Don’t Copy What the Premier Chapter Does
In the sprawling landscape of FFA chapters and organizations, it’s easy to feel tempted to mirror the success stories of others, especially those named “Premier Chapters”.
I mean, if something works brilliantly for one chapter it will work perfectly for mine too, right?
But let’s take a step back. What does “Premier Chapter” even mean?
On the national level, it means recognizing the top chapters with innovative activities in each of the three divisions: growing leaders, building communities, and strengthening agriculture.
The top ten chapters in each division get a crystal glass table top National FFA Premier Chapter Award, and among those, one top premier chapter is chosen. Only 3-star chapters are eligible for these premier chapter awards.
Now, what about the chapters that don’t apply for this award? Does that mean they aren’t hitting these high notes? Maybe, maybe not.
Here’s the kicker: an award doesn’t determine your worth as an agriculture teacher or the success of your program.
Enter Nikki Fideldy-Doll. Nikki was a one-woman department in rural North Dakota, and if you know her, you know she’s a powerhouse of wild, awesome ideas! Take this one, for example: she got her students to design stickers for the local fire department. The students printed these stickers and sold them to the community, with profits going right back to the fire department. How cool is that?
Now, imagine implementing this idea in your own chapter. How would it pan out? Think about Jason Ferriera’s chapter with over 900 FFA members. The sheer number of sticker designs could be overwhelming. How would they even pick which designs to sell? And who would do the selling? And what if they don’t even have a relationship with that fire department or the fire department doesn’t need donations? That isn’t going to have the same results.
The point is, it’s not about the number of designs. It’s about the impact this event had on the fire department in her community. This chapter decided to find a need in THEIR community and find a solution to serve them.
Instead of chasing huge numbers or copying and pasting what you see on social media, try focusing on impact for YOUR audience (chapter members, community or the agriculture industry. The more successful chapter isn't the one with the most stickers, fruit sold; it's the one that makes an impact in their community.
Here is another example, let’s talk about Sarah Nerswick’s story—it’s short and sweet. They held a chapter telethon event with only 11 FFA members helping. Those members called and left messages of encouragement to every FFA member in the chapter.
While looking from outside of this event you might be thinking that the number of members might seem small and insignificant. It is more about the impact those 11 members provided the chapter that played a part in getting named a Premier Chapter for Growing Leaders at the national level. A 20-member community service event that shows the power of collaboration can surely be an impactful event. This isn’t about individual efforts but the strength of the group.
If you’re nodding along but wondering, “Cool, but we want to win a National Chapter award but need some good ideas for activities that work for our chapter”, we’ve got just the activity for you to try with your officer team.
Our friend Nikki whipped up this workshop in 2022 and it was a huge hit. This activity helps you brainstorm ideas that can make a big impact in your chapter and community—aka, a recipe for success!
Remember, the National Chapter award focuses on three divisions: growing leaders, strengthening agriculture, and building communities. Each division has quality standards for your chapter to focus on when designing an activity.
Nikki has broken down each standard into its own slide, so you can focus on one activity at a time. Each standard comes with a prompting idea, like a statistic or mystery item, to get those creative juices flowing.
For example, one group used rubber ducks as their mystery item and ended up planning a boat launch cleanup with a “duck pond prize” to incorporate the ducks! Creative, right?
We’ve found this activity works best with a small group for brainstorming. We aren’t saying you need to utilize balloons, rubber ducks or cowboy hats in your events. This is just a strategy to shake things up and get creative thinking outside the box.
Try it with your chapter officers and see what awesome ideas you come up with to help your chapter or community. We’ve provided two versions for you to try—your challenge is to actually incorporate one of these activities into your chapter’s Program of Activities (POA) this year!
Here’s the link to the activity slides!
One thing is clear: there’s no one-size-fits-all formula for success in chapters.
What works for one might not work for another—and that’s totally okay.
Instead of copying the premier chapters, let’s celebrate the uniqueness of our own chapters. By staying true to ourselves, focusing on impact over numbers, and rallying together as a community, we can carve out our own paths to success. So go ahead, you do you, boo boo!
Time to tweak your fundraising messaging
Fundraising gets a bad rap for being pushy and surface level.
We tend to associate fundraising in the AgEd world as meat sticks, wreaths and cookie dough.
