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Agricultural Education Career Development Events

Contest Information

Contest Information

 

Nebraska State FFA Agricultural Communications

Contest Overview

The purpose of the Agricultural Communications Career Development Event is to provide individuals with basic communications skills necessary to take advantage of career opportunities in agricultural communications. Public communications about agricultural products, practices and policies are essential to the future of agriculture. Students who are equipped with strong communication skills and who can use a variety of media to help the public understand issues related to the agricultural industry have a bright future in the job market.

Contest Schedule

Report to event check-in:   7:30 AM
Press Conference begins:  8 AM
Individual practicum begins: 8:40 AM
Event concludes:  10 AM

Eligibility

There is not a district qualifying event for the state Agricultural Communications CDE. The event accepts the first 26 teams that register on the system.

Required Supplies for Students

All three student participants:

  • Pencil and paper for taking notes

Writing and Electronic Media participants:

  • Laptop for completing writing assignments (with ample battery or an AC power adapter)
    NOTE: Documents must be Microsoft Word compatible format for printing.
  • Flash drive/thumb drive for use in printing final projects

Recent Changes to the Event

The topic for 2012 is "Feeding the World—Starting at Home in Nebraska".

State Rules and Format

The Nebraska State Agricultural Communications event is a simplified version of the national event. Three individual practicum events are used in Nebraska – design, electronic media, and writing. The team media plan and presentation and individual editing exercise and communications quiz are NOT used in Nebraska. The national rules are used, with minor modifications, for the three Nebraska practicum areas.

 

An orientation meeting will be held beginning promptly at 8 a.m., where each team member will receive a press packet with background information on the agricultural topic and on the expert speaker to use during the event.

The expert will give a 20-minute press conference presentation about a current agricultural topic. Participants must bring their own paper and pen/pencil to take notes during the press conference. No electronic devices of any kind, including tape recorders, cell phones, and laptop computers will be allowed during this portion of the event (this rule will be strictly enforced).

Following the 20-minute presentation, the non-writer team members will be dismissed to their locations to complete their assigned practicum.

After the dismissal of the designer and electronic media specialist team members, the writers will be involved in a 10-minute question and answer (Q & A) period with the expert/speaker. Each writer will stand to be recognized before asking his or her question. Writers may ask more than one question; however, the expert will attempt to answer questions from as many different participants as possible. Again, no electronic devices of any kind, including tape recorders, cell phones, and laptops will be allowed during this portion of the event (this rule will be strictly enforced). Upon completion of the 10-minute Q & A session, the writers will be dismissed to complete their practicum.

Practicum Event Descriptions

The practicums will consist of three individual events. Each team must assign (register) a member to one of the following areas PRIOR to arriving at the state event:

1. Design
2. Electronic Media
3. Writing


Designer

Each designer will use the press packet and information s/he gathered during the press conference to develop a graphic design layout; this year, designers will create a web page layout. Materials provided will include poster-board for the designer to storyboard the layout and explain his/her decisions, and photographs or other graphics to include (or not, as the designer wishes). The objective of this practicum is effective communication and information sharing through visual tools and elements. Submissions will be judged on overall aesthetics of the design, technical skills used, use of graphic design principles, neatness and creativity, choice and placement/cropping of photo(s) and graphic(s), and writing and editing (specific to the activity).


Electronic Media Specialist

Each electronic media specialist will use the press packet and information s/he gathered during the press conference to develop an electronic media message – for 2012 participants will produce a digital news broadcast (audio). Submissions will be judged on overall effective use of the medium, technical skills, power of expression, creativity, clarity of communication, organization and format, and accuracy of information. Participants are required to bring their own laptops for composing the audio script and a jump drive/travel drive to submit the printed version.

Writer

Writers will create a press release based on the press packet and information s/he gathered at the press conference. The press release should be written for an appropriate and identified audience, have a strong focus and lead (opening paragraph) and include a headline. Participants are required to bring their own laptops for composing the press release and a jump drive/travel drive to submit the final document. Submissions will be judged on the lead and focus of the press release; accuracy of information and quotes; clarity and conciseness; correct AP style; depth of coverage; header or headline; grammar, spelling, punctuation and word choice; organization and format; and accomplishment of purpose.

*All participants will have 60 minutes to complete the practicum.

Tiebreaker

Team ties will be decided based on individual performance. The writing score will be used first. If a tie cannot be broken with the writing scores, then the electronic media scores will be used, followed by the design scores.

Link to National Rules

2012 Agricultural Communications CDE theme:  Feeding the World—Starting at Home

National Rules document

The Nebraska State Agricultural Communications event is a simplified version of the national event. Three individual practicum events are used in Nebraska – writing, electronic media, and design. The team media plan and presentation portions and the individual editing exercise and communications quiz portions are NOT used in Nebraska. The national rules are used, with minor modifications, for the three Nebraska practicum areas. See the State Rules and Format section for descriptions of the individual participant expectations.

Study Information

National FFA Agricultural Communications Resources

Associated Press style guide – Focus on the parts about formatting quotations and attributions, datelines, and numbers (statistics, etc.)

Information on Contest Topic—Feeding the World—Starting at Home

Example Test/Contest Items

Writing Practicum Scorecard—National Rules document page 10 (see link above)

Electronic Media Practicum Scorecard—National Rules document page 11 (see link above)

Design Practicum Scorecard—National Rules document page 12 (see link above)

Practicum Specifications for 2012

 

2010 Example Items

Note:  For 2012, the design practicum has been changed, but data and photo elements will be provided for possible use in this practicum.

Video of 2010 press conference

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Contest Superintendent Contact Information

Karen Cannon
(402) 472-7800
kcannon2@unl.edu

Pam Peters
(402) 472-5629
ppeters1@unl.edu

updated 12/22/11