PEAK Conference
CURRENTLY NEEDED FOR 2010: $5,000

Overview
Each summer, the Nebraska FFA Association provides a high-quality leadership conference for FFA members. The Pursuing Excellence, Achievement and Knowledge (PEAK) Conference is focused on leadership development for all FFA members. Members attending PEAK work in age-specific groups and gain leadership and personal growth experiences appropriate for their interests and ages. In essence, there are four conferences happening simultaneously; there is separate curriculum for 7-8-9th grades, sophomores, juniors and seniors. Emphasis is placed on serving as a leader in their chapters and helping themselves and others to grow and develop new skills. Approximately 200 students attend PEAK each year, over two different sessions of the conference. (The sessions are three days each.)

Current Sponsorship Opportunities
We are currently seeking $5,000 of the $7,500 budget for sponsorship in 2010. The current co-sponsors for PEAK are USDA-Nebraska Farm Service Agency and the Nebraska FFA Alumni Association.

Sponsor Benefits and Visibility
Sponsorship of the Pursuing Excellence, Achievement and Knowledge Conference for the Nebraska FFA Association provides many benefits:

• Affiliation with largest agriculture-based, youth membership organization in Nebraska.
• Opportunity to build a partnership and brand with the agricultural education and FFA community.
• Connection to the student and teacher participants at the conference.
• Recognition as a sponsor in all PEAK Conference materials, program, signage and t-shirts.
• Opportunity for company representatives to be directly involved in the conference, through a presentation to the participating students and teachers each session.
• Opportunity to provide a personal letter and literature to each participant in the PEAK Conference.

• PEAK Conference materials: Over 200 printed and provided to students and teachers.  Also would include company logo on these materials.
• PEAK Conference promotion: On FFA website and any printed promotional materials sent to all 130 agriculture teachers/FFA advisors in the state.

To learn more about these sponsorship opportunities, contact Tammy Meyer, Nebraska FFA Foundation Executive Director at 402.472.5224 or tammy@neffafoundation.org.

State FFA Officer Training
CURRENTLY NEEDED: A number of sponsor opportunities exist as outlined below.

The seven-person State FFA Officer team contributes over 210 days of service during their officer term. They receive no salary, but are reimbursed for expenses incurred. Their expenses are paid through corporate and personal sponsorships and dues from FFA members. The state officers are elected as seniors in high school or freshmen in college and serve for one year.

The State FFA Officers are provided training throughout their officer year. This continuum of training begins with two State FFA Officer Development Programs held immediately after their election in the spring. The focus is on the development of their speaking and presenting skills, broadening their understanding of Nebraska’s agricultural industry and the role of agricultural education in our state’s high schools, and inservice on the opportunities offered by FFA. The state officers also participate in four additional training conferences conducted during the year. 

Activities available for the sponsorship, related to the Nebraska State FFA Officer Team, include:

• The Chapter Visit Program is planned and conducted by the State FFA Officers as a means to provide direct contact with a majority of Nebraska FFA members. The officers develop a series of workshops which can be conducted within the framework of the local school day. Topics may range from recruitment and retention of FFA members to career opportunities in Nebraska’s agricultural industry. The workshops are interactive and designed to “engage” students and increase excitement about agricultural education and the FFA. Each chapter is visited for one day by a state officer or team of state officers.
• Scholarships for the State FFA Officers After Their Year of Service
• State FFA Selection Process
• State FFA Officer Breakfast During State FFA Convention
• State FFA Officer Jackets and Business Casual Official Dress