ILCAE

Illinois Leadership Council for Agricultural Education

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200 S. Fredrick Rantoul, Illinois 61866

February 1, 2016

"Amplify!" is this year's National FFA Week theme, and it embraces more than 85 years of FFA traditions while looking forward to the organization’s future. More than half a million members nationwide will participate in National FFA Week activities from February 20-27, 2016.

Today’s FFA members have a passion for agriculture and are the innovators and leaders of tomorrow. Through hands-on learning in agricultural education, students throughout Illinois are preparing for the more than 300 career opportunities in the agriculture, food, fiber, and natural resources industry.

  • Illinois has a strong and steady base of students in agricultural education and FFA. In 2014-15, more than 29,000 high school and junior high students and more than 549,000 elementary studentswere served by the agricultural education line itemwhich is within the Illinois State Board of Education budget.
  • Illinois' agricultural courses increasingly fulfill high school graduationrequirements -- 78 percent of agriculture programs offer classes that receive academic credit towards graduation formath, science, or consumer economics.
  • Illinois agricultural education contributes to the state's economy. More than $11.6 million was earned last year by agricultural education students in Illinois through their Work-based Learning projects known as Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE’s).
  • Illinois agricultural education students continue to come from a wider cross section of the population. In 2015, 89 percent of students were non-farm residents, 38 percent were female and 8 percent were minority students.

If you have questions or would like to set up an interview, please contact us. Visit our Web site, or the National FFA Web site at

Andrew Bowman, Chair, Illinois Leadership Council for Agricultural Education

Jess Smithers, State Coordinator, Facilitating Coordination in Agricultural Education

217-893-0091

2016FFA WEEK RADIO SPOTS

"AMPLIFY” IS THIS YEAR'S F-F-A WEEK THEME. AGRICULTURE STUDENTS ARE AMPLIFYING THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NOT ONLY IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT ALSO THROUGH F-F-A ACTIVITIES AND THEIR WORK-BASED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES WHICH ARE KNOWN AS SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCES. LAST YEAR ILLINOIS AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION STUDENTS EARNED MORE THAN ELEVENMILLION DOLLARS THROUGH THEIR SUPERVISED AGRICULTURAL EXPERIENCES. THIS YEAR'S F-F-A WEEK THEME IS "AMPLIFY." AMPLIFY FFA, FEBRUARY 20-27.

THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY IS STRONG AND GROWING IN ILLINOIS. IN FACT, ONE OUT OF EVERY FOUR WORKERS IN ILLINOIS IS EMPLOYED IN THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY. THROUGH ENGAGING CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, WORK-BASED LEARNING, AND FFA EXPERIENCES, AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN ILLINOIS ARE PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE MORE THAN 300 REWARDING AND CHALLENGING CAREERS IN THE AGRICULTURE, FOOD, AND NATURAL RESOURCES INDUSTRY. IT'S TIME TO “AMPLIFY”AGRICULTURE’S YOUTH DURING F-F-A WEEK, FEBRUARY 20-27.

THE WORLD'S POPULATION IS GROWING. WITH THAT GROWHT COMES CHALLENGES FOR OUR FOOD, FUEL AND NATURAL RESOURCES. ILLINOIS AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IS GROWING TO MEET THESE HEAD-ON WITH OVER 29,000 HIGH SCHOOL AND JUNIOR STUDENTS AND OVER 549,000 ELEMENTRY STUDENTS IN RURAL AND URBAN SCHOOLS. STUDENTS GAIN ACADEMIC AND TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE IN THE CLASSROOM AND DEVELOP THEIR LEADERSHIP AND WORKPLACE SKILLS THROUGH F-F-A. "AMPLIFY" IS THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR'S F-F-A WEEK, FEBRUARY 20-27. IT'S TIME TO “AMPLIFY” AGRICULTURE’S YOUTH DURING F-F-A WEEK, FEBRUARY 20-27.

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