Chisago Lakes and Forest Lake FFA Chapter Visits

As of October 31, 2008, chapter visits have been under way. Pete and I have visited two chapters so far and were warmly welcomed by both. These visits to Region IV schools are unique for me because I grew up in a production agriculture area in Southern Minnesota. Most of the chapters that Pete and I will be visiting do not daily contact with production agriculture, but are closer to agriculture business since their chapters are located so close to the cities area.

On Halloween, Chisago Lakes hosted us at their high school. Ms. Schwartz had a wonderful class of Animal Science students. We had fun helping them discover the opportunities that FFA and agriculture offers to students. Thank you Chisago Lakes!

Next, we visited Forest Lake on Veteran's Day, Tuesday, November 11. We were able to sit in on their chapter officer meeting that morning and then visited with two 9th grade agriculture classes. Their chapter also hosted a school-wide assembly in honor of Veteran's Day in their high school gym. I was truly amazed by this experience because the celebration was so moving and I was glad I had the opportunity to attend. Thank you Forest Lake FFA!

Keep up the great work! I am looking forward to visiting AFSA NE Metro and the School for Environmental Studies at the end of this week.

Caitlin

81st National FFA Convention

Flying on a plane, riding in a limo to the hotel, watching a laser show, getting a free preview of a new movie. These are just a few of the perks of being a National FFA Delegate. But, what do we really do? Over 400 delegates participate in the National FFA Delegate process. This year, Minnesota had nine delegates, which is one more than last year! (Thanks to our membership increase.) We traveled to Indianapolis a couple days before the convention actually started to participate in the delegate meetings. The delegate process has been around forever and is the reason that women were allowed to join FFA. This year I served on the Goat Proficiency committee. We decided that the National FFA Board of Directors should seriously look at creating a separate proficiency area for goats. Other important issues I was able to vote on include the American Degree requirement changes and dues increases. 

In addition to serving as a National delegate, I received my American Degree at the convention. Receiving the highest award in FFA is truly an honor. I really appreciate the support that my family, friends, FFA advisors, fellow officers and chapter have given me throughout my FFA career. Thank you!

Caitlin 

Region V Chapter Leaders Conference

I had the unique opportunity to do a full day of workshops with chapter leaders from Region V on Thursday, September 18 2008. Brad Lanoue and I had a great time learning about Region V FFA Chapters as we shared what we know about being chapter officers with them. Hopefully those chapter leaders have used the skills and knowledge they learned that day to strengthen their chapters and encourage others to get involved in this great organization. Thanks for a great time Region V!

Your State Secretary,

Caitlin

U of M Invite

On Tuesday, October 7 2008, I briefly helped out with the 2008 U of M Fall Invite. Each year Career Development Events are hosted at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities for FFA members to practice their CDE areas. I always looked forward to going to these while I was in high school since they were real practice and we were competing with teams that we would see again at State Convention. It gave me a feel for the areas of my contest that I needed to improve upon and let my team know what our strengths were compared to other teams. Even though it was pouring cats and dogs on the day of the Invite, I think FFA members had a blast! The next Invite will be on Thursday, December 11  2008. See you there!

Caitlin

Region II Fall Rally

I haven't written in a while, so fall semester has proven to be extremely busy. 

On Tuesday, September 23 2008 I was invited to attend the Region II Fall Rally in northern Minnesota. It was really neat to attend a Region II event since I come from Region VII and my chapter visits are focused in Region IV this year. I gave a welcome to their Region members and noted that they are the most diverse Region in the state in terms of agricultural production. I then had the opportunity to talk to Greenhands about the importance of service in their communities. Hopefully those members I talked to are pursuing some community service activities. What's really neat is that Region II FFA is hosting a Region Winter Fun Day and Service Day in Foley on Saturday, December 13 2008. Unfortunately I will not be able to make it there, but I wish them the best of luck with their service project and I hope everyone has a great time!

Caitlin

Ag Nite at the Republican National Convention

Attending the Ag Nite at the Republican National Convention was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! About 3,000-4,000 significant players in the agriculture industry were invited to this social event. Live music and scrumptious appetizers were served to all the guests. I was able to share the message of FFA with key agricultural companies and meet the Commissioner of Agriculture, Gene Hugoson. This gathering was perfect way to unite all facets of agriculture. 

FFA Softball Tournament

Owatonna FFA hosted a Softball Tournament on Saturday, September 6th. They had two teams and Waseca FFA and Blooming Prairie FFA each had one team. It was a very fun and competitive event for all the FFA chapters involved. I helped sell food at the tournament. The money went toward the Owatonna FFA Farm Business Management team that placed 1st in the state and will be competing at the National FFA Convention. Hopefully the tournament will grow in its third year. It is a great way for FFA members to get together for a fun event to kick off the school year.

