Registration for the 2008 Chapter Officer Leadership Training (COLT) Conference is now available! The conference will be held Wednesday, September 10th from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm at Veteran’s Memorial in Columbus.

FFA members will spend the morning learning valuable leadership skills from Andrew McCrea, a former national FFA officer and an Oscar-winning broadcaster and host of The American Countryside.

In the afternoon, FFA members will visit the Ohio Statehouse, meeting with their legislators and advocating for Agricultural Education.  To arrange a visit with your legislator, refer to the Ohio General Assembly sample letter. In addition, a special tour of the Statehouse has been arranged for Ohio FFA members.  To join the tour beginning at either 1:00 pm or 2:00 pm, simply arrive at the 3rd Street Information Desk on the ground floor of the Senate Building 5 minutes before the start of the tour.

These visits to your legislators are so important for the future of Agricultural Education.  If you have any questions or difficulties arranging your visits, please do not hesitate to contact me.

The cost to participate in the COLT Conference is $5 per student.  There are a number of restaurants within walking distance of Veteran’s Memorial.  Teachers are encouraged to park at Veteran’s Memorial, and walk to lunch and the Statehouse.

To register, please complete this registration form and return it to the Ohio FFA Association no later than Friday, August 29, 2008.

We look forward to seeing you at this year's COLT Conference!

Kindest regards,
Katy Endsley
Program Manager, Ohio FFA Association

In-service Opportunity for Ohio Teachers of Agriculture

In conjunction with this year’s Fall COLT Conference, the Ohio Association for Agricultural Education (OAAE) will be providing a targeted in-service on establishing a grassroots advocacy for Agricultural Education. Teachers should download this document to access tips on contacting members of the Ohio General Assembly. To locate members of the Ohio General Assembly that serve constituents within your school district, got to the Ohio General Assembly directory or to the NAAE web site. For more information about the OAAE in-service, visit the OAAE web site.