AEE 303 SAE Based Awards Programs

1. AEE 303 SAE Based Awards Programs

2. Proficiency AwardsAn Introduction

3. Proficiency Awards- What are they? • They are based upon your supervised agricultural experience program (SAE). • They are recognition available at your chapter, state and national level. • They involve planning, learning skills and improving yourself relative to your career goal. • They could mean recognition and money! State winners receive a minimum of $100!

4. Two Types of Applications • Placement applications are for work or experience only type of SAE programs. These may be paid or unpaid experiences such as directed lab, improvement projects or research/experimentation.

5. Entrepreneurship applications are for SAE programs that involve ownership of one or more agricultural production or agribusiness enterprises.

6. Who can apply? • Any FFA member enrolled in high school agriculture. Must have a minimum of one full year of SAE records. • Can apply for awards while in high school or out no more than one year. • You DO NOT need to live on a farm or ranch! There are awards in processing, sales and service, environmental science, forestry, home & community development, horticulture and much more!

7. Sponsored Areas • Nationally Sponsored Areas • 50 award categories are sponsored in 2006 • Award availability is based each year on obtaining sponsor • funding.

8. Ag. Communications Ag. Mech. Design & Fabrication Ag. Mech. Repair & Maintenance Ag. Mech. Energy Systems Ag. Processing Ag. Sales Ag. Services Aquaculture (not sponsored) Beef Production Dairy Production Diversified Ag. Production Diversified Crop Production Diversified Horticulture What are the areas?

9. Diversified Livestock Production Emerging Ag. Technology Environmental Science & Nat. Resources Mgmt. Equine Science Fiber &/or Oil Crop Floriculture Food Science & Technology Forage Production Forest Management & Products Fruit &/or Vegetable Production Grain Production There are more!

10. Home &/or Community Development Landscape Mgmt. Nursery Operations Outdoor Recreation Poultry Production Sheep Production Small Animal Production & Care Specialty Animal Production Specialty Crop Prod. Swine Production Turf Grass Mgmt. Wildlife Production & Mgmt. And more!

11. What do you need to do? • Keeping records up to date on your SAE is extremely important. Updating records weekly will make filling out the application quick and EASY! • Take photographs throughout your program. Sometimes important experiences only happen once!

12. Help Resources • Local chapter advisor • FFA Alumni and business persons • Other teachers in your school • English/business teachers • Vocational teachers in fields related to your SAE • State FFA staff • National FFA -Kevin Keith 317-802-4254 email:kkeith@ffa.org

13. Additional Resources • SAE Central website-www.cals.ncsu.edu/agexed/sae/toolbox/ index. html • National FFA website- www.ffa.org • Agricultural Proficiency Award Handbook • Electronic applications on National FFA website

14. Group Work!With a partner pick the correct award area for each SAE • Working weekends at a local feed store • Two goats & three beef cows • Working at a taxidermist • Managing pastures at dads hog farm • Growing 23 acres of peanuts • Thinning one acre of woodlands • Ice shavers business during the summer • Propagating azaleas • Trapping beavers

15. Tips for judging Proficiency Award Applications

16. Proficiency Award Area • Does the application fit the designated award area? • Check the National Guidelines description • Can result in disqualification

17. Sloppy Work • To succeed in the agricultural proficiency awards program, the student must produce a neat and concise application for the judges.

18. Judging the Applications • Proficiency awards will be judged buy the following criteria • Skills and competencies learned that relate to an agricultural career field • Financial achievements, including growth in scope • Personal growth and development through FFA activities • Evidence of accomplishments based on available resources and opportunities • Communication skills as demonstrated in the written portions of applications and clear, concise answers

19. Judging the Applications • Applications should honestly, accurately, and neatly reflect members’ SAE programs and other achievements. Judges not want to see mysterious accounting and other inconsistencies The applicant is responsible for communicating clearly and completely and providing the information requested.

20. Change in Net Worth • The change in net worth during the years covered by an application cannot be greater than the total of the following • Total return to Labor, Capital & Management • Total Non Cash Income not related to this award area • Total Earned Income not related to this area • Total Gifts, Inheritance, and other Non Earned Income • Once you have added these four together you have accounted for all income. The change in net worth cannot be greater than this sum.

21. Unrealistic and Inaccurate Scope, Income & Expenses • It is unrealistic for students to show a sheep production SAE program that increases from two ewes in the first year to 50 ewes the second year without any expenses. • Also receiving $5,000 for 20 hours of work is an unrealistic figure.

22. Unrealistic Reporting of applicants responsibilities Diversified Livestock “I farm 160 acres of land, of which I own half interest and rent an additional 305 acres. My livestock enterprise consists of 140 head of cattle, of which I own half, and 155 head of hogs, of which I own 100 percent. I am a full time college student living away from home.” The situation described is a bit unbelievable because it is difficult for you as a full time college student to live away from home and to handle so many repsonsibilities.

23. Failure to Exhibit Growth • The proficiency program recognizes success through growth and achievement. If your enterprise began with five rabbits when you were a first year student and only increased to seven rabbits by your fourth year, your program has failed to grow significantly • A program that starts at a modest size and grows over the years will be more competitive than one that starts at a larger size and remains the same over the years covered.

