The Weekly Update #4
March 11th, 2024
In this Issue:
- FFA Officer Applications Due Thursday March 28th
- Banquet April 23rd
- March FFA Meeting
- Turtle Race Service Project Help
- Rose Sale at the Spring Musical
- Plant Sale Helper Sign Up
- Results of Region 2 - Creed, Extemporaneous Public Speaking and Ag Mechanics
- Regional Competition - Prepared Public Speaking & Job Interview
- Regional Leadership Field Trip
- Longwood Garden Field Trip
- Ag Day
- State FFA Convention
- State FFA Convention Scholarship
- Showing at the Fair
- Student Grant & Scholarship Opportunities
- FFA Alumni Meetings
- Upcoming Dates
Horticulture Class Rose Sale at MHS Drama's Production of Chicago
Results of Region 2 - Creed, Extemporaneous Public Speaking and Ag Mechanics
Congrats to our members who competed in Region 2 contests last night. We had members in creed, Junior and senior extemporaneous and ag mechanics.
Congrats to Sydney Ohler and Olivia Baltrotsky who will move forward to states for extemp speaking and to our ag mechanics team who will also move forward. Team members were Irie Hammel, Trenton Strong, Matt Lewis and Jacob Norris
Region 2 Prepared Public Speaking and Employment Skills Contest
Students participating in the Prepared Public Speaking and Employment Skills participants will compete on April 19th at Frederick High School. The top 4 public speakers will advance to the state competition
Wednesday, Apr 17, 2024, 05:30 PM
Frederick High School, Carroll Parkway, Frederick, MD, USA
MD FFA Spring Judging Competition
The Milk Quality, Floriculture and if the Ag Mechanic team advances from Regionals will complete on Saturday April 13th at Westminister High School. The gift of blue ceremony will begin at 9am in the Auditorium.
Saturday, Apr 13, 2024, 08:00 AM
Westminster High School, Washington Road, Westminster, MD, USA
Attention All Horticulture and Intro to Agriculture Students: Longwood Garden Field Trip
The MHS agriculture department will be traveling to Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA on Thursday April. 11th, 2024. We will be traveling by charter bus and we will be departing Middletown High School at approximately 7:30 am from the front of the building. We will stop for lunch outside the gardens and will be returning at approximately 8:45 pm.
The total cost is 62.00, funds from the greenhouse sales will cover a portion to make the cost per student $40.00. This includes; transportation and entrance into the gardens. This will be assigned as a school cash event for students. Please pay for the field trip using the school cash link: https://frederickcounty.schoolcashonline.com/ Please print a copy of your receipt and attach to the permission slip as confirmation of payment.
Permission Slips Are Due Back By March 28th, 2024
State FFA Convention Scholarship
Middletown FFA
Maryland FFA Convention Scholarship Application
Sponsored by: The Kreh Family
The Maryland FFA Convention will be held June 24th -26th, 2024 in Garrett County, MD. Through a sponsorship Middletown FFA will award (1) $350.00 scholarship to cover the expenses of attending the full convention.
Applications will be scored on the responses on the following responses below. Please email your completed application along with a reference letter from a teacher no later than April 10th, 2024.
Applications can be turned in to the FFA mailbox or emailed to: Sara.Seiser@fcps.org
Showing at the Fair
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE GREAT FREDERICK FAIR
Hello youth exhibitors! Hope everyone is doing well!
Please see the updates below. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
New Updates:
Turkey Sign-up:
Sign-ups for the Southern States Youth Turkey Project is now open and will close March 31st! Please use the link below to register for turkeys. Each member interested may be eligible to receive up to 3 turkeys from Southern States. **NEW this year – Turkeys are not free and will need to be purchased through this program ($6 per turkey). Exhibitors may not purchase turkeys outside of the GFF Southern States turkeys in order to participate in the Meat Turkey project.
- Link to register: https://forms.gle/Tz4BwwNZZuZimcK6A
Youth Workshops:
Livestock workshops April 6, 2024: Youth must register to attend. We will be providing lunch again for all youth AND their families so stay after the morning sessions or come early for the afternoon sessions to enjoy pizza with us!
- Deadline to register: March 22, 2024
- Link to register: https://forms.gle/QDf1tz8V6etL4YiP7
- AM Sessions offered:
- 9 am - Beef ***Please bring your steer or heifer to the workshop. Youth are welcome to come anytime after 8am to wash their animal and utilize the scales before the workshop starts at 9am. ***Steer association papers for purebred market steers are due NO LATER than workshop day on April 6th. Most of you have turned yours in already. Thank you! For those who had pending papers at weigh-in, please make sure I have a copy of the officials before workshop.