In reality, it is so much more.
It’s about opportunity, it’s about impact, it’s about legacy!
The funds you raise give students an opportunity which impacts their lives and can eventually lead to a legacy they build for their families, friends and careers.
And that is the VERY reason we should put more intention and care into our fundraisers!
If you are looking for that intention and care. Here are three quick tips for you to tweak your fundraising messaging.
Be a storyteller
You know what sells? Things that people can buy EMOTIONALLY. How much more likely are you to buy the wreath from the kid who told the story about how the wreath is helping their chapter sponsor a local animal shelter versus the kid who just asks for the sale? Teach the students to tell the story of the fund. Remember you aren’t raising money, you are raising opportunities!
Be specific
Confused people don’t buy! When you are SPECIFIC about your fundraiser, it is easier for people to buy. Be specific about WHAT you are selling, WHERE you are selling it, WHEN they can pick up, and WHY you are selling it (remember to be a story teller). Make sure your students know the answers to all of these questions before selling!
Find your people
Not everyone wants a wreath, not everyone wants a geranium, not everyone wants a meat stick, not everyone wants a donut. AND THAT IS OK. Your job is to FIND the people who DO want it and SHOW UP where they are! Selling meat sticks with a newspaper article might not hit the right audience. Selling the plant sale with posters around the school might not hit the right audience. Dive deep into WHO the RIGHT buyer is, and find out where they show up, and sell there!
Set aside some time before you announce your next fundraiser to think through how you can be a storyteller, be specific and find your people.
Officer Team Training and Leadership Development
What is one thing that is on your mind this time of year?
The excitement of installing and new officer team and hoping you have the skills to prepared them for their year of service next year.
And we totally get it, officer training was not a class you took in college.
What we do know is there can be a way to train those officers well, prepare them to take the lead and have ownership over the successes and failures of the school year.
If you are thinking, “how the heck can I do that?”
GOOD NEWS you have access to the G&G Fundraising Specialist Teacher, Lori Sanderson. She is excited to help you get those leaders ready for the next school year!
Here is what she can support you with:
-Advising and Supporting an Officer Team
-Providing Leadership Building activities in class and for your chapter
Here is what you should do next!
Head over to Lori’s Specialist Roster Page
Watch her introduction video
Download her takeaway
Connect with her via Instagram or Email for you specific fundraising needs
Need other specialized support, check out the other G&G specialist teachers!
How to Get You Community Involved in Your Chapter
As a teacher you are booked from 8-3:30 everyday (and some nights and weekends).
Let's be honest. You can’t do it all.
What if there was a way to lighten your load? That would excite you right?!
Community partners, whether they are supporting teachers by being guest speakers or providing a monetary, time, or service donation, they help make our programs stronger.
Time to figure out how to get community partners engaged in your program. And GOOD NEWS, we have just the resource to help you!
We have taken a dive into the Germinate Session Vault and pulled out a session that can give you the direction on how to approach community members to ultimately make them engaged partners from the one and only Cara Parlato-Butler from California.
Sounds too good to be true right?
Well, like the Disney Vault (and Cinderella) this session will turn into a pumpkin and head back to the vault on April 30. Take some time to block off your calendar (approx. 20 minutes) to watch this session and download the takeaways to get your community relationships started before April goes out like a lamb.
Your Fundraising Specialist Teacher
We can all agree on one thing.
There never is enough funds to do everything you wish you could do for your chapter.
And because of this problem, we must add something else to our to do list.
What we do know is there can be a way to have awesome fundraisers that are fully integrated into your program of activities and the three circle model. Whether you’re looking to improve upon your existing fundraisers, or start over from scratch with a new one.
And you have access to the G&G Fundraising Specialist Teacher, Abbey Brown. She is excited to help you raise money to support the awesome things you do as an ag program!
Here is what she can support you with:
-Planning a Successful Fundraiser
-Innovative Fundraising Ideas
-Boston Butt Sales
-Hosting Field-Trips
-Fun Farmer’s Academy (Day camp for kids)
-School Based Enterprises
Here is what you should do next!
Head over to Abbey’s Specialist Roster Page
Watch her introduction video
Download her takeaway
Connect with her via Instagram or Email for you specific fundraising needs
Need other specialized support, check out the other G&G specialist teachers!