CHS Miracle of Birth Center

I worked at the CHS Miracle of Birth Center and the FFA Chapter House and Leadership Center during the Minnesota State Fair on August 25-28th. I primarily visited with fairgoers in the Leadership Center and helped them participate in hands-on activities where they learned about the FFA Organization. It was really neat to meet past FFA members and current supporters. Informing others that were not previously connected with FFA proved to be a beneficial experience as well. It felt good to help others understand what exactly FFA is all about.

Farm Fest 2008

Even though camps are over and the end of summer is near, I am staying pretty busy. Yesterday I traveled to Redwood Falls, MN for Farm Fest 2008. I had never been there before, but I will definitely attend Farm Fest in the future. Mrs. Aarsvold was the state officers' official tour guide for the day. In the morning I was able to visit with sponsors and potential sponsors of FFA. I then worked the the U of M booth in the afternoon as kids and adults answered questions about agriculture to win prizes. Overall, it was a day filled with fun and new experiences.

Caitlin

Miracle of Birth Center Training

One thing I have learned from FFA is that there is always something new to learn. The beginning of the state officer year brought BLAST Off and NLCSO. However, the most recent training I attended, the Miracle of Birth Center Training, was a little different. This time I learned about key messages in the agriculture industry as a whole. From growing up on a dairy farm, I know quite a bit about the dairy industry and its messages. This training taught me about important issues in the hog, poultry, beef and horse industries as well.

During the state fair, I will have the opportunity to work in the CHS Miracle of Birth Center and Chapter Leadership House. The state officers will spend their time in the Leadership House. Even though we will not be working directly with the animals, the training was extremely important because we are able to do media interviews throughout the fair. I am proud to represent Minnesota Agriculture as an ambassador at the state fair!

See you there :)

Caitlin

Metro Area FFA Alumni Picnic

Among the many activities that I have had the opportunity to participate in, it was nice to be able to do something with an alumni group. A big thanks goes out to the Metro Area FFA Alumni for putting on a fantastic picnic on Tuesday, July 29th. I met many supporters of FFA and past members at the gathering. FFA Alumni Chapters are yet another piece of the FFA puzzle. They provide an immense amount of support and help to local FFA chapters, which allows this youth organization to be so strong. Thank you, Alumni Chapters!

Caitlin Kasper

Minnesota FFA Secretary

Faribault County Fair FFA Show

I had the honor of traveling to Blue Earth, MN this past Saturday for the Faribault County Fair FFA Show. It was the 148th year for their fair and the first time they held an FFA show. Local chapters were invited to participate in the hog, beef and sheep shows. I saw many familiar faces from earlier this summer as I handed out the ribbons to class winners. It was so cool to see an FFA show start up. I would encourage FFA members to continue participating in FFA shows this summer. See you at the state fair!

Caitlin

MN FFA Foundation Golf Tournament

The fifth annual Minnesota FFA Foundation Golf Tournament was held at the Summit Golf Course in Cannon Falls on July 24th. It was an excellent day for golfing with some shade and a light breeze. About 34 golf teams of 4 individuals each participated this year. Each team played 18 holes and a dinner was held afterward at Grandpa's Garage. I really appreciate all the sponsors that helped to make the tournament possible. Numerous opportunities for FFA members were created with the dollars that were raised last week. Thank you!

Caitlin

State Leadership Conference for Chapter Leaders

Happy Friday!

SLCCL was held last week, July 14-18, at Deep Portage Conservation Reserve in Hackensack, MN. Over 140 FFA members arrived on Monday for an experience of a lifetime. Throughout the week, members were challenged to enhance their leadership abilities and acquire knowledge to bring back to their chapters. On Thursday of camp, members did over 400 hours of service at Deep Portage which counts toward the state's 20,000 service hours goal. I was a part of the invasive species group where we picked thistles and ragweed around the buildings. Other service projects included making tie blankets to donate, restoring a wildflower garden, cutting wood, fixing the volleyball court and blocking trails from ATVs. We also had an excellent banquet, talent show and dance on Thursday night. We said goodbye to campers on Friday morning. The theme "Mission Possible" was perfect for this week of camp. Everyone left camp with new friends and new talents and abilities. Now, it's time for them to prove that their mission is possible as chapter leaders over the next year. 

Caitlin

AgriBank Dairy Day

Today I traveled to St. Paul for AgriBank's Dairy Day. I met with many employees of AgriBank including Bill York, CEO. Their company holds various days dedicated to certain commodities in order to educate their employees about agriculture. After eating lunch with a few employees of AgriBank, I helped at a dairy quiz booth. I asked questions to over 100 employees about important dairy industry facts. I had a lot of fun, and it was great to learn more about AgriBank, a dedicated sponsor of FFA.

