Career Development Events
FFA members focus on skill development and career preparation through participation in Career Development Events and Leadership Development Events. These competitive events develop individual responsibility, foster teamwork and promote communication while recognizing the value of ethical competition and individual achievement. Successful members expand their knowledge base by interacting with peers, teachers, as well as business and community leaders to gain a complete and comprehensive knowledge about specific career and leadership areas
© National FFA Organization 2018
Career Development Events
Foothill FFA offers 5 CDE's focused on different career areas such as Viticulture, Animal Science, Ag Mechanics and Research.
Agriscience Fair
Ag Pest Control
Agricultural Welding
Grapevine Pruning
Livestock Judging
Leadership Development Events
Foothill FFA offers 6 LDE's focused on developing students Public Speaking and Leadership Skills.
Opening & Closing Ceremonies
Creed Recitation
Impromptu Public Speaking
Employment Skills (Job Interview)
Prepared Public Speaking
Extemporaneous Public Speaking
Competition Descriptions
FRESHMAN
Best Informed Greenhand
The objective of the Best Informed Greenhand contest is to understand the aims, purposes, history, and structure of the Local, State, and National FFA student organizations and know the opportunities it makes available as referenced in the current National FFA Manual and State Constitution. © California Agricultural Teachers' Association 2018
WHO: Freshman
WHEN: All Year
Creed Recitation
The FFA Creed outlines the organization’s beliefs regarding the agricultural industry, FFA membership and the value of citizenship and patriotism. The FFA Creed is covered in Ag Earth Science classes, as part of the requirements to earn the Greenhand Degree. The purpose of the Creed Speaking Career Development Event is to develop the public speaking abilities of 9th grade FFA members as well as develop their self-confidence and contribute to their advancement in the FFA degree program. © California Agricultural Teachers' Association 2018
WHO: Freshman
WHEN: Spring Semester
Agriscience Fair
The Agriscience Fair event recognizes high school students who are studying the application of scientific principles and emerging technologies in agricultural enterprises. Students focus on 6 different areas including Food Products and Processing Systems, Environmental Services/Natural Resource Systems, Animal Systems, Plant Systems, Power, Structural and Technical Systems and Social Systems. The goals of this event is to provide students with an opportunity to use the scientific process, provide students an opportunity to achieve local, state and national recognition for their accomplishments in agriscience, reinforce skills and principles learned in agriscience courses, provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate and display agriscience projects that are products of their agriscience courses, and provide recruiting and promotional opportunities for agriscience programs.
© California Agricultural Teachers' Association 2018
WHO: All grades
WHEN: Experiment completed in Fall Semester, Competitions in Spring Semester
Opening & Closing Ceremonies
The Opening and Closing Ceremonies competition consists of memorizing and reciting a script. Students compete in teams of six, in the rolls of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer Reporter, and Sentinel. Students are judged based on memorization, appearance and delivery.
WHO: All Grades
WHEN: Fall Semester, Competition in November
SOPHOMORES
Agriscience Fair
The Agriscience Fair event recognizes high school students who are studying the application of scientific principles and emerging technologies in agricultural enterprises. Students focus on 6 different areas including Food Products and Processing Systems, Environmental Services/Natural Resource Systems, Animal Systems, Plant Systems, Power, Structural and Technical Systems and Social Systems. The goals of this event is to provide students with an opportunity to use the scientific process, provide students an opportunity to achieve local, state and national recognition for their accomplishments in agriscience, reinforce skills and principles learned in agriscience courses, provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate and display agriscience projects that are products of their agriscience courses, and provide recruiting and promotional opportunities for agriscience programs.
© California Agricultural Teachers' Association 2018
WHO: All grades
WHEN: Experiment completed in Fall Semester, Competitions in Spring Semester
Impromptu Speaking
The purpose of the Impromptu Public Speaking Career Development Event is to foster and develop the speaking abilities of FFA members as well as develop their self-confidence and contribute to their advancement in inter-personal skill attainment and leadership development. The intention of the Impromptu Contest is to offer a more realistic, practical speaking contest to better prepare our students for public statements, media coverage, and general questions about the FFA and Agriculture Industry. Students will develop the valuable speaking skills necessary to be professional, competent public representatives of the FFA Organization and Agriculture Industry. © California Agricultural Teachers' Association 2018
WHO: Sophomores
WHEN: Spring Semester
Opening & Closing Ceremonies
The Opening and Closing Ceremonies competition consists of memorizing and reciting a script. Students compete in teams of six, in the rolls of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer Reporter, and Sentinel. Students are judged based on memorization, appearance and delivery.
WHO: All Grades
WHEN: Fall Semester, Competition in November
JUNIORS/SENIORS
Agricultural Welding
The Agricultural Welding event aims to evaluate student's manipulative skills, general knowledge and professional presentation as these correlate to his/her preparation for employment in the broad field of welding (agricultural, industrial, or other). The event consists of a welding application, a written test, weld testing/inspection, and a job portfolio/application. © California Agricultural Teachers' Association 2018
WHO: Juniors/Seniors enrolled in Ag Mechanics
WHEN: All year
Ag Pest Control
The purpose of the Agricultural Pest Control Career Development Event (CDE) is to provide students with new insights into the science and practice of pest management with a specific emphasis on the California Agricultural Industry.
