner, or an administrator recognizes the job you do and reminds you that you're making a difference. You're on a road trip with students, and they're all having a great time, and you notice that you are too…MAGIC.

As a teacher, staying motivated can be a challenging task. With the constant demands of lesson planning, grading, and managing a classroom, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and, if you stay this way, you could become burned out. However, staying motivated is critical to providing the best possible education to students and being fulfilled by your career!

One of the most important reasons to stay motivated as a teacher is to inspire your students. When you demonstrate enthusiasm and passion for your subject, it can be contagious. Your students are more likely to engage and participate in class when they see that you are invested in their education. Additionally, when students feel motivated and engaged, you often inspire skills or opportunities that impact their future.

Staying motivated also helps you to continue growing and learning as a teacher. Education is constantly evolving, and staying up-to-date with the latest teaching methods and technologies is important. When you stay motivated, you are more likely to seek professional development opportunities and experiment with new strategies in the classroom. Besides professional development opportunities, you can do this by simply interacting with fellow teachers during meetings and FFA events or making plans to meet to work together to brainstorm ideas.

Furthermore, staying motivated can help you overcome challenges and obstacles. Every teacher faces difficult situations, whether it's a struggling student or a lesson that doesn't go as planned. When you are motivated, you are better equipped to handle these challenges and find creative solutions.

So, how can you stay motivated as a teacher? Here are a few tips:

1. Prioritize and organize your tasks: Start by creating a to-do list and rank your tasks in order of importance. Identify the tasks that are time-sensitive or have imminent deadlines. By

“ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT REASONS TO STAY MOTIVATED AS A TEACHER IS TO INSPIRE YOUR STUDENTS."

organizing your tasks, you can tackle them one at a time and avoid feeling overwhelmed.

2. Break tasks into smaller, manageable steps: When you have a lot to do, it can be easy to become discouraged by the magnitude of the workload. Break down each task into smaller, achievable steps. Completing these smaller steps will give you a sense of progress and motivate you to continue.

3. Set specific, realistic goals: Goals provide a clear sense of direction and purpose. Set specific and measurable goals for yourself. Instead of saying, "I need to complete this project," break it down into actionable goals like completing research, drafting an outline, or finalizing a section within a specific timeframe. Having clear goals will help you stay focused and motivated.

4. Find inspiration and motivation from others: Surround yourself with like-minded individuals who are driven and motivated. Engage in conversations with colleagues or friends who have faced similar busy situations and listen to their experiences. They may offer insights, advice, or encouragement that can inspire you to keep going.

5. Celebrate small victories: Recognize and celebrate your accomplishments along the way. Completing even small tasks is an achievement, so give yourself credit for each milestone you reach. This positive reinforcement will boost your motivation and help you stay on track.

6. Find inspiration beyond your workload: Sometimes, finding motivation within your current tasks becomes challenging. Take breaks to explore areas of interest outside of your workload. Engage in activities that energize you, such as reading books, listening to podcasts, or watching motivational videos. These external sour-

ces of inspiration can help rejuvenate your enthusiasm and motivation.

7. Take care of yourself: It is essential to prioritize self-care, especially during those insane busy seasons…you know LDE Season, Stock Show Season, CDE Season, Degree Check Season….

8. The Magic. Take time to acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of yourself and your students. Consider those "aha moments" when a student finally gets a weld right, you see a once quiet student find their voice, or you help a team achieve a coveted goal. Think about the former students who still keep in touch and remind you that you're part of the reason they are successful. Remember the joy you felt knowing you were taking a student on a trip who had never been anywhere with anyone outside of their family? The good outweighs the bad, and the magic hopefully makes up for the maddening.

Overall, staying motivated as a teacher is crucial to providing the best possible education to your students. By focusing on your motivation, you can inspire and engage your students, continue learning and growing as a teacher, and overcome challenges with resilience and creativity.

