Monday 12/15/14 Morning Ag Clips (50 word min. response)

Click on the link below to get to the Morning Ag Clips for this week.  Pick one article and write your response/reaction to the article.  

https://www.morningagclips.com/enewsletter/nebraska-edition-for-december-15-2014/?utm_content=articles&utm_campaign=NLCampaign&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_term=newsletteredition&utm_medium=email

You can also CLICK HERE

Tuesday 12/16/14 QOTD (15 word min)

"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." Winston Churchill

Wednesday 12/17/14 QOTD (15 word min)

To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift" Steve Prefontaine

Thursday 12/18/14 Plans for Christmas Break

Share what your plans are for Christmas break.  Traveling?  Relatives coming?  What do you plan to do during the time away from school!  

Friday 12/19/14 What would you do with $100?

If you were given $100, what would you do with it?  Where would you spend it?  What would you do?  

Monday 12/8/14 QOTD (15 word min.)

The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been. | Henry Kissinger 

Tuesday 12/9/14 QOTD (15 word min.)

I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.' - Ali

Wednesday 12/10/14 Case and Point (50 word min.)

The Case of the Overbearing Leader

As the Director of Student Orientation, you are responsible for welcoming all 3,000 new students to your campus every fall . It's a pretty large undertaking, and would never be possible without the help of the Orientation Leadership Team . This team is made up of a Steering Committee of 15 students, and another 150 New Student Mentors who each oversee a small group of about 20 new students . Because you receive over 300 applicants every year for the Student Mentor position, you need to do two rounds of hiring . The first round is meant to trim the group to around 200 leaders; the second round finishes the process and gets you to the final 150 Mentors .

This year, Saja, the son of a close family friend, is applying to be a Mentor . After the first round of interviews, it becomes apparent to everyone on the Steering Committee that Saja is a bad fit for the job . He comes across as overly opinionated, slow to hear other people's ideas, and everyone has doubts that he would help to make new students feel welcome in the fall . His parents have always raised him to have an opinion and share it and his driven personality will serve him well when he becomes a lawyer . However, everyone agrees that he needs to become a bit more well-rounded before he's ready to serve as a mentor for new students, and they all agree that there are other leadership opportunities that could be a better fit for his personality and skill set .

They want to cut him after the first round of interviews, but you keep thinking about his parents . They're your close friends and you're already dreading the conversation with them about why he wasn't hired . That conversation will be much harder if you need to explain why he wasn't even good enough to make it to the second round of interviews . You've never had a solid line of 200 moving on and have let marginal candidates though to the second round in the past . It wouldn't be too difficult to let Saja go on to the next round of interviews before cutting him and telling him he needs another year to grow . However, none of the Steering Committee will agree with you, so it would need to be an executive decision that you ask them to accept .

> Would you let Saja move on to the second round of interviews? 

Thursday 12/11/14 Morning Ag Clips (50 word min)

Click on THE LINK, read one article and type a review summarizing what the article says.  

https://www.morningagclips.com/category/national/central_states/nebraska/

Friday 12/12/14 (30 Second Speech)

Imagine that you were running for an office.  You are trying to become the next Department Chair for the Nebraska Department of Agriculture.  You have just walked in to an elevator with a very important in influential individual and you would like to get them "on your side" as you know that they will influence a lot of people when they go to vote for the position that you seek.  You hardly know this person and don't know how well they really know you.  

You have approximately 30 seconds to introduce yourself and convince this person to support you through the election.  What would you say in 30 seconds?

Monday 12/1/14 QOTD (15 word min)

 "The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination." - Tommy Lasorda

Tuesday 12/2/14 QOTD (15 word min)

"You can have everything in life you want if you'll just help enough other people get what they want."-Zig Ziglar

Wednesday 12/3/14 BONUS POST! UP TO 10 POINTS BONUS!

Select a paragraph of the FFA Creed, copy and paste it into your response and then explain what that paragraph means in your own words.  To gain all 10 bonus points, your post should be a MINIMUM of 50 words excluding the copied and pasted paragraph.  

Thursday 12/4/14 QOTD (15 word min)

 "The smallest package in the world is a person who's wrapped up in themselves." - Tim Elmore

Friday 12/5/14 Morning Ag Clips (50 Word Min)

Click on THIS LINK or the link below to get to the Morning Ag Clips.  Choose one article, read it and respond with your thoughts.  Provide a review for other to read to encourage them to read the article.

