SAE (Supervised Agriculture Experience)

SAEs allow students to experience the diversity of agriculture and natural resources industries and to gain exposure to agricultural-related career pathways. SAEs require a documented formal project scope, accurate recordkeeping, and student advisor supervision. This is an important part of Ag Education and every student is expected to record a minimum of 25 hours every year. Capstone students must record a minimum of 50 hours a year in an SAE project.

Student Planning: The first step is to pick a project. I have linked some documents that should help you get started. The SAE Idea Cards have starter ideas based on the general topic they fall under. You do not have to do the specific projects you find in those cards, but instead use them to help you come up with an idea that you would be interested in doing as a project.

Chicken Project

During the 2nd semester students will be introduced how to run a complete SAE Project (Supervised Agricultural Experience). This project will show them how to develop a budget, a description of the project, as well as how to use market manager in theAET.com. These skills are a part of the program and will be required ever year the student is in FFA. In addition, any student looking to earn a State Degree or American degree will need to use these journaling techniques accurately in order to earn those honors. Students will be in charge of all aspects of the project including feeding and watering, cleaning the pin and birds, and anything else that needs doing in relation to the project. Towards the end of the project students will also learn how to get a bird ready for fair by cleaning them and practicing flipping and showing them. After around 7 weeks the birds will be processed to be used for meals in the following year. Our teacher appreciation meal and FFA Chicken Lunch are both supported by the meat from this project.

What Else to Journal in AET

For State Degree you need at least 2 State Sanctioned CDE events (Greenhand Quiz, District Soils, Job Interview, Public Speaking, Ag Mechanic Skills, any state test such as Forestry online exam)

 Greenhand Quiz (this format will be used for all CDE’s except Invitationals such as Mt. Gilead Inv.)

  • FFA (Camps, Competitions, Award, Offices, Committees) then click FFA Comp. activities (at top)

  • Activity is: Greenhand Quiz CDE Online Test (should autofill as long as your date is correct)

  • Type is: Junior Quiz

  • Level is: State

  • Skill Area is: 1.01.07 (Apply problem-solving and critical-thinking skills to….)

  • In your description talk about how you tested your general knowledge related to FFA and Agriculture.

  • 45 minutes of work

You then need 8 activities above the chapter level (1 CDE not used above, Invitational/Forestry CDE, Street Fair, Farm Science Review, Fruit Sale, Harvest Day, FFA Week, Banquet, Fair Project (not 4-H), approved credential such as CPR, National Farm Machinery Show, Quarter Horse Congress, National Convention, State Convention, FFA Camp, Leadership Night)

**two of your eight activities must be from the blue list

 

Street Fair Set-Up / Tear-Down

  • Community Service Activities

  • Set Date to the day you did the activity

  • Group served is: Bellville Agricultural Society

  • Skill Area is: 1.02.10 (Use interpersonal skills to provide group leadership…)

  • 2 hours of work

  • Describe what you did to set up a display for the community to see the agricultural products being grown in the Lucas Community

Farm Science Review

  • FFA (Camps, Competitions, Award, Offices, Committees) then click Other FFA activities (at bottom)

  • Set Date to the day you did the activity

  • Activity is: Farm Science Review

  • Type is: Workshop

  • Level is: State

  • Skill Area is: 1.07.12 (Identify resources available to entrepreneurs…)

  • In your description talk about 2-3 companies you talked to and their products/services that could help an Ag professional.

  • 3 hours of work

Fruit Sale

  • FFA (Camps, Competitions, Award, Offices, Committees) then click Other FFA activities (at bottom)

  • Set Date to the day you did the activity

  • Activity is: Fruit Sale

  • Type is: Other

  • Level is: National

  • Skill Area is: 1.10.10 (Demonstrate sales techniques)

  • In your description talk about how much you sold, what you did to get sales (talk to potential customers and identify what their needs were…etc.), and how you delivered the products.

  • Estimate the time you put into this, probably not more than 15-20 hours for top sellers

Lucas FFA Banquet

  • FFA (Camps, Competitions, Award, Offices, Committees) then click Other FFA activities (at bottom)

  • Set Date to the day you did the activity

  • Activity is: Fruit Sale

  • Type is: Other

  • Level is: District

  • Skill area is: 1.02.06 (Use proper grammar and expression in all aspects of communication)

  • 2 hours of work

  • Describe what you did to help set up and/or clean up for the event. Did you get any awards? Did you participate in any of the speaking or passing our of awards?

FFA Week

  • FFA (Camps, Competitions, Award, Offices, Committees) then click Other FFA activities (at bottom)

  • Set Date to the day you did the activity

  • Activity is: Fruit Sale

  • Type is: Other

  • Level is: National

  • Skill area is: 1.02.06 (Use proper grammar and expression in all aspects of communication)

  • Describe the announcements and activities we used to promote FFA and educate our community about the challenges and opportunities in Agriculture.

National Convention

  • FFA (Camps, Competitions, Award, Offices, Committees) then click Other FFA activities (at bottom)

  • Set Date to the day you did the activity

  • Activity is: National Convention

  • Type is: Other

  • Level is: National

  • Skill Area is: 1.07.12 (Identify resources available to entrepreneurs…)

  • In your description talk about 2-3 companies you talked to and their products/services that could help an Ag professional.