Participants will accurately identify and apply the correct scientific and common name to pests from the categories of Gastropoda, Arachnida, Insecta, and Symphyla. Additionally, participants will give an oral presentation to a panel of industry experts explaining specimens from the categories of beneficial insects, quarantine or invasive insects, and vertebrate pests.
Participant of the Agricultural Pest Control CDE strengthen their leadership, observation, analysis, critical thinking and communication skills while also developing and exercising a competitive team spirit and building an awareness of career opportunities within the pest management industry.
© California Agricultural Teachers' Association 2018
WHO: Juniors/Seniors enrolled in Viticulture
WHEN: Spring Semester
Agriscience Fair
The Agriscience Fair event recognizes high school students who are studying the application of scientific principles and emerging technologies in agricultural enterprises. Students focus on 6 different areas including Food Products and Processing Systems, Environmental Services/Natural Resource Systems, Animal Systems, Plant Systems, Power, Structural and Technical Systems and Social Systems. The goals of this event is to provide students with an opportunity to use the scientific process, provide students an opportunity to achieve local, state and national recognition for their accomplishments in agriscience, reinforce skills and principles learned in agriscience courses, provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate and display agriscience projects that are products of their agriscience courses, and provide recruiting and promotional opportunities for agriscience programs.
© California Agricultural Teachers' Association 2018
WHO: All grades
WHEN: Experiment completed in Fall Semester, Competitions in Spring Semester
Extemporaneous Public Speaking
The FFA Extemporaneous Public Speaking Career Development Event is designed to develop the ability of all FFA members to express themselves on a given agricultural subject without having prepared or rehearsed its content in advance. This gives the FFA members an opportunity to formulate their remarks for presentation in a very limited amount of time. The event requires students to think on their feet, state their case quickly and persuasively, and to be able to answer relevant questions based upon their presentation.
© California Agricultural Teachers' Association 2018
WHO: Juniors/Seniors
WHEN: Spring Semester
Grapevine Pruning
The Grapevine Pruning event seeks to effectively prepare the students to learn current agriculture viticulture practices and procedures used in today’s industry. Students learn to prune grapevines, evaluate the performance of the grapevine, learn to give descriptive reasons to a judge and take a test on pruning. Students seeking careers in agriculture must not only develop a high degree of knowledge and skill, they must also develop the ability to solve difficult problems. This event blends the testing of manipulative skills and knowledge required for careers in agriculture production. © California Agricultural Teachers' Association 2018
WHO: Juniors/Seniors enrolled in Viticulture
WHEN: December-February
Job Interview
The Employment Skills Career Development Event seeks to effectively prepare the students for the expectations of interviewing for available positions within the Agricultural Industry. Students seeking careers within the Agricultural Industry must not only develop a high degree of knowledge and skill; they must also develop the ability to interview through communication in both written and oral forms; and be able to complete a resume, cover letter, and job application accurately. © California Agricultural Teachers' Association 2018
WHO: Juniors/Seniors
WHEN: Spring Semester
Livestock Judging
The Livestock Judging Team contest's purpose is to:
measure the students' knowledge in the following categories:
o to make accurate observations of livestock
o to determine the desirable traits in animals
o to make logical decisions based on these observations
o to discuss and to defend their decisions for their placing
o to instill an appreciation for desirable selection, management and marketing technique
To develop the ability to select and market livestock that will satisfy consumer demands and provide increased economic returns to producers. Provide positive economic returns to producers as well as meet the needs of the industry. © California Agricultural Teachers' Association 2018
WHO: Juniors/Seniors enrolled in Animal Science
WHEN: All Year
Meats Evaluation
The Meat Evaluation Team contest's purpose is to:
create interest and promote understanding of the meat industry by providing opportunities for recognition through the demonstration of skills and proficiencies in this field. These skills include identification of a variety of meat selections, evaluation of carcasses, and questions concerning meat and its relationship to the health and well-being of individuals. © California Agricultural Teachers' Association 2018
WHO: Juniors/Seniors enrolled in Animal Science
WHEN: All Year
Opening & Closing Ceremonies
The Opening and Closing Ceremonies competition consists of memorizing and reciting a script. Students compete in teams of six, in the rolls of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer Reporter, and Sentinel. Students are judged based on memorization, appearance and delivery.
WHO: All Grades
WHEN: Fall Semester, Competition in November
Prepared Public Speaking
The purpose of the Prepared Public Speaking Career Development Event is to foster and develop the speaking abilities of FFA members as well as develop their self-confidence and contribute to their advancement in inter-personal skill attainment and leadership development.grams. Students write a 6-8 minute speech, memorize and deliver to a panel of judges and are asked follow up questions. © California Agricultural Teachers' Association 2018
WHO: Juniors/Seniors
WHEN: Spring Semester