If the above link doesn't work, click below

https://www.morningagclips.com/category/national/central_states/nebraska/

Monday/Tuesday Thanksgiving Week Post (50 word minimum)

Watch the following youtube video

Brian Walsh National FFA Officer Retiring Address

Watch the video in its entirety and post your thoughts and comments.  Make sure that you WATCH the video.  If you comments provide little insight into the video, full credit will not be provided.  More information and detail then the posts and comments before your's is needed to receive full credit.  It is to your advantage to be one of the first to post your comments.  This post will be worth 5 points.  

Happy Thanksgiving .... Serve Others!

Monday 11/17/14 QOTD (15 Word Min)

"Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be, because sooner or later, if you are posing, you will forget the pose, and then where are you?"
- Fanny Brice

Tuesday 11/18/14 (15 Word Min.)

Most people are other people.Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.
- Oscar Wilde

Wednesday 11/19/14 QOTD (15 word min.)

Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
- Harvey Fierstein

Thursday 11/20/14 Case Study (50 word Min)

The Case of the National Spotlight

Your men's soccer team has had quite a season . While they came into the season ranked #9 nationally, they won some close games and moved up to #2 with only one loss on the season . Going into the last weekend, four days before they were supposed to leave for the national tournament, a lot of the team decided to go to a party . The party was at an off-campus house and the hosts made sure that alcohol was in no short supply .Things quickly got out of hand and in the end, the police were called to break up the party .

Details are pretty fuzzy, but in the end, 43 students were cited for underage drinking, nine students went to the hospital because of alcohol poisoning, and one student died from injuries sustained while falling off of a balcony . He was too drunk to catch his balance once he started to fall .

When interviewed by the media, the soccer coach insisted that his players who were there are good boys that made a bad choice . When asked if he would cancel the trip to the National tournament, the coach responded by saying, "Are you crazy? We earned that trip and we're not gonna let this stop us from our goals ." While the coach would later admit the timing of the statement was unfortunate, his comments have nonetheless led to a media frenzy focused on entitled student athletes who are "Above the Law ."

The Board of Trustees has convened an emergency meeting to discuss what should be done because this is the fourth major house party of the fall where the police needed to be called . At the time of the meeting, the team was only a day away from leaving for the tournament and it still wasn't clear how many soccer players were involved and to what extent they were involved with the party . The Board has asked you to give them a recommendation of what should be done .

> If you were President, what would you say should be done? 

Friday 11/21/14 QOTD (15 word min)

 "The trouble with most people is that they quit before they start."Thomas Edison

Tuesday 11/11/14 QOTD 15 Word Minimum

"Almost every man wastes part of his life in attempts to display qualities which he does not possess, and to gain applause which he cannot keep."

- Samuel Johnson

Wednesday 11/12/14 QOTD 15 word minimum

 "Intelligence plus character is the goal of true education" - Martin Luther King Jr.

"Thursday 11/13/14 Morning Ag Clips (50 Word Minium)"

Same as Monday.  Pick a different article to read and respond to.  

CLICK HERE TO GET TO THE ARTICLES

Monday 11/10/14 Morning Ag Clips (50 word minimum)

Select ONE article from the Ag Clips and write a 50 word minimum response/reaction to the article.  

CLICK HERE TO GET TO THE MORNING AG CLIPS

Tuesday 11/4/14 Election Day! Your thoughts on electing candidates

This is election day, many of you are not old enough to vote but some of you are.  Share your thoughts today on some of the morals and values that you feel are the most valuable that you would look for in a candidate to vote for.  Maybe it is their stance on abortion or immigration?  Share AT LEAST THREE things that you would look for in voting for a candidate to represent you on any level (local, state, or national).  Make sure to provide a sentence with each of your three to explain why you feel that way.  

FICTITIOUS EXAMPLE: Candidates that like the color blue:  I will only vote for candidates that like the color blue because that is the color of the sky and I like the sky.   

Monday 11/3/14 Case Study (50 Word Minimum)

The Case of the Inadequate Planning

A group of students decide to hold a benefit concert for a local charity, which will need to close its doors if it doesn't receive enough funding .They go through the work of reserving space, inviting members of the President's cabinet, and placing posters around campus and in the community . Many churches are excited about the event and plan on bringing their youth groups to it . The charity is very excited by the concert because it will keep their doors open, the students are excited because they are able to help make a significant difference in the community, and the administration is happy because it's great publicity for the school; everybody wins .

One week before the concert, it is abundantly clear that the students did not make adequate arrangements for lighting, sound systems, or security . Unless more sound and lighting are reserved before the event, the concert will be a disaster and without enough security, the safety of those who attend could be in question . Your repeated and increasingly urgent reminders have gone unanswered because the students think you're just overreacting .

> What would you do?
> At what point would it become necessary to cancel the event? 

Wednesday 11/5/14 QOTD (15 word min)

 The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence -Vince Lombardi. 

Thursday 11/6/14 QOTD (15 word min)

"It is not worth an intelligent man's time to be in the majority. By definition, there are already enough people to do that."
- Anonymous

Friday 11/7/14 BONUS QUOTE!!!! (Up to 10 bonus points)

You will have the opportunity to gain UP TO 10 bonus points for providing a thorough reflection to this video.

Watch Nick Vujicic's speech at the opening session of the National FFA Convention last week.  Use the link below to get to the speech.  Unless you want to watch the Opening Session of Convention, advance the video to the 1:20:00 (1 hr, 20 min).  Nick comes on and speaks immediately after the National FFA Band performance.

In order to get bonus points, you need to watch the video and post your comments about his speech.  You will need to make sure you write a detailed response.  Writing 10 words may get you one bonus point.  Putting time and effort into it will get you more points.

National FFA Convention Session 1

REMEMBER THAT NICK's SPEECH STARTS AFTER THE 1:20:00 minute mark.  

Monday 10/27/14 QOTD (15 Word Minimum)

Past success doesn't determine future success. Each day you must confront complacency & work harder to become better than you were yesterday - Jon Gordon

Tuesday 10/28/14 Case Study (Min. 50 Word Response)

The Case of the Illegal Puppy Dog

You're walking through the residence hall when you hear what sounds like a puppy yapping in one of the rooms . After knocking on the door, it turns out your friend Lilliana has an adorable puppy in the room . She informs you that the puppy belongs to her grandfather who is currently in the hospital and because the puppy can't be home alone, Lilliana chose to bring the puppy to the residence hall . She insists that the puppy will be gone tomorrow morning and goes on to explain the amount of stress she's under because of her grandfather's sickness . Lilliana knows you're a student leader and pleads with you not to tell anyone about the puppy . You like Lilliana and miss playing with puppies, so you tell her it's no big deal and play with the puppy for a few minutes .

About a week later, you overhear one of the students on Lilliana's floor complaining about a fine they got for cleaning expenses . Apparently, "Some chick brought a dog into the lobby and it crapped all over the place . Because she didn't have the guts to come forward, everyone has to split the cost of cleaning up the mess . This is so stupid!"

> What would you do? 

Wednesday 10/29/14

 Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. - Lou Holtz

Thursday 10/30/14 QOTD 15 word minimum

Great ideas need landing gear as well as wings. ~C.D. Jackson 

Friday 10/31/14 Happy Halloween! Share your favorite story

For today's post, share your favorite Halloween memory.  Maybe it is a certain costume that you had one year or a favorite place you went to get candy or anything else that you would like about past Halloween experiences.  

Make sure it remains appropriate for being posted online.  

Monday 10/20/14 QOTD (15 word minimum)

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but the moments that take our breath away. -Maya Angelou

Tuesday 10/21/14 QOTD (15 word Minimum)

Self-confidence is knowing you can succeed if you work hard enough. Arrogance is thinking it will be easy. Tim Elmore

Wednesday 10/22/14 Role of Production Ag in Hampton (250 word essay response)

Spend time writing a response to the following essay question.  Top responses will be entered into a contest to win a $1000 scholarship sponsored by Fontanelle Hybrids.  

What is the Role of Production Agriculture in Your Local Community?

Thursday 10/23/14 QOTD (15 word Minimum)

"I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people." - Mahatma Gandhi

Friday 10/25/14 Re-Check your Goals (50 word minimum)

Go back in the blog archives and find your post on 9/5/14 where you shared your goals.  Copy and paste your goals into your new post and share how you have been moving towards meeting your goals.  Be Honest!  Maybe you have a new goal or need to alter some of your current goals you set at the beginning of the year.  Your response should be a minimum of 50 words.  

Monday 10/13/14 What is your SAE?

Briefly explain your SAE and how it related to this award area.

Take time to explain your SAE.  If you have more then one, pick one and describe it in detail.  This information can be used when you complete proficiency applications in the coming months.  YOUR RESPONSE SHOULD BE AT LEAST 150 WORDS!.  

Here are some guiding questions to help you provided a complete answer.  

Some areas to cover include:
(1) What interested and motivated you to begin?
(2) What situations existed that relate to your SAE(s) for this area? 
(3) Did any particular person, situation or event create your interest? 

Tuesday 10/14/14 Your roles in your SAE Project

2. Briefly explain how your roles, responsibilities, and/or management decisions related to this award area changed.

Take time to write IN DETAIL more about your SAE.  Use the following questions to complete your responses.  Your responses should be AT LEAST 150 WORDS!

Some areas to cover include:
(1) How have you increased your knowledge and skills related to this area?
(2) How have your roles and responsibilities have increased over the life of your related SAE(s)?

Wednesday 10/15/14 SAE Challenges

3. Briefly explain what is the single greatest challenge you faced in this award area and how did you overcome that challenge. 

This should again be a minimum of 150 Words

Note:
Be specific and provide insight into your management and performance skills.

Thursday 10/16/14 Did you complete Monday-Wednesday's posts? (1 word answer)

A one-word answer is sufficient here.  Make sure you don't lie!

Did you complete Monday through Wednesday's posts completely?  (your posts should have been 150 words!)

yes or no?

Friday 10/17/14 QOTD (15 word minimum response)

Re-examine all that you have been told... dismiss that which insults your soul. Walt Whitman

"Monday 10/6/14 Case Study (50 word min)"

The Case of the Facebook Pictures

The Orientation Committee has spent most of the spring and summer finishing their plans for Fall Orientation, where they will welcome next year's incoming class of freshmen and transfer students . They even hosted a number of summer orientation events, which allow prospective students to have a first look at the campus in June and July .The Orientation Committee was able to meaningfully connect with a number of incoming freshmen, even becoming Facebook friends with them in order to stay in touch throughout the rest of the summer and into the fall semester . Two weeks before school starts, the Orientation Committee decides to hang out off campus and have a few drinks to relax and celebrate all their hard work . No one who is underage drinks, and no one goes over the legal limit .

Shortly thereafter, some pictures from that night are posted on Facebook . A prospective student is viewing the pictures on his home computer when his mom spots them . She is very upset to see "such behavior" from students at this University and refuses to allow her son to attend in the fall . She calls the president's office to angrily complain about the situation and he, in turn, calls you, the Orientation Committee Advisor, and tells you to "handle the situation ."

> What would you do? 

Tuesday 10/7/14 QOTD (15 Word Min)

"Lead by inspiration, not intimidation." ― Rebecca Aguilar

10/8/14 Wednesday is Land Judging! BONUS POST FOR TODAY!

If you had to explain what FFA is in less then 140 characters, what would you say?  

Thursday 10/9/14 FFA Land Judging Review (min. of 25 words)

Share your thoughts on how Land Judging went.  Use the following questions to help guide your response.

What stood out to you at Land Judging?

What changes would you like to see made?

Were there any surprises that you felt you weren't prepared for?  

Did you learn anything while preparing or participating in the competition.  

Friday 10/10/14 Paraphrase the FFA Creed (50 words min)

Put into your own words, the first paragraph of the FFA Creed.  

Paragraph 1:

"I believe in the future of agriculture with a faith born not of words but of deeds - achievements won by the present and past generations of agriculturalists; in the promise of better days through better ways, even as the better things we now enjoy have come to use from the struggles of former years.  "

Monday 9/29/14 Morning Ag Clips (50 word minimum responses)

CLICK ON THE LINK, read one Morning Ag clips article and write your response/reaction to it.  

Thursday 10/2/14 QOTD (15 word minimum response required)

"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen." ~ Winston Churchill

Friday 10/3/14 Morning Ag Clips 2nd Article (50 word minimum response required)

CLICK THE LINK and pick a DIFFERENT article then you pick for Monday's post, read the article and share your thoughts.  

BONUS POST! DUE BY FRIDAY 9/26!

By responding to this post with a QUALITY response, you will have the opportunity to earn some credit back on missed weekly blog posts from past weeks with a maximum of 10 points being added to your weekly blog post grades from 1st quarter.  These responses must be completed by this Friday, 9/26 in order to be considered for bonus or extra credit.  IF you are wanting significant bonus points, plan on your response being AT LEAST 100 WORDS in length.  Please respond to any or all of the following questions,

What were your thoughts on Ag Career Day in York?  

What 3 sessions did you attend and what did you learn from each of the sessions you attended?

Who was the keynote speaker?  

What were some of the key points that the speaker had?  

What were your overall thoughts on Career Day?  

Would you want to go again?  

What changes would you make to improve the experience?

Monday/Tuesday 9/22-23 Case Study (50 word minimum response)

The Case of the Dropping GPA

Tyrone and Floyd were assigned to live together and met for the first time when they moved into their residence hall . Floyd received an academic scholarship and was given a full tuition waiver as long as he maintained a 3 .5 grade point average . Tyrone was a reasonably good student in high school, but not nearly the caliber of student that Floyd was .Instead,Tyrone excelled as an athlete and was voted the most popular guy in his senior class . He has a very active social life and quickly became well liked by everyone on the floor .

Floyd admired Tyrone, and although he was reasonably good looking, he lacked the social confidence and poise which seemed to come so naturally to Tyrone . Because of Tyrone's popularity on the floor, their room became the place to hang out . There was always someone in their room talking, watching a movie, or playing video games . At least once a week, Floyd found himself sleeping in either the lounge or someone else's room because the activities seldom broke up before 3:00 AM .

Although Floyd realized that all of this activity was detracting from his schoolwork, he likes Tyrone and the other men on the floor . He wanted to be a part of the group and enjoyed the attention he got from the people who were constantly in and out of his room . This experience had positive benefits for Floyd as he felt more self- confident, was more comfortable in groups, and was able to connect with a lot more friends than he would have on his own . Floyd had even been on several double dates with Tyrone and his girlfriend, and was beginning to develop a relationship with one woman in particular .

Midterm grades were sent home to the parents of Floyd and Tyrone . Both men had a 2 .75 GPA, which was fine with Tyrone and his parents because they knew his strengths weren't necessarily in the classroom . Floyd's parents, however, were very concerned by the report . They realized that Floyd would lose his scholarship if his grades did not improve . They called the school and your supervisor wants a recommendation on what to do, if anything, about Floyd, his new life-style, and Tyrone .

> What would you do? (make sure your response is a minimum of 50 words)

Wednesday 9/24/14 QOTD (15 Word minimum)

'When you're good at something, you'll tell everyone. When you're great at it.. they'll tell you.  - Dwayne Johnson

Thursday 9/25/14 QOTD (15 word minimum)

The secret to success is good leadership, and good leadership is all about making the lives of your team members or workers better. - Dr. Tim Elmore

Friday 9/26/14 QOTD (min of 15 words)

Some quit due to slow progress. Never grasping the fact that slow progress... Is progress itself.  - C Keller

Monday 9/15/14 Morning Ag Clips

Click HERE to get to the Morning Ag Clips.  Choose one article to read and then post your response (50 word minimum) to the blog.  Make sure to include the title of your article in your response.  

Tuesday 9/16/14 QOTD (15 words)

You can do anything if you have enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes rise to the stars. -Henry Ford

Wednesday 9/17/14 QOTD (15 words)

"Everyone wants to be successful. But very few are willing to make the effort and the sacrifices to become successful." - Alan Stein

Thursday 9/18/14 QOTD (15 Words)

Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured. -Mark Twain

Friday 9/19/14 Morning Ag Clips

Click Here to view the Morning Ag Clips

After selecting and reading one article, write your 50 word response on the blog.  

Monday, 9/8/14 QOTD

If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging. - Will Rogers

(Reminder:  QOTD's require a 15 word MINIMUM response.)

Tuesday, 9/9/14 Case Study (remember: 50 word minimum response)

The Case of the Sketchy T-Shirt

You enjoy your leadership position and have been able to spend quality time with almost every person on your residence hall floor . There is one student in particular who hasn't seemed very interested in hanging out with you, but you've finally convinced them to attend an event you planned for Wednesday night about Bystander Intervention, regarding instances of sexual violence . When they show up, you notice they're wearing a sexually suggestive, and potentially offensive t-shirt .

You know the shirt is sexually suggestive, totally inappropriate for the event, and out of dress code, but if you tell them to go and change, they probably will not come back . It will be like starting to build that relationship all over again . Only this time, you think they will be even less likely to open up to you in the future .

> What would you do?

> How do you resolve the conflict between individual freedom and the needs of the community? 

Wednesday, 9/10/14 QOTD

"Read to lead in order to succeed."  ― Habeeb Akande

Thursday 9/11/14 QOTD

"If you don't invest very much, then defeat doesn't hurt very much and winning is not very exciting." - Dick Vermeil

Friday, 9/12/14

Write a 50 word minimum answer to the following question, 

How does Agriculture affect me?  

Tuesday, 9/2/