NEWS A Texas Team Ag Ed Publication
November 2018
#TammyTalks
Tammy Christian, Penelope
I think it is safe to say, we are in the thick of our jobs as ag teachers. October is always a busy month, here in Hill County we have our major lamb and goat validation as well as our county validation. I am working on my roster, training LDE teams and preparing for the national FFA convention. I know many of you are anxious to hear how the process is moving along as we work to find the next Executive Director of VATAT. The deadline to submit resumes and letters of application closed October 1st. We have narrowed the field down and are working to get the next step finalized, which will be phone interviews. That step will help us narrow the field down to the finalists who will do face to face interviews at our December board meeting. That individual will have big shoes to fill, please know that we understand the importance of this hire and we are taking this process very seriously. Continuing my journey from last month, as I approached my senior year in high school and prepared to enter college and choose a major, the struggle was real. Like so many kids, I had given many things a thought, a veterinarian, a detective, a lawyer and now, maybe an ag teacher. I had enjoyed my years in ag and my FFA experience so much, it had changed me for the better. I thought it would be so cool to help students find themselves
and break out of their shell, as Mr. Hawthorne had helped me. Keep in mind, I would graduate in 1984, and in my area, I knew of only one female ag teacher, Peggy Ward, who was at Palestine. I grew up helping my Dad with cattle and assisting him with numerous mechanical tasks, animals, tools, and hard work did not scare me at all. He groomed me to be independent, and did his best, as most Dads, “to keep the boys away!” The biggest question for me was, could I find my place in a predominantly male profession? A large part of my family are Baylor graduates and my Dad did his best to convince me that I needed to major in accounting and stay at home, so that I could attend to Baylor. My decisions about where to attend college, were as indecisive as what to do. I went from Texas Tech, to Texas A&M, to Tarleton, to Sam Houston. I knew my major had to be something in the Agriculture field, my heart was there, and it was my passion. To be continued… When I began teaching, I remember other ag teachers saying, “if you can make it in this profession for five years, it will all get easier!” This is my 29th year, I think I work harder and more with each year. There are so many opportunities for our students these days and there is so much more that we are responsible for. We
tend to be our own worst enemies, it is our nature, we continually add to our tasks. One of the hardest things I have to do, is prepare to be out of the classroom. It is so much easier for me to be at school, than not. I encourage you to leave work that is relevant. Do your best to make it easy on your substitute, I realize many of you are not fortunate enough to have the same folks consistently. I also realize, it sometimes a challenge to find those that meet our expectations, and every school has a different system for securing substitutes. Leave instructions that are detailed and easy to follow and do not assume anything! Continue on page 2
#TammyTalks Continued Try and answer any questions that might arise. I am fortunate, much of the time, I get the same person, and that helps tremendously. They get the routine down and they get to know my students and what to expect. I encourage you to ask your substitute to leave you notes and if they are behavioral issues, follow up and follow through with those students. It is not even a bad idea to ask them if they are suggestions for making their job easier. I, not unlike many of you, am gone a lot. I want to take care of those, taking care of me, while I travel. Impress upon your students the importance of good behavior, completing assignments, etc. While it sometimes takes time to get students in a routine, if you always follow through and do what you say, you will do then the students learn. By the time the next newsletter is written, you will have competed in district and area LDEs, you will be knee deep in major livestock show entries and for those who sell fruit, preparing for fruit deliveries. Keep crossing your T’s and dotting your I’s and keep your chin up! Best of luck with your LDEs and be safe in travels!
Fresh Country Supports the
VATAT with a
Annual Donation!
