Agricultural Education News & Updates
Missouri FFA Welcomes
2012 FFA Leadership Camp Director
Katie Elliott-Engel
Katie Elliott-Engel is a graduate student at the University of Arkansas in the Agriculture and Extension Education Department, where she also works as a Graduate Assistant. Katie currently lives in Goodman, Missouri, and is originally from Upstate New York. She received her bachelor's degree from the State University of New York at Cobleskill in Agricultural Business Management. Katie was active in her campus community, she participated in Post-Secondary Agricultural Students (PAS), numerous committees, and served as Student Government Association President. Also while in school, Katie stayed active in the New York FFA Association in many capacities. She worked for three summers at New York's FFA camp, the Oswegatchie Educational Center, where she wrote leadership curriculum and coached the New York State FFA Officers in facilitation and workshop development. Katie also spent a summer working for the National 4-H Council in Washington, D.C. as a Program Assistant to their Citizenship Washington
Focus conference.
Today, Katie continues to volunteer with the local FFA chapters and 4-H programs. She is the Newton County 4-H Public Speaking Project leader and successfully coaches many youth each year in their speech writing and presentation skills. Her current research at the University of Arkansas is in identification of 4-H state officer competencies and skills. Katie is looking forward to working with the Missouri FFA this upcoming year at Camp Rising Sun.
Missouri FFA President, Brady James, presents his remarks to first year FFA members.
Missouri FFA Members Dance with the FFA Stars
Over 4000 first year FFA members from more than 260 Missouri High Schools had the opportunity to learn about being positive role models, learning to get involved, making sound choices, becoming active team members and making a positive difference in their lives, school and community at the annual Greenhand Motivational Conferences. These conferences presented by the State FFA Officers and sponsored by MFA Incorporated were held
January 3-6, 2012 throughout Missouri.
Through interactive workshops and skits the State FFA Officers encouraged first-year FFA members to explore and reach outside their comfort zone for the opportunities provided through FFA membership. They helped the new agriculture students set goals for their education, careers, and FFA experience.
Nineteen conferences were held at 13 different locations throughout the state: University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg; Bowling Green High School, Bowling Green; Truman State University, Kirksville; Sullivan High School, Sullivan; Three Rivers Community College, Poplar Bluff, Missouri State University, West Plains; Lincoln University, Jefferson City; Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau; Waynesville High School, Waynesville; Missouri State University, Springfield; Missouri Western State College, St. Joseph; University of Missouri, Columbia; and North Central Missouri College, Trenton.
The FFA is a national youth organization of over 540,000 student members preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture with 327 chapters and more than 25,000 members in Missouri. The FFA strives to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.