Caitlin

FFA Day at the Dome

Sunday, June 29th brought me to the Twin Cities for FFA Day at the Dome. Before the start of the Twins vs. Brewers game, I had the opportunity to meet sponsors and FFA members at a pre-game picnic. Sponsored by the Minnesota FFA Foundation, the Day at the Dome was a great success with numerous members, sponsors and FFA families in attendance. A sweet ending to this event was marked with a win by the Twins!!

I hope to see many more sponsors and FFA members at the Minnesota FFA Foundation Golf Tournament in Cannon Falls on July 24th.

-Caitlin Kasper

State Greenhand Leadership Conference

Over 130 Greenhand FFA members gathered at Deep Portage in Hackensack, MN on June 23rd on the quest to "Go for the Gold". Everyone's excitement for learning and growing made this SGLC a huge success. From sharing Me-in-boxes at cabin chats to participating in the volleyball tournament and serving as session officers, Greenhands from around the state had experiences of a lifetime. Our Olympic theme continued to challenge us throughout the week to become all-stars in FFA. 

This is one of the most enjoyable conferences I have ever had the opportunity to lead. The success of SGLC was measured greatly by campers' positive comments and smiling  faces throughout the week in addition to the many times that I heard, "I am going to miss SGLC," as the state officers said their goodbyes to campers. 

For those that attended this conference, just remember that you will have so many more opportunities in your future FFA career. State Greenhand Leadership Conference opened numerous doors for you to make friends and discover just exactly what your passions are in this organization. Continue to be involved in FFA and carry the same curiosity for learning with you every step of the way.

Stationed by the ear of corn,

Caitlin Kasper

National Leadership Conference for State Officers

Hello FFA members!

On June 16-20th, your Minnesota FFA state officers were in Aurora, Nebraska for the National Leadership Conference for State Officers. This conference was put on by National Officers Kari Boettcher and Brady Revels. At the conference, we worked on our teamwork skills and learned how to hold each other accountable and be committed to certain tasks. In addition, we got to know state officers from South Dakota, Kansas, and Nebraska. While at the conference, we worked hard to finish up the final preparations for SGLC. We are extremely excited to kick off an amazing week of camp coming up on Monday.

See you later this summer!

Caitlin Kasper

2008-2009 Minnesota FFA Secretary

80th Kansas FFA Convention

Happy Tuesday,

I recently took an excursion of about 1,000 miles round trip to Manhattan, KS for their State FFA Convention. Pete, Derek, Sydney and I started our road trip in Albert Lea, MN on Monday, May 26. We arrived in Kansas with much excitement and curiosity. We traveled to not only help with the "behind the scenes" work, but also to gather some new ideas for our very own State Convention. I know, the MN FFA Convention will not be until next April, but if you know me,  you know that it is never too early to start planning.

Their convention actually started on Wednesday, so we had plenty of time to take a tour of Manhattan, KS with one of MN FFA's good friends, Sharita. Sharita along with Shawn took us to Manhattan Hill, Top of the World and even Pillsbury Crossing. I was surprised to hear that many people who went to Kansas State University and lived in Manhattan had never even been to these places! Thank you Sharita! 

On Wednesday it was time to be serious. I helped video tape the Prepared Public Speaking CDE in the morning. During the afternoon I helped with the delegate workshops. In Kansas, their delegates vote on the state officer candidates. These workshops are available for delegates to attend in order to get to know the candidates better. Their state officer candidate process is very different from ours, so it was nice to see. 

Another aspect of the KS Convention that was different was their CDE's. Here in Minnesota, we hold all state CDE contests at our convention, but KS holds most of their state CDE's one month before convention. This way, the first place team and first place individuals already know who they are and they are recognized on stage. 

Thursday gave me the opportunity to attend three of their general sessions. I was able to listen to keynote addresses from national officers Becky Sullivan and Morgan Parker. Shawn Harper was an excellent speaker that spoke at the session that night. After the last session on Thursday night, we headed back to Minnesota.

Traveling to the Kansas FFA Convention and K-State was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I met some amazing FFA members and K-Staters. Kansas is a very welcoming state and it was great to see their convention in action. Thank you Kansas!

Stationed by the ear of corn,

Caitlin Kasper

BLAST Off

Hi, I am Caitlin Kasper, the 2008-2009 Minnesota FFA Secretary. Over the past four days I have had the opportunity to brush up on my communication skills, get to know my 13 teammates, and learn some great activities that I will use throughout the year. BLAST Off training was a great kickoff to my year as your State Secretary. I am very excited to serve MN FFA members this year and I hope to see many of you at SGLC and SLCCL. If your chapter needs a banquet speaker or help with an FFA activity, feel free to contact me. Enjoy your last few weeks of school. See you this summer!

Stationed by the ear of corn,

Caitlin