The National Chapter Award Program

Successful FFA chapters have one trait in common. They understand that success is the result of planning and carrying out those plans. You can help your chapter be successful by taking an active part in setting goals and planning the steps needed to accomplish those goals.

Planning + Carrying out the plan = Success

FFA chapters use their Program of Activities (POA) to plan and develop their goals for the year. A well-planned and well-executed program of activities can help students develop their leadership and planning skills. These skills are essential in all careers; developing and conducting the POA provides students opportunities to prepare for their futures. A well-developed POA serves many purposes. First, it defines chapter goals and outlines steps needed to meet those goals. Second, it is a written guide that provides administrators, advisory committees, alumni and others with a calendar of events the chapter will follow in the year ahead.

he purpose of the National Chapter Award program is to encourage chapters to develop and use a POA. The key to a chapter's success is to plan its activities and then carry out that plan. The FFA rewards chapters for their accomplishments through the chapter award program. Chapters can apply for awards using the same committees and standards they use in their program of activities.

This part of the handbook describes the awards available and provides help in filling out the application forms. Each committee should have a copy of the application at the beginning of the year. Committee members should fill out the forms as they complete each activity. At the end of the year, the chapter can select which activities to use in the application.

Applications are judged by business and industry partners at the annual Award Selection Day. All chapters receiving a Gold designation will have the opportunity to send their application on to National FFA to be judged with other chapters from across the country. A $250 travel stipend will also be given to Gold-rated chapters. In addition, chapters receiving a Gold rating will have the exclusive opportunity to share a meal with the visiting national officer during the upcoming State FFA Leadership Conference in June.