Nebraska State FFA Agricultural Technology and Mechanics

2012 Agricultural Technology and Mechanics Theme:

a. Material Handling Systems

Schedule of Event:

a. Registration is due March 20, 2012.

b. The Agricultural Technology and Mechanics Contest will be held on Wednesday, March 28, 2012 in the Exhibition Hall on the Nebraska State Fairgrounds in Grand Island, Nebraska.

c. Event Check-In and Team Orientation will be at 9:00 am in the Beef Pit area of the Exhibition Hall

d. Teams will be divided into three groups by schools with individual competitions, written tests, and team activities beginning at 9:30 with groups rotating at 2 hour intervals. All activities will be completed no later than 3:30 pm.

i. Note: The individual written test will take the least amount of time, approximately 70 minutes. One third of the schools will start with individual competition, one third of the schools will start with the team activity, and one third will start with the written test. Schools will be assigned based on the number of chapters registered and we will fill the individual and team activities first. Schools arriving late will start with the written test as this requires the least amount of time.

Registration Fee:

There will be a $40.00 registration fee per team participating in the State Agricultural Technology and Mechanics Contest. If there are dollars left over after all expenses are paid, CCC will keep the extra in a separate auxiliary account managed by the Ag Department at the CCC Columbus Campus and will be used to fund the event next year. (To help with school billing, the fee will be included in the invoice with the rest of CDEs to UNL and fees will later be transferred to CCC.)

Lunch:

Lunch will not be included in the registration fee. However, lunch and snacks will be available for purchase during the day in the Beef Pit. Please keep in mind that Fonner Park will supply their own food vendor as part of our lease agreement with them for this event. Please do not order in any food for delivery from outside the State Fair Park.

Safety and Equipment:

Everyone will be given a safety briefing during orientation. Please observe all safety rules and if you see something that doesn’t look safe, let someone know…safety, safety, safety. Teams will need to bring to following items with them:

a. Safety glasses

b. Calculator (preferably a scientific calculator)

i. Programmable calculators will not be allowed

Cell Phones and Other Electronic Devices:

Cell phones, pagers, or any hand held electronic communication device will not be allowed in the Exhibition Hall or the Beef Pit area. If you bring those devices with you, leave them on the bus until the event is complete. Participants who access personal electronic communication devices during the event will be disqualified.

Team Structure:

All Agricultural Technology and Mechanics Teams competing in the Nebraska State Contest will consist of four (4) team members.

8. Rules and Regulations: the 2012 Nebraska State FFA Agricultural Technology and Mechanics Contest (formally Agricultural Mechanics) will comply in accordance with all general rules relative to all Nebraska State FFA Contests.

a. References:

i. http://aged.unl.edu
ii. http://aged.unl.edu/generalrules

9. Agricultural Technology and Mechanics Events:

a. Individual Events: Each team member will rotate through 4 individual activities with a maximum time of 20 minutes for each activity. Each individual team member will receive a maximum individual score of 37.5 points per station with a total individual score of 150 points. Individual activities are listed as follows:

i. Machinery, Equipment, Industry, and Marketing Systems – repair, maintenance, processing, materials handling, adjustments, transport safety, economics, customer relations, communication, accounting, and finally understanding and following label instructions.

ii. Energy Systems – mechanical power, electrical power, chemical power, wind power, and solar power.

iii. Structural Systems – storage, handling, disposal, concrete, plumbing, structural materials selection, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.

iv. Environmental and Natural Resource Systems – water quality, material compatibility, soil and water conservation, and disposal of waste.

b. Written Test: Each individual team member will take a written test valued at 100 points. Scores will be added together from all team members for a maximum team score of 400 points.

c. Team Activity: All four team members from each team will work together and be evaluated as a team while solving complex, multi-system agricultural problems. The problem scenario is presented to the team on the day of the event and members utilize the materials and equipment provided to undertake and prepare a solution to the problem. Teams organize themselves, assigning duties and completing tasks together or separately depending on individual skills and abilities. Each team receives a maximum score of 300 points, and each team member receives one-fourth of the total team score for their individual score.

10. Scoring - Event participants are evaluated as follows:

a. Individual Scoring

i. Written Examination……………………………………100

ii. Individual Activities (4 at 37.5 points each)….150

iii. Team Activity (1/4 of total team score)………….75

iv. Total Possible Individual Score…………………….325 points

b. Team Scoring

i. Total of all 4 individual written exams………….400

ii. Total of all 4 individual activities…………………..600

iii. Team Activity………………………………………………..300

iv. Total Possible Team Score…………………………..1300 points

c. Tiebreaker (based on individual scores in the following order)

i. Machinery, Equipment, Industry, and Marketing Systems

ii. Energy Systems

iii. Structural Systems

iv. Environmental and Natural Resource Systems

11. Points of Contact: the contest will be managed by Dale Lassek working in conjunction with Central Community College – Columbus Campus and Matt Kreifels, UNL with contact information as follows:

Dale Lassek, Coordinator,
35753 S. 530th St.
Silver Creek, Nebraska 68663
Phone: 402-993-6031
Cell Phone: 402-910-0447
E-mail: magum8910@gmail.com

Duane Waddle, Instructor
Central Community College
Home Phone: 308-653-2159
Cell Phone: 308-201-0028
Office Phone, Columbus Campus: 402-562-1247
FAX, Columbus Campus: 402-562-1201
E-mail: dwaddle@cccneb.edu   dwaddle@nctc.net

updated 12/20/11