Remember, motivation can come and go, so it's important to constantly cultivate it by implementing these techniques and, most importantly, letting the magic keep you motivated!

“BY FOCUSING ON YOUR MOTIVATION, YOU CAN INSPIRE AND ENGAGE YOUR STUDENTS, CONTINUE LEARNING AND GROWING AS A TEACHER, AND OVERCOME CHALLENGES WITH RESILIENCE AND CREATIVITY."

BE THE CATALYST TO AMAZING THINGS

BY: AARON ALEJANDRO TEXAS FFA FOUNDATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Can we really motivate anyone to do anything? We can offer words of encouragement. We can create an environment of possibilities and an atmosphere of “can do.” We can share professional networks and provide bridges to opportunities. All of these require one important and very individual component - individual “want to.” Want to requires an individual response and an internal compass which creates an urgency to move.

Our attitude and perspective on things affect the culture we create, which could impact the people around us. As we look deeper into “motivation,” we’ll find determining a working definition is hard since the topic is so individual.

So, what creates motivation? Our goals, desires, and emotions contribute to what moves us to action. We all look for some magic formula to “motivation,” but it doesn’t take long to see what motivates you motivates me.

When I was in college, I was asked to do a workshop for disadvantaged sixth graders titled “What Makes Those Adults Tick.” I was going to college to be an agricultural science teacher, not a counselor or therapist, but the topic intrigued me and offered a platform to test what I believed about “motivation.”

When I arrived at the site of the presentation, I was led to a large room filled with disadvantaged sixth graders and their

parents. I had requested access to two rooms and two flip charts where we could capture responses. I had an assistant take the sixth graders down the hall to another classroom so that I could spend some time with the parents (the adults). I asked the parents, “What motivates you?” They begin raising their hands, offering up the following:

Family Friends Money Recognition

Incentive

A Good Song

A Good Movie

A Good Book

Fear

A Feeling of Satisfaction

After some time with the adults, I went down the hall to the sixth-graders classroom. I went to the front of the room, grabbed a marker, stood at the flip chart, and asked the kids the same question, "What motivates you?" Quickly, one young man asked, "What is motivation?" I responded it is an internal nudge that makes us want to move or do something. I asked the question again, "What motivates you?" They began raising their hands and offered the following:

My Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister, Grandparent, Aunt, Uncle My Friends

Things I Want (Money)

Being Told I Did a Good Job (Recognition)

An Award (Incentive)

Music (A Good Song)

Movies

Stories (A Good Book)

Getting in Trouble or Staying Out of

Trouble (Fear)

Feeling Good About Myself (Satisfaction)

We finished, and I took the sixth graders back down the hall with their flip charts to reunite with their parents. Now, with a room full of disadvantaged sixth graders, their parents, and two flip charts, we dove into “What Makes Those Adults Tick.” I flipped up the first page and showed the audience the responses I received from the kids, which were written in blue ink. On the other side of me, I flipped up the responses from the adults, which I had written in red ink. As everyone stared and looked at the two lists, they realized there is no magic formula or secret sauce; we simply learned that “what motivates you … motivates me.”

As we examine the topic of motivation, we can put motivation into three buckets:

FEAR

For example, walking down a trail in the wilderness and seeing a snake tail crawling off and hearing a rattling sound…we instinctively turn and walk in the other direction. History is checkered with historical figures who used fear to motivate people like Adolph Hitler. This type of motivation is short-lived, and eventually, the human spirit will be tired of being scared.

ANGER

For example, someone makes you mad, or you’re jealous of someone, so anger moves you to make a decision. Unfortunately, this motivation can force you to make a negative decision, and like fear, this motivation is usually temporary. If allowed to

“MOTIVATION IS AN INTERNAL COMPASS THAT DIRECTS OUR LIVES. I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU TO MOVE IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION, HELPING OTHERS… IT MOTIVATES ME."

fester, it can make life miserable, and no one else may ever know you’re living with this anger.