  • 25 hours of work

 State Convention

  • FFA (Camps, Competitions, Award, Offices, Committees) then click Other FFA activities (at bottom)

  • Set Date to the day you did the activity

  • Activity is: State Convention

  • Type is: Other

  • Level is: National

  • Skill Area is: 1.07.12 (Identify resources available to entrepreneurs…)

  • In your description talk about 2-3 companies you talked to and their products/services that could help an Ag professional.

  • 15 hours of work

You then need 25 hours of community service. You may use activities not done through FFA such as ringing the bell for the Salvation Army during Christmas time. If you work a concession stand for a Lucas Sporting event that is NOT community service even if you are not being paid.

 Harvest Day

  • FFA (Camps, Competitions, Award, Offices, Committees) then click Other FFA activities (at bottom)

  • Set Date to the day you did the activity

  • Activity is: Harvest Day

  • Type is: Other

  • Level is: District

  • Skill Area is: 1.02.03 (Identify and use verbal, nonverbal and active listening skills to communicate)

  • 4 hours of work

  • Describe what you did to educate the 3rd graders in the Lucas Community about opportunities in agriculture, possible careers/activities, and FFA/4-H

Blood Drive

  • Community Service Activities

  • Set Date to the day you did the activity

  • Group served is: American Red Cross

  • Skill area is: 1.12.10 (Follow established procedures for the administration of first aid)

  • 2 hours of work (or more depending on how many time slots you signed up for)

  • Describe what you did to check people in and provide juice and snacks as needed.

 Heritage Days

  • Community Service Activities

  • Set Date to the day you did the activity

  • Group served is: Lucas Lions Club

  • Skill area is: 1.01.09 (Give and receive constructive feedback to improve work habits)

  • 2 hours of work (or more depending on how many time slots you signed up for)

  • Describe what you did and explain you were an unpaid volunteer supporting the lions cub. The lions club uses the funds from this event to promote vision screening and diabetes testing in our community as well as other service activities.

Easter Breakfast

  • Community Service Activities

  • Set Date to the day you did the activity

  • Group served is: Lucas Lions Club

  • Skill area is: 1.02.05 (Communicate information for an intended audience an purpose)

  • 2 hours of work (or more depending on how many time slots you signed up for)

  • Describe what you did and explain you were an unpaid volunteer supporting the lions cub. The lions club uses the funds from this event to promote vision screening and diabetes testing in our community as well as other service activities.

Other Requirements:

  • Cumulatively made $2,500 with your SAE projects. If you work for Pinhook and earned $1,500 for your job placement and also sold your market goat at the Co. Fair for $1,500 you have earned $3,000 total and have met this requirement. Keep in mind, if you spent $300 on your market goat and $200 on feed and bedding you then actually earned $1,000 for your market goat project not $1,500. In this scenario you still qualify because the $1,500 for Pinhook and $1,000 earned for the market goat still totals $2,500.

  • Given a 6 minute speech

  • Demonstrated 10 abilities of Parliamentary Procedure

  • Be a chapter officer, committee chairperson, or a participating member of a committee.

  • Participated in at least one school or professional organization (sports, Student Council, 4-H, etc.)

  • Must have a 2.0 GPA and 93% attendance rate OR a GPA of 3.0 or better (if you aren’t great at school then you need to be AT school…not saying you need a 3.0, but if you don’t you need to have a 93% attendance rate).

  • Earned the Chapter FFA Degree and all the requirements associated with that. 

For Work Based Learning you need to complete your career objective in AET Resume, 5 Career Preparation journal entries, and 200 hours recorded total in your SAE projects

 Work on my Resume

  • Career Exploration/Foundational Activities

  • Set Date to the day you did the activity

  • Common Activity is: Work on my Resume

  • Skill Area is: FND.A2.02

  • In your description talk about creating a resume, some skills you included, and the job you are tailoring it to if you know that.

  • 1.5 hours of work

Have a Guest Speaker

  • Career Exploration/Foundational Activities

  • Set Date to the day you did the activity

  • Common Activity is: Have a Guest Speaker

  • Skill Area is: CPR.10.03 and FND.A1.01

  • In your description talk about who came in and what they shared with you.

  • 45 minutes of work

Learn about Agriculture

  • Career Exploration/Foundational Activities

  • Set Date to the day you did the activity

  • Common Activity is: Learn about Agriculture

  • Skill Area is: CS.01.01

  • In your description talk about a time when you went somewhere to learn about Ag and what it was you learned (Farm Science Review, National Convention or State Convention tours, etc.)

  • 1 hour of work

Learn about Safety in the Workplace

  • Career Exploration/Foundational Activities

  • Set Date to the day you did the activity

  • Common Activity is: Learn about Safety in the Workplace

  • Skill Area is: CS.03.01 and FND.A4.01

  • In your description talk about learning how to work in a group environment in the shop, using safety gasses, passing safety tests, and other things you can remember talking about related to this.

  • 1.5 hours of work

Pick one other activity (could reuse one of the above items as long as it is a different date/activity)