National FFA Agricultural Communications Career Development Event

1. National FFA Agricultural Communications Career Development Event Agricultural Communication and Leadership

2. Purpose … to provide individuals with basic communications skills necessary to take advantage of career opportunities in agricultural communications

3. Purpose • Public communications about agricultural products, practices and policies are essential to the future of agriculture. • Students who are equipped with strong communication skills and who can use a variety of media to help the public understand issues related to the agricultural industry have a bright future in the job market.

4. Format • Each team is made up of five members • Each team member must be a member of a chartered FFA chapter • Two team activities • Communications project proposal • Communication project presentation • Two individual activities • Test • Editing Exercise • Practicum

5. Format • All team members wear official FFA dress in all events • Students must provide pens and pencils • Specialized equipment for presentation and practicums are provided

6. Team Activities • Topic is the same for the proposal and presentation • Themes of topics rotate yearly • 2006 – Local Environmental Issues • 2007 – FFA Recruiting and Educational Activities • 2008 – Safety Issues • 2009 – FFA Community Involvement • 2010 – Local Environmental Issues • 2011 – FFA Recruiting & Educational Activities

7. Communications Project Proposal • The key is to select a topic specific enough that the team will be able to do a good job • Each team prepares a proposal for their chapter explaining the communications activities planned to publicize and event or issue

8. Communications Project Proposal • Proposal should be a maximum of 12 double-spaced pages, 8 x 11 white paper, 1” margins, Times New Roman or Times font • 12 pages does not include reference, appendices or cover pages

9. Communications Project Proposal • Submitted with a staple in the upper-left hand corner • No folders, binders, special covers or other placement of staple • Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual style • Cover page should include • Title of proposal • State • Chapter name • Team members names • Date

10. Communications Project Proposal • Proposal should include the following sections: • Rational for selecting the project, including background information • Objectives of the project • Audience to be targeted • Key messages or themes • Media selected to accomplish the project • Budget to produce and place communications materials • Criteria upon which the project will be evaluated

11. Communications Project Presentation • Each team has 15 minutes to present; • 5 point penalty deducted for each major fraction of a minute over 15 minutes • Judges will have 5 minutes to ask questions following the presentation • Presentation should follow and cover all sections included in proposal

12. Communications Project Presentation • Examples of material used in the execution of the proposal should be included • Each member must participate in the presentation • Teams have 10 minutes to set up and take down the presentation

13. Individual Activities • Test • Editing exercise • Practicums

14. Test • Editing exercise • Each team member will complete and editing exercise • Printed document contains 25 mistakes • Identify as “Correct” or “Incorrect” with incorrect items corrected • NOT allowed to use the style manual or a dictionary during the exercise

15. Practicums • Consist of four individual events • Prior to event, each team should assign a member to each activity • Practicums include • Organizing and writing a news story • Organizing and writing a press release • Developing and carrying out a broadcast • Preparing a photo for editing and captioning

16. Practicums • All teams meet for orientation and press conference; seated by practicum group • At press conference, will receive a press packet with background information on the agricultural topic and expert to use during the event • Expert will speak on an agricultural topic for 20 minutes; students may take notes

17. Practicums • After the presentation, broadcasters and graphic designers will be dismissed to compete their tasks • News writers and press release writers will be involved in a 10-minute Q & A with the expert • Tape recorders will not be allowed • Only news writers allowed to ask questions

18. News Writers • Write a news story for an agricultural publication based on information gathered at news conference • 250-350 words • 12-pt Times New Roman, double spaced • Follow inverted pyramid style

19. News Writers • Strong focus and lead, answer who, what, when, where and why • Also include a headline • Will have 60 minutes to compose story; story then will be word processed by student on computer, printed and scored • Judging based on written communication, skills, accuracy, organization, style, creativity & grammar

20. Press Release Writers • Write a press release as if the expert’s company or organization was distributing it • Use the press packet and information gathered in press conference • 200-300 words, excluding words in header • 12-pt Times New Roman, double spaced

21. Press Release Writers • Will have 60 minutes to compose story; story then will be word processed by student on computer, printed and scored • Judging based on written communication, skills, accuracy, organization, style, creativity and grammar

22. Broadcasters • Use the press packet and information gathered in press conference to write and carry out a two-minute radio broadcast • Message should be suitable to be aired on a radio station or network • Use a standard cassette and tape recorder to record and broadcast the story • Will be allowed to listen to recorded broadcast if time allows

23. Broadcasters • Cassette with recorded broadcast will be turned in to be evaluated • Also develop and turn in five written questions that she or he would have asked the expert if they were given the opportunity to interview the expert • Will have 60 minutes to complete tasks

24. Graphic Designers • Each will complete exercises in photo editing and photo caption writing • Will have 60 minutes to complete the tasks

25. Graphic Designers • Photo editing exercise • Member will receive a variety of photos and will select photo for the news story or press release • Choose one photo and provide three written reasons why it was selected

26. Graphic Designers • Photo caption writing exercise • Write and place a two-line caption (about 25 words) for one of the photos selected for the layout • Judged on accuracy of information, grammar, brevity, clarity, style and creativity of captions

27. Team Project Scoring • Communication Project Proposal • 150 points total • Most important: rational and objectives of project • Communication Project Presentation • 150 points total • Most important: questions and answers

28. Test Scoring • Editing Exercise • 25 points per team member • 100 points total

29. Practicum Scoring • News Writer Story • 100 points total • Most important: lead/focus and accuracy of information and quotes • Press Release Writer • 100 points total • Most important: lead/focus

30. Practicum Scoring • Broadcaster’s Recording • 100 points total • Most important: quality of five written follow-up questions • Graphic Designer • 100 points total • Most important: photo selection and cropping

31. Overall Scoring • Practicum Scores 400 points • Communications Project Proposal 150 points • Communications Project Presentation 150 points • Test Scores 100 points • TOTAL 800 points

32. Tiebreakers • Team • Proposal rank • Practicum rank • Presentation rank • Individual • Practicum rank • Quiz rank • Editing exercise score