- 9 am - Sheep
- 10 am – Swine
- PM Sessions offered:
- 1 pm – Meat Goats
- 1 pm – Dairy Goats ***Please bring a goat to the workshop for hands on experience. (if you do not have one to bring, please indicate that on the registration form)
- 1 pm – Alpacas
Poultry/turkey and rabbits will be holding separate workshops later in the year, closer to summer. Market goats and dairy goats will also be adding second workshop dates focusing on more hands-on experience in the summer. Dates to be announced as they are finalized.
Scholarships:
Scholarships for 2024 are now OPEN! The Great Frederick Fair is excited to again offer TEN $1,000 scholarships along with TWO $2,500 Joe Free Memorial Scholarships. Additional sponsored scholarships may be available closer to fair; information TBA. (Ambassador applications will open in July and close August 15th)
- Link to apply: https://forms.gle/thbtSq4WhuKwFnFW9
- Deadline to apply will be May 15th, 2024
Reminders:
Beef weight checks:
The scales will be available to use again this year to check the progress of your steers. They will be open the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30pm (except for April). Please use this link to register so we know who will be coming each month. https://forms.gle/7DNAcqsPGxrfZaGu6
- March 12th
- April 6th (bring your animal to the workshop)
- May 14th
- June 11th
- July 9th
- August 13th
Save the Dates:
- June 1st – Swine Weigh-in
- June 3rd – Sheep/Goat Weigh-in
- Sept 10th – Pass pick up & Royal Ambassador Program
- Sept. 13th – 21st – The Great Frederick Fair
Eligibility Requirements:
- All youth must be a member in good standing of either Frederick Co. 4-H, FFA or the GFF Youth Program. The GFF Youth Program is strictly for those individuals that are NOT participating in 4-H or FFA.
- If you wish to sign up and show under the GFF youth program, please use this link to register. https://forms.gle/tz2EzhQtCGoYowwD8. Registration will close May 1st, 2024.
Active FFA members are eligible to show at The Great Frederick Fair in September. To be eligible to show students must turn in their record book by May 8th, turn in registration papers by the specified due dates, complete animal husbandry quality assurance, attend weigh ins and fair meetings as needed.
AH&QA program: http://www.agnr.umd.edu/ahqa/
Must complete the Quality Assurance by July 25th, this is required to show
Check out the Fair Youth Exhibitor Website for more information: https://thegreatfrederickfair.com/the-great-frederick-fair/participate-in-the-great-frederick-fair/2021-youth-4-h-ffa-show-sale-frequently-asked-questions/
Scholarships & Grants
The Wiley & Carrie Griffith Scholarship and the UMCP Past State Officer Matching Scholarship
Please share these with your graduating seniors who plan to pursue higher education in an agriculture career.
NOTE: The DEADLINE FOR APPLYING IS APRIL 1, 2024, (not May 1st as listed on the application.)
Email the completed application and requested documents to me at tshank@maefonline.com or
print and mail them to my attention at: Maryland FFA Association, P.O. Box 564, Funkstown, MD 21734. Do not mail it to the Frederick address.
The MD FFA Foundation Board will select the recipients at their April Board meeting.
Students receiving the scholarship awards will be notified by May 1st.
All scholarship payments are made directly to the school students are attending in the fall of 2024.
FREDERICK COUNTY FARM BUREAU SCHOLARSHIP
A Frederick County Farm Bureau Scholarship has been established for Frederick County youth majoring in a non-agricultural area of study. This scholarship is sponsored by Frederick County Farm Bureau. Awards will be made annually and applicants may reapply; however, applicants can only apply a maximum of four years.
Applications Due April 30th
The Maryland Sheep Breeders Association in conjunction with the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival is offering a scholarship in the amount of $1,000.00 to a student who has been accepted or is in the process of applying for continuing education at a college or university, technical school, or vocational school. All academic majors will be considered, but priority will be given to agricultural or agriculture related majors (such as food science, veterinarian, ag. teaching, etc.). Preference will be given to those applicants who are members or whose families are members of the Maryland Sheep Breeders Association. Payment will be made upon provision of school acceptance documentation and/or evidence of attendance.
Due April 15th, 2024
THE 2024 MAEF ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP
The Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation, Inc. academic scholarship is open to rising junior or senior undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in majors leading to careers in agricultural education or Extension education. Applications will be reviewed by the MAEF secondary education committee.
The Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation (MAEF) will soon be accepting applications for its 2024 Academic Scholarships, providing up to $1,500 in tuition funding to college students.
MAEF Academic Scholarships are open to rising junior or senior undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in majors leading to careers in agricultural education or Extension education. Qualified candidates should complete and submit their online application by March 25, 2024.