Stock Show Validations: Your Responsibilities Barney McClure, VATAT Executive Director For teachers who have animal SAE responsibilities, it is common to serve on one or more validation committees. These committees are formed in each county to validate livestock show species. The chairman of the committee has the responsibility of overseeing the process, entering the tag assignments, and mailing the paperwork to the appropriate state office. For swine it is the Texas FFA office, and other species are sent to the Texas Agrilife Extension. Each chairman, committee member, and supervising teacher or agent has a specific role. It is very important to take these responsibilities seriously because they have a direct impact on students, and may even have a direct impact on your job. Never sign-off on paperwork that you don’t understand. Each person in this pipeline needs to understand their responsibilities which are found on the Texas FFA website and the Extension website. Failure to follow all the guidelines could lead to a student not being able to exhibit at a show. If you have questions about the process, do not hesitate to contact Tammy Glasscock, Carolee Frampton, or me in our office if it has to do with swine, and Billy Zanolini if it has to do with other species. Whether your county validates a handful or more than thousand animals, make sure that no corners are cut and you understand your responsibilities. Not understanding the rules is no excuse when the stakes are this high. Texas has a great stock show program, with great partners. We owe it to everyone involved to get it right.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE VATAT.......................................1 - 3 Alumni................................6 Young Farmers..........................8 - 9 Texas FFA................................... 11 www.FreshCountry.com
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vatat
MENTOR program
2018-2019 MENTORS GARY ADAMS KENN CARR GLEN DOSSETT TONY DUNKERLEY RICK FLEMING STEVE FORSYTHE LACHO GARZA MIKE JACKSON RANDY LOOPER DON MCGUFFIN
JIM MISSILDINE LOYD NATIONS DAVID REILEY BOBBY ROSENBUSCH JIMMY VACULIN MARY WILSON JACK WINTERROWD RON WHITSON GERALD YOUNG
THANK YOU TO THESE INDIVIDUALS FOR ALL THAT THEY DO TO SUPPORT AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION! 3
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FA L L C D P R O M O $ 1 , 0 0 0 - $ 4 9 , 9 9 9 AT 1 . 7 5 % $ 5 0 , 0 0 0 + AT 1 . 9 5 % 12 MONTH CD D I V I D E N D S PAY Q U A R T E R LY N E W M O N E Y O N LY S O M E R E S T R I C T I O N S A P P LY
(800)777-1825 (512)472-3258
INFO@VATATCU.ORG
WWW.VATATCU.ORG
NEW INDUSTRY-BASED CERTIFICATION
Equine Management & Evaluation The Equine Management & Evaluation Certification, endorsed by the National Horse Judging Team Coaches’ Association and powered by iCEV, verifies students have obtained exceptional knowledge and skills in the following areas: Breed Identification
Grooming & Saddling
Common Equine Diseases
Nutrition & Exercise
Anatomy & Physiology
Equipment & Facilities
Equine Health
Horse Evaluation
www.icevonline.com/equine
National Horse Judging Team Coaches’ Association
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UPDATE 91st National Convention Kelly White, Texas FFA Alumni President
The last National Convention that I attended was in 1998. This was also the last convention that Kansas City would host. I remember a long-time supporter from Kansas City equating the loss of the convention to a divorce. He continued stating that the hard part of it was the FFA got custody of the kids. My memories take me back to that same year when I was on state staff in Mississippi and I was fortunate to visit the National FFA Center two weeks after the Grand Opening. The building has not changed but the surroundings surely have. It seems that it was located in a field far from the hustle and bustle of suburban life. That transformed as we drove down FFA Drive and noted the shopping mall, restaurants, movie theater, and the other changes to the area. Fast-forward to 2018 and the 91st National FFA Convention. My week sped by me as fast as the scooters on the sidewalks of Indy. I was able to attend because I had a student competing in Extemporaneous Speaking, Blake Ochoa who was awarded silver. I was also able to attend the Alumni & Supporters Annual Meeting on Friday afternoon where the Texas FFA Alumni was recognized for the following: • Percent Life Member Increase • Top 5 Alumni and Supporters Membership • 100% Life Member State FFA Officers Thank you to those that have Alumni Programs that made these awards possible.