INCENTIVE

For example, you want to be happy or satisfied. People who set positive goals or want to accomplish things for the greater good are generally rewarded with financial resources and feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment. Remember the great words of Zig Ziglar: “You can have everything in life you want if you just help other people get what they want.”

Motivation is an incredible tool for successful people. Here are a few tips on how to create a roadmap to utilize motivation to accomplish great things.

Create goals.

Tell people/mentors your goals.

Assess and measure your progress. Reward yourself for positive steps taken and outcomes achieved.

Motivation is an internal compass that directs our lives. I would challenge you to move in a positive direction, helping others…it motivates me. Remember, too, “When you’re green, you grow, but when you ripe, you rot.” Always be moving in a positive direction, and remember that God does not have a problem hitting a moving target with a blessing. As we say around the Foundation, “Live Your Brand.” So, we challenge you to become the catalyst for great things.

UPDATES

BY: SANDRA CHOATE, TEXAS YOUNG FARMERS EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

One of the purposes of the State Association of Young Farmers of Texas is to provide educational opportunities to the young people of Texas with a vested interest in agriculture. We are excited to provide five $1,000 scholarships to students in communities with Young Farmer chapters. Congratulations to the 2024 Texas Young Farmer Scholarship recipients!

The Dr. Billy Harrell Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Rowdy Phillips of Teague FFA. Dr. Harrell was an ag mechanics professor at Sam Houston State University. As chairman of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Ag Mechanics Competition, he brought the Texas Young Farmers in as a scholarship sponsor. Rowdy spent four years in the ag mechanics program at Teague and plans to attend Sam Houston State University to major in computer engineering. His interests lie in computer design and development, possibly in the field of agriculture.

Kourtney Hopcus of A&M Consolidated FFA is the Sharon Beene Memorial Scholarship recipient. Mrs. Beene greatly supported the State Association of Young Farmers of Texas and the FFA. She loved to work in her yard and was highly involved in the Garden Club of Mexia. Kourtney was chosen for her scholarship because she plans to attend Texas A&M University, majoring in agribusiness and minoring in horticulture. Her career goal is to own a flower farm to provide flowers to florists and to own a flower shop.

Mallory Zumwalt of the A&M Consolidated FFA plans to attend Texas A&M University to major in poultry science and hopes to become a poultry industry quality control technician. Mallory has raised chickens and turkeys as her SAE and excelled in the P\poultry CDE during her high school era.

Madilyn Mills from Cayuga FFA is an animal science student through and through. She has raised heifers and steers as her SAE and plans to attend Kansas State University to major in animal science. She plans to work in the beef production and management industry.

Kelsey Sims from Brownsboro FFA has a very diversified livestock SAE. She has raised steers, heifers, barrows, gilts, sows, and market sheep and goats. She excelled in livestock evaluation in FFA and 4H, qualifying for state competition in both organizations in her senior year. Kelsey has been presented with numerous opportunities to judge on the collegiate level and plans to attend Redlands Community College with a general agriculture major and then move on to Texas Tech University to major in animal science.

Please take a minute to visit our website www.txyoungfarmers.org, or check out our Texas Young Farmers Facebook to get to know us and our scholarship recipients.

AG TEACHERS CONFERENCE: JULY 22ND - 26TH

DALLAS, TX

We look forward to meeting potential new members & current members as well! Please stop by & see how we can help you achieve your financial goals!

Booth #M300A

FEATURED

EVENTS:

WEDNESDAY, JULY 24TH

PEGASUS ROOM 12PM - 1:30PM

Grab your pre-ordered lunch or snack & join us for our ANNUAL MEETING*. We will have director elections, door prizes, discuss Debit Cards & review financials.

*Director voting & door prizes for members only

New Debit Cards Are Here:

Pick a card, any card!!!

