FFA Nation

Living to Serve More Than Ever Before

05/10/2010 |

The last line in the FFA motto is, “Living to Serve,” so it should come as no surprise that community service is an important part of the FFA mission. In fact, helping our neighbors and communities has become so important for FFA members that it will now be an even more vital part of the FFA degree program. Effective for the 2011 Chapter, State and American FFA Degrees, applicants will be required to complete more community service hours than in the past.

“The 2005 National FFA Convention delegates approved an upgrade in community service hours for the 2015 convention,” explains Rosalie Hunsinger, program manager for the National FFA Organization. “It's the first American FFA Degree requirement change since the 1980s.”

If you are planning to apply for your Chapter, State or American FFA Degree in 2011 or later, you'll want to know these new requirements:

To receive the Chapter FFA Degree, you will need to have participated in at least 10 hours of community service activities. These hours are in addition to and cannot be duplicated as paid or unpaid supervised agricultural experience (SAE) hours.

For the State FFA Degree, you will need to have participated in at least 25 hours within at least two different community service activities. This is 15 hours more than the Chapter Degree; these hours are in addition to and cannot be duplicated as paid or unpaid SAE hours.

The American FFA Degree now requires that recipients
• Have a record of outstanding leadership activities
• Have participated in at least 50 hours in at least three different community service activities. This is 25 hours more than State Degree; these hours are in addition to and cannot be duplicated as paid or unpaid SAE hours
• Have achieved a high school scholastic record of “C” or better, as certified by the principal or superintendent.

These hours may be cumulative, which means you can continue adding to your initial hours. So if you start a community garden for your Chapter FFA Degree and receive 10 hours, you can use those 10 hours plus 15 more for the State FFA Degree. Keep in mind though, that these hours may NOT be duplicated for Directed Lab (unpaid hours).

Start preparing now! Summer is a great time to work in your community and help your neighbors.

For more information about the new degree requirements, contact Rosalie Hunsinger at the National FFA Organization, rhunsinger@ffa.org.