Renamed
and
Restructured
The National FFA Board of Directors voted Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018 to realign the National FFA Alumni Association. As part of a strategic initiative, the board passed recommendations to realign the association and rename it National FFA Alumni 6
and Supporters. “In order to be more inclusive of our volunteers, while still maintaining the recognition that our former members have come to know in FFA, the National FFA Board of Directors decided to change the name,” said Joshua Rusk, executive director of National FFA Alumni and Supporters. “In the National FFA Organization, you don’t have to be a former member to be an alumni member, and the board wanted the name to reflect that opportunity.” In addition to the renaming, effective immediately, the board of directors realigned its alumni membership with the National FFA Constitution by changing the organization’s alumni association bylaws to operational policies. These operational policies will be controlled by the board of directors with recommendations from FFA staff and the newly named National FFA Alumni and Supporters Advisory Committee The operational policies allow the board authority and responsibility for both alumni and student membership.
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UPDATE Notes From
the
Executive Secretary
Bob Young, Texas Young Farmers Executive Secretary
Oh, the wonderful world of agriculture. Many things to accomplish, but never enough time to get everything done. This time of year is good to observe the great things happening in agriculture education. Teachers putting in extra time to provide opportunities for students to develop their skills and work toward reaching their potential. Students are working hard to prepare their SAE projects, and students are preparing and competing in LDEs everywhere. Having had the opportunity to judge a few of these LDE contests, I see the positive results of all the efforts put forth by teachers, students and supporters. I salute everyone involved in this process. Great things continue to happen in Texas FFA. Also, it is a busy time for Texas Young Farmers. We will have about 20 Texas Young Farmers representing Texas at the National Young Farmers Education Association (NYFEA) Institute in Rogers, Arkansas, on December 1215. Also, Cierra Dickerson of the Bryan Young Farmers will be representing us in the YALE Agriculture Speech Contest at the Institute. We are proud of how hard she worked to win our state contest and the right to compete nationally. Rogers, Arkansas has much to offer as a convention host city. We’ll tell you about our experiences in future newsletters. We had our fall state officers meeting in Temple, Texas on October 20th. Of course, the main topic discussed was the upcoming state convention on January 10-13, 2019. I am extremely pleased at how efficiently our officer team works together to make plans and set things in motion. I encourage all Texas Young Farmers to attend our convention. You will most certainly have an enjoyable time and learn. Our registration form is on the following page, so 8
please consider attending. Contact me if you have any questions. Also, as we speak, state dues and chapter rosters are due, as of November 1st. I have already received dues from several chapters and even a couple of new chapters. I really appreciate how cooperatively our local chapters work toward meeting all requirements. It is very important that all information on rosters is accurate. That is why we encourage rosters to be submitted electronically. Of course, this is my first time to enter all this information, so I am sure that I will be leaning on Past Executive Secretary Don Beene to guide me. He has been so willing to help me since his retirement. If you have not submitted dues and rosters, please do so as quickly as possible. Please make use of our website for information at txyoungfarmers.org. Don’t forget about the contests that chapters and chapter members can enter at the state convention. In the meantime, keep up the good work. As always, contact me if you have questions. And I thank you. Remember, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” -Henry Ford
Thank You to Our Texas Young Farmers Sponsors
KOOPMANN CATERING SCHULENBURG, TX 979-561-6272 koopmanncatering@gmail.com
2019 Texas Young Farmer Convention January 10th – 13th, 2019 Temple, Texas Registration Form
Hotel: Hilton Garden Inn Temple, 1749 Scott Boulevard, Temple, TX 76504. Telephone: 254-773-0200. (Deadline is Dec. 21st.) Website: http://www.hiltongardeninn3.hilton.com Use Group Code: Texas Young Farmers. Room Rate: Hotel “Convention Block” about $100. Schedule: Complete Details at: http://www.txyoungfarmers.org/default.aspx?ID=4415 ❖ Thurs., Jan. 10th – 3pm – 5pm State Board Meeting. 7pm – 9pm Icebreaker and Mixer for everyone. ❖ Fri., Jan. 11th – Breakfast at Hotel, Morning Tours, Lunch, Afternoon Tours. Dinner at Hotel (provided by TYF), Ag Olympics with additional activities. ❖ Sat., Jan. 12th – Breakfast at Hotel, Delegate Meeting, Business Meeting, Sponsor Appreciation Lunch, Scholarship Auction, Workshops, Awards Banquet and After Banquet Entertainment Registration Costs:
Early Bird Registration Deadline is December 3, 2018.