Royal Blue

Metallic Silver

UPDATES

BY: KELLY WHITE, TEXAS FFA ALUMNI PRESIDENT

My search for a quote led me to C.S. Lewis's words: "We are what we believe we are." Do you think he and E.M. Tiffany had more in common other than using their initials instead of their full name? C.S. Lewis was considered one of the most influential writers of his day. Most of us would know his name from his series of novels, the Chronicles of Narnia. Others might know him by his inspirational and motivational quotes. As for E.M. Tiffany? We should all know what he believed in…

The question is, what motivates you? What do you believe in? How do you motivate those around you? I believe that the motivation to succeed is or should be self-driven. Motivating ourselves or others implies encouraging oneself and urging those around us to perform to the best of their abilities to achieve a personal or team goal.

Speaking of motivation, the Texas FFA Alumni is motivated to raise money at our annual auction, held in conjunction with the Texas FFA Convention. The auction is the alumni's primary source of funding for the awards, grants, and scholarships we bestow on worthy candidates.

Several supporters graciously donate items such as boots, camping equipment, etc. However, we are always looking for additional auction items. So, if you would like to contribute or know of someone who would like to contribute, please feel free to contact me to secure it in the auction line-up. Seitz Fundraising is also planning to sell "fun night accessories" at their exhibit booth once again to raise funds for our efforts.

Thank you to the Texas FFA Alumni Council for making the past few year's Auction successful.

In addition, a big thank you to the Texas FFA Foundation for contributing to the Texas FFA Alumni and Supporters via last year's "LEADing a Legacy Social." They will be hosting the event again this year on Monday night of the ATAT Conference in Dallas.

ALUMNI CHAPTER BASKET CONTEST

Enter your FFA Alumni chapter in the Texas FFA Alumni Basket Contest. Each chapter is invited to submit one basket representing their local community. It could have items made by local companies, homemade items, items from the local ag department, caps, etc.

The baskets will be judged on a penny per vote process. The entry with the most votes will receive the rotating plaque. The baskets become the property of the Texas FFA Alumni Association and will be sold in the auction on Thursday evening.

Baskets need to be delivered to the FFA Alumni booth by noon on 7/9.

The contest ends on 7/10, when the exhibit hall closes. The votes will be counted that evening.

A list of the items included in the basket should be clearly labeled on the basket.

The basket can be of any creation. No alcohol.

LOBBYIST WORKING FOR INTEREST INVOLVING AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION AND RELATED TEACHERS

TIMELY LEGISLATIVE UPDATES CONCERNING AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION

ANNUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FEE IS WAIVED

ACCESS TO LEGAL ASSISTANCE

ACCESS TO A $1 MILLION PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY INSURANCE POLICY

YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION TO THE ASSOCIATION’S QUARTERLY MAGAZINE, GROWING OUR FUTURE

ACCESS TO THE ASSOCIATION’S WEBSITE, INCLUDING THE CAREER PAGE

ACCESS TO THE ASSOCIATION’S ONLINE MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY

ELIGIBILITY TO APPLY FOR THE ASSOCIATION’S STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP (MEMBER’S CHILDREN ONLY)

ELIGIBILITY TO APPLY FOR THE ASSOCIATION’S AWARDS AND RECOGNITION PROGRAM

ELIGIBILITY TO APPLY TO BE A PART OF THE ASSOCIATION’S PROFESSIONAL NEW TEACHER MENTORING PROGRAM

ELIGIBILITY TO PARTAKE IN THE KENNETH HUGHES LIFE INSURANCE PLAN

ACCESS TO THE ASSOCIATION’S AGRICULTURE SCIENCE TEACHERS CRISIS FUND

ACCESS TO THE VATAT CREDIT UNION

ACCESS TO A DISCOUNT AT WYNDHAM HOTELS NATIONWIDE

ACCESS TO THE AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION FORD TEXAS FFA LEADERSHIP CENTER FOR MEETINGS OR SMALL GATHERINGS