Pawhuska FFA Vice President Chloe Hendren (far left) and President Mikayla Miller (far right) present a plaque to Bartlesville FFA members who received top honors in the opening and closing ceremonies competition. Photo courtesy of Jared Lemmons.
For many FFA advisors and members, springtime marks the beginning of competition season. Although it’s fun to travel and test your knowledge, there may also be an opportunity to host your own highly anticipated competition close to home.
Just ask Pawhuska FFA; this Oklahoma chapter hosted its seventh annual leadership competition last fall, which was attended by more than 400 FFA members representing 33 schools. Held at the beginning of October each year, the competition is geared toward FFA members in eighth and ninth grade, and its categories include Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Greenhand Quiz, FFA Creed and Team FFA Creed.
“There’s a strong demand for these [types of events],” says Pawhuska FFA advisor Jared Lemmons. “Many schools travel more than three hours to compete in ours, and all have to be back at school the next morning. The quicker teams can compete, the faster the event is over, and the earlier teams can arrive back home. This is a duty we hold ourselves to.”
The timing of this competition is also appealing to attendees. “The majority of fall leadership competitions occur during early to mid-September,” Lemmons says. “Ours is one of very few that occur after the state fair season but prior to our regional, state-qualifying fall leadership event the second week of October. This makes our event a great refresher before a high-stakes competition.”
If your chapter is interested in hosting an FFA competition, check out these seven tips from Lemmons and Pawhuska FFA President Mikayla Miller.
1. Plan ahead.
Have all room signs and maps, competition lists, speaking printouts and judging sheets prepared well in advance. “We use 500 sheets of paper and have several manila folders to help keep everything organized,” Lemmons says.
2. Get plenty of volunteers.
It’s hard to have too many friendly faces and sets of helping hands. Think of tasks that need to be done, especially on the day of the event, then delegate what can be accomplished.
3. Find good judges.
Filling your competition rooms with people who are fair, objective and move at a decent pace can help make a competition a great success.
4. Ensure strong communication.
With so many moving parts and flexibility required, keeping everyone on track is a challenge. Pawhuska FFA found that phone calls and text messages aren’t the most efficient, and instead uses two-way radios (walkie-talkies).
Setting up an information desk or table at your event can create a one-stop shop for competitors and their advisors, parents or guardians. Photo courtesy of Jared Lemmons.
5. Interact positively with everyone in attendance.
This fosters a welcoming sense of community and friendship, thus encouraging participants to continue their FFA journeys.
6. Recognize hard work.
Having desirable awards for winners not only ensures that high achievers feel rewarded, but also that they’ll want to come back in the future. Pawhuska FFA awards first through third placings in each competition room.
7. Be flexible.
There are going to be setbacks, and things may go wrong. Don’t let this stop you; rather, choose to persevere, adapt and keep notes on how to improve next year.
Preparation Starts Now
Whether you’re looking to host or compete in a National FFA Career or Leadership Development Event, it’s important to be prepared. Explore this competitive events webpage to explore handbooks, past tests, practicums and additional helpful resources.