Award announcements will be made by May1, 2024.
All applicants will be notified of the results by the beginning of May. Financial scholarship awards will be sent directly to the educational institutions for deposit in student accounts. Scholarships are nonrenewable. Previous recipients may reapply in consecutive years.
Please see the application and guidelines below:
2024 MAEF Academic Scholarship General Guidelines and Selection Criteria
Purpose
To provide financial assistance to Maryland residents who are rising junior or senior undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in majors leading to careers in agricultural education or Extension education.
Scholarship Award
o Five or more $1,500 awards annually
o May be awarded more than once to same individual
o Application reviews and awards made by the MAEF Secondary Education Committee
Selection Criteria
Residency
Applicant must be a resident of the State of Maryland
Award Priority
Four-year undergraduate or graduate program leading to teaching certification or an Extension education career in Maryland
https://maefonline.com/home/student-center/scholarships/
THE 2024 DR. RONALD J. SEIBEL SCHOLARSHIP
The Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation (MAEF) will soon be accepting applications for its 2024 Dr. Ronald J. Seibel Scholarship, providing up to $1,000 in tuition funding to qualified college students.
MAEF’s Dr. Ronald J. Seibel Scholarship is open to students enrolled in two-year or four-year programs leading to careers in agriculture or agriculture education at a qualifying institution. Qualified candidates should complete and submit their online application by March 25, 2024.
Dr. Ronald J. Seibel established this scholarship fund during his lifetime to support students seeking agricultural degrees or certificates. As a former educator and longtime director of the Institute of Applied Agriculture at the University of Maryland, Dr. Seibel was a passionate supporter of agricultural education.
Award announcements will be made by May 1, 2024.
Please see the application and guidelines below:
2024 Seibel Scholarship General Guidelines and Selection Criteria
Purpose
To assist those students requiring financial support who are pursuing a career in agriculture.
Scholarship Award
o One or more $1,000 awards annually
o May be awarded more than once to same individual
o Application reviews and awards made by the MAEF Secondary Education Committee
Selection Criteria
Residency
Applicant must be a resident of the State of Maryland
Qualifying Institutions
- Institute of Applied Agriculture (1st Preference)
- University of Maryland (2nd Preference)
- Other, in or out of state, institutions offering an accredited Agriculture program.
Award Priority – Eligible Agricultural Paths of Study
- Two-year certificate program (1st Preference)
- Four-year undergraduate program with interest in teaching
- Graduate program – continuing teacher education
https://maefonline.com/home/student-center/scholarships/
Grants
SAE Grants
Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) Grants of $1,000 are available to start or expand member SAEs . The SAE Grant application process opens in October and closes on Nov. 15. Eligible grant applications are scored and the grant recipients will be announced in mid-December.
https://www.ffa.org/participate/grants-and-scholarships/sae-grants/
Middletown FFA Alumni Upcoming Meeting!
Parents, Supporters, Past Members join the Middletown FFA Alumni. The Middletown FFA acts as booster group to support the Middletown FFA chapter. The Alumni meets the second Tuesday at 7:30 pm, every odd numbered month at the Myersville McDonalds
Up Coming Dates
Weekly Reminder Dates
Mondays:
Ag Mech: 2:30pm - 4:30pm, Weekly
Creed: 2:30pm - 3:30pm, Weekly
Horse Judging: 2:30pm - 3:30pm, Weekly
Tuesdays :
Officer Meeting:2:30pm - 3:30pm, Weekly
Thursdays:
Public Speaking: 2:30pm - 3:30pm, Weekly
Starting - 2/15/24
Ag Day Committee: 2:30pm - 3:30pm, Weekly
Starting - 2/15/24
Fridays:
Milk Quality & Products: 2:30pm - 3:30pm, Weekly
March
- 27th - Regional Leadership Field Trip
- 28th - Officer Applications Due
- 28th - Ag Day Permission Slips Due
- 28th - Longwood Garden Permission Slips Due
- 28th - FFA Meeting
- 30th - USDA Ag Discovery Applications Due
April
- 8th - Banquet RSVP's Due
- 11th - Longwood Garden Field Trip
- 13th - Spring Judging @ Westminster HS
- 15th - State FFA Degree
- 17th - Prepared Public Speaking, Conduct of Chapter @ FHS
- 19th - Turtle Race Slide Set Up
- 20th - Turtle Race
- 23rd - Chapter Banquet
- 27th - Horse Judging Competition
- 30th - Greenhouse Opening Day
May
- 7th - Ag Day
- 10th - Record Books due
June
- 24th - 25th - State Convention