Lindsay Koenan
Gus Strauss
Sawyer Richardson
Texas FFA Membership Radio Broadcasting Script
Sawyer: HOWDY! This is Sawyer Richardson and you are listening to the monthly Ag Report, brought to you by Seguin FFA. We are coming to youLIVE from Marion High School at the Guadalupe Valley District FFA Leadership Development Event. Here with me today is the lovely Gus Strauss.
Gus: Leadership Development Event? Is that like an LDE.…?OH …..and don’t forget Lindsay.
Lindsay: Lindsay Koenen here, Seguin FFA Chapter President
Sawyer: Madame President… I hear Seguin FFA issetting some records this year? How did those come about?
Gus: Well for one having all of our members in the Ag. shop during meetings is like spider mites in a plant nursery. I think that’s a record.
Lindsay:We are setting some really exiting records here at Seguin FFA. To start off we are setting record numbers with member attendance at our monthly FFA meetings thanks to the 273 members we have this year. An increase of almost 100 members in the past four years. We are also setting a record with the amount of Guadalupe Valley Youth Show entries we received this year. I would say that makes for an amazing year.
Gus: The Fear Factor meeting really reeled in those FISH… I mean freshmen.
EVERYONE: YOU CAN LAUGH
Lindsey: Yes Gus! At our first meeting we set a Seguin FFA Chapter record with 132 FFA members in attendance…
Sawyer: It was history in the making. Our meetings do keep our members interested and bring in new faces each year. Although we have an official chapter meeting each month,our main goal is to promote a family and friend atmosphere among our members.
Lindsey: That family and friend atmosphere is created when our members the opportunity to work with each other to complete our meeting’s fun activities.
Gus: So, what you two are saying is that by our members having tug of war contests, eating worms and catching eggs on their heads, we are increasing our membership numbers?
Lindsey: Well Gus, YES and NO! By putting a fun and easygoing spin to our monthly meetings, students from all over campus are encouraged to attend. However… this year Seguin FFA,for the first year in the school’s history, has chosen to affiliate through the use of Perkins money.
Gus: I think I have heard our advisors speak of Perkins money beforebut what exactly is Perkins Money?
Lindsey: Perkins is short for Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Educational Act. Its purpose was to provide federal funding and leadership to increase the quality of career and vocational education with in the United States in order to help the economy.
Sawyer: Through this act each state receives about 1.8 BILLION DOLLARS each year in basic grants. The money is then distributed to school districts that use the money for occupational relevant equipment, materials for learning labs, curriculum development and many other things
Gus: Were the six new Lincoln Arc welders, theScotchman Iron Worker and those nice new welding set ups purchased with Perkins money?
Lindsey: Yes Gus, also our Advisors have the opportunity to go to Ag teacher’s conference each year thanks to this money. It really, has deeply impacted our program. Each of those factors make it possible for all students in the Agriculture Department to have the best learning experience possible. With our chapter affiliating, many more students will be able to benefit from the amazing things our program has to offer.
Sawyer: I honestly believe FFA membership for all, to be the greatest benefit… to our chapter affiliating this year. Each member that we gained will be able to experience what we have had the privilege to feel during our years in FFA.
Lindsey: I agree with you Sawyer but what is important to point out here is that, if it were not for the impact our Agriculture department has on this campus we would not have those numbers. Currently Seguin is a three teacher department, with classes reaching up to 35 students.
Sawyer: And 1 in 7 students that attend Seguin High School is an FFA member.That is the same amount as the number of people who are employed in an Agricultural related job.
Gus: Wow … if your numbers are right Sawyer..then that would mean that our FFA chapter currently has more members than the athletics department has athletes! You know, now that I think of it… it has always been nice to feel connected to so many students, I can start a new year, in a new classroom, with new teachers and Iwill always recognize a face that is an Ag student.
Sawyer: Now, not just an Ag student, an FFA member!
Gus: So, if I understand this correctly, to Affiliate means all students in an Ag class are FFA members?
Sawyer: Yes, According to the National FFA Organization by all Ag students becoming FFA members it lets our FFA chapter stand as a truly integral part of public instruction in agriculture.
Lindsey :Seguin FFA is now an integral program standing true to our beliefs in FFA each student will have the opportunities for career success, premier leadership, and personal growth. Seguin FFA is setting the standard for other chapters in the Guadalupe Valley district.
Sawyer: This goes beyond the Guadalupe Valley district, its running wild all throughout the Lone Star State
Lindsey: All throughout TEXAS?
Gus: I can actually explain this one to you Lindsey, because recently our very own Shelby Eckhardt Texas FFA vice president,spoke on this subject. Texas FFA recently submitted their one hundred thousandth member. Shelby also said that Texas FFA is the first state association in the nation to reach a six digit membership total.
Lindsey: We really are breaking down the barriers, now any student wanting to participate in FFA will not be prevented from joining because of not being able to come up with the funds to pay FFA Dues, an urban lifestyle, or race.
Gus: Wait, I remember paying my FFA Dues this year.
Lindsay: So did Sawyer and I but even though we chose to affiliate, there are still paid dues members. Both types of memberships have the similar opportunities, however, paid FFA members get some perks that affiliate members do not.
Gus: What are the perks because I don’t remember getting a shiny new belt buckle!
Sawyer: Paid FFA members are not rodeo queens,we are all the same. Except by paying $20 we get to receive an FFA t-shirt and we get seniority when it comes to signing up for teams.
Lindsay: Also if you are a paid FFA member for three years you are able to receive a letterman jacket that is how I got my blinged out letterman jacket.
Gus: If those are benefits for “PAID” members, then what benefits can affiliate members receive? What if they want a shirt?
Sawyer: Affiliate members get the opportunity of being part of the Seguin FFA Chapter and do anything any other member in FFA would be able to do. And if they wanted a shirt they could purchase one separately.
Lindsay: At the beginning I spoke about Seguin FFA breaking records this year and it was all thanks to our chapter affiliating. Another very important record that I almost forgot to mention is the amount of Guadalupe Valley Youth Show entries we have received this year.
Sawyer: How could we forget… there were 227 youth show entries submitted this year. 91 of those entries are non-traditional entries.
Gus: I bet you almost all of those 91 entries are in baked goods.
Lindsay: Your right Gus, most of them were baked good entries and we also had photography, needlework, and Ag Mechanics projects.
Sawyer: And you wouldn’t believe it but many of the entries came from affiliate members. Members that otherwise would not have had the opportunity to participate in the youth show. It really is amazing.
Gus. It really is amazing, I am glad the Seguin FFA Chapter decided to affiliate. In order to give the opportunity to those who otherwise would miss out on the amazing experiences that make for the best memories. I can only hope that by hearing our story of success other chapters will take a step in the right direction. In FFA we believe in unity, wisdom and hard work. It takes a wise decision to choose to affiliate and with a little hard work you too can bring unity to your chapter.
Sawyer Richardson: Thank you Gus, those are strong words that hopefully will make an impact on our listeners. Thank you for listening to the monthly Ag Report brought to you by Seguin FFA Radio. This is Sawyer Richardson…
Gus: Gus Strauss…
Lindsay: and Lindsay Koenan
Sawyer: Wishing you a great afternoon.