24. Failure to include all costs • Most Judges know how much money it takes to produce ten acres of corn. Be very careful to avoid typographical errors as you document figures. Reporting $300 when you meant $3000 can cause a judge to disregard the rest of the application

25. Beginning and ending Inventories don’t match • One year’s ending inventory values must be the same as your following year’s beginning inventory values.

26. Questionable Financial Arrangements • Judges become concerned when they see an application that includes questionable arrangements. • EX. Student that constructs a building on land owned by someone else. • Explain • EX. Student that noted she owned $15,000 worth of land but never explained how she paid for it but showed no liabilities against the property.

27. Pictures • Pictures should relate to the award area • Do not show unsafe practices • Substantiate what is in the application

28. Earnings • Unpaid: No. Hours worked during which the compensation you received was the experience you gained • Paid: No. Hours worked for payment or wages • Total: # hours directly related to the award • Gross Earnings: Salary before payroll deductions

29. Expenditures • Tip: Travel to and from your place of employment cannot be included. • Tip: Tax deductions cannot be included as expenses.

30. Current/Operating Assets • Cash on Hand, Checking, Savings • Items you can readily convert into cash • Cash value bonds, stocks, & life insurance • Actual cash value that you obtain if turned into cash.

31. Current/Operating Assets • Notes and Accounts Receivable • Refers to money others owe for items or services provided. • Total Current/Operating Inventory • All items that are maintained in a SAE for a useful or intended life of 12 months.

32. Non Current/Capital Assets • Assets used in producing items that remain unsold and unconverted into cash during a year. • Ex. Livestock, equipment, machinery, improvements, fences, land..

33. Liabilities • Current/Operating Liabilities • Liabilities payable within the year • Loans, taxes, rent, leases, interest • Non Current/Capital Liabilities • Not due within the year

34. Skills • Specific task that a student can perform with some level of competence. • Ex. Dairy SAE are a test for mastitis, artificial insemination etc.

35. Activities • Activities are a main part of the students job and tasks that are regularly performed as a part of the job description. • Ex. If a student was to work at a garden center for Ag Sales & Services they may stock shelves.

36. The American FFA Degree An Introduction

37. The American FFA Degree • The American FFA Degree is the highest level of membership. • You must have received the Greenhand, Chapter and State FFA Degrees. • Based on your SAE program, FFA leadership activities and community/school activities.

38. Qualifications • Been an active member for the past three years and a record of satisfactory participation in chapter and state FFA activities. • Graduated from high school at least 12 months prior to the national convention at which the degree is to be granted.

39. Completed the equivalent of • at least three years (540 hours) of secondary school instruction in an agricultural education program, • or completed all of the agricultural education offered in the secondary school last attended • or two years of secondary agriculture education and one year of instruction in a postsecondary agriculture program.

40. Have in operation an outstanding SAE program. • Have earned and productively invested at least $7500 or have earned and productively invested at least $1500 and worked 2,250 hours in excess of scheduled class time. Any combination of hours times a factor of 3.33 plus any dollar amount of earnings must be equal to, or greater than $9000.

41. The national constitution does not allow you to report hours you invested working on your entrepreneurship enterprise as unpaid hours. You can count only unpaid hours such as volunteer work, directed lab and/or research and experimentation. • You need a record of outstanding leadership abilities and community involvement and have a high school scholastic record of “C” or better.

42. SAE Programs • SAE programs form the basis of the American FFA Degree. It usually takes six to seven years of an SAE program before you can obtain the degree. If you are just starting in FFA think about the following: • What do you want from your SAE program? • Do you want your own business? • Do you want to learn skills for a specific career?

43. There are two types of SAE programs, entrepreneurship and placement. • Entrepreneurship programs involve ownership of one or more agricultural production or agribusiness enterprises. • Placement programs are work or experiences that may be paid or unpaid. Examples would include working at an agribusiness, doing research and experimentation, directed laboratory or homeimprovement.

44. Both placement and entrepreneurship programs may be used or a combination of the two programs to apply for the American FFA Degree

45. Selection of Recipients • All candidates who meet the minimum constitutional requirements are eligible to receive the degree. • Chapter advisors and state staff check for accuracy and verify meeting requirements. • Sent by state to National FFA Center by June 30 for review. • Qualified candidates are recommended to the National FFA Board of Directors in July.

46. What do you need to do? • Keep your SAE records up to date. Updating your records weekly will make filling out the application quick and EASY! • Become involved with FFA on the chapter, state and national level. • Become involved with associations related to your SAE program. For example if you are interested inlandscaping, contact your state landscape association for information.

47. Help Resources • FFA Alumni and business persons • Other teachers in your school • English/business teachers • Local chapter advisor • Vocational teachers in fields related to your SAE • State FFA staff • National FFA- Kevin Keith 317-802-4254 email: kkeith@ffa.org

48. Additional Resources • SAE Central website-www.cals.ncsu.edu/agexed/sae/toolbox/ index. html • National FFA website-www.ffa.org • American FFA Degree handbook • Electronic applications on National FFA website

49. How can you help your students? • Visit students during the summer months • Set aside time each week for record keeping • Encourage parents to become active • Recognize SAE success each week • Use examples

50. How students can help themselves? • Become involved early • Talk to others • Public speaking and leadership • Join professional organizations • Work on your SAE!