❖ Early Bird Registration is $125 ❖ Late Registration is $150 ❖ Registration includes: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner for Friday and Saturday; Thursday Mixer; Tours; Ag Olympics and After Banquet Entertainment. ❖ Friday Night (Does NOT include the Friday Meal but does include Ag Olympics) and Saturday Only is $75 before December 3 and $100 after December 3. Friday Night Meal if arriving before Ag Olympics for Friday and Saturday Only Attendees - $25 each ❖ “YALE” Contest Participants - Early Bird Registration - $75 and $100 after December 3. ❖ Kids are $50 Register On Line at TYF website www.txyoungfarmers.org If a computer is not available, You can mail Registration Form and Registration Fees (payable to Texas Young Farmers) to: Texas Young Farmers; C/O Bob Young, 1990 T K Pkwy, Axtell, TX 76624 Early Bird Registration Deadline: December 3, 2018 Name(s): ____________________________________________ TYF Area: ______ TYF Chapter: ______________ Address: ___________________________________ City, State and Zip: __________________________________ Email Address: _________________________________________________ Phone: (_____)______-_________ Early Bird Registration for January 10-13 $125 before Dec. 3 Late Registration for January 10-13 $150 after Dec. 3 Friday Night Meal (Fri/Sat Only Attendees) $25 each Friday Night - Ag Olympics & Saturday Only $75 before Dec. 1st Friday Night - Ag Olympics & Saturday Only $100 after Dec. 1st “YALE” Contest Participants $75 before Dec. 1st “YALE” Contest Participants $100 after Dec. 1st Child Registration (12 & Under) $50
# _______ # _______ # _______ # _______ # ________ # ________ # ________ # _______
@ $ 125 = ____________ @ $150 = __________ @ $25 = __________ @ $75 = __________ @ $100 = __________ @ $75 = ___________ @ $100 = ___________ @ $50 = ___________
TOTAL DUE: ____________ Additional Names and Chapters included on this Registration: _____________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Registration using a Credit Card can only be done using the On-Line Registration. For Help call Debi @ 940-389-4052. Paper Registration only accepts Check payments. (Must be included with Registration). (Version 1) 9
THERE CAN’T BE A GAME WON WITHOUT A GAME PLAN See what Texas FFA students have to say at mytexasffa.org
THETO NEW TEXAS GET KNOW MY TODAY’S TEXASFFA FFA MOBILE APP
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FOR SENIORS
LEADERSHIP CONFERENCES
TEXAS FFA
FOR SOPHOMORES CANYON - NOVEMBER 12, 2018 KINGSVILLE - DECEMBER 10, 2018 NACOGDOCHES - JANUARY 7, 2019
SAN ANGELO - OCTOBER 1, 2018 COMMERCE - OCTOBER 8, 2018 PRAIRIE VIEW - OCTOBER 29, 2018
KET TIC E N PLA ET E T IC K N A L P
FOR JUNIORS
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VATAT
614 E. 12th Street Austin, Texas 78701
Upcoming Events November
December
January
1 Fall Texas FFA Roster Deadline
1 Texas FFA Junior Roster Deadline
10th - 13th Texas Young Farmers Convention, Temple
1 Tarleton Invitational LDEs
7 Swine Validation Materials Deadline (Major Shows)
7th Texas FFA Board Meeting, Austin
9 - 10 VATAT Board Meeting
8th Texas FFA Foundation Board Meeting, Austin
1 - 7 Late Priority Swine Tag Orders (Major Shows) 12 Leadership Conference, Canyon 30 Last Day to Validate Swine 30 State LDEs, Huntsville
www.vatat.org
Contact
(512) 472-3128
vatat@vatat.org
Officers Tammy Christian, President
Terry Baize, Vice President
Staff
Ryan Pieniazek, Secretary/Treasurer
Barney McClure, Executive Director Ashley Dunkerley, Communications Karen Jones, Membership Services Tori Rosser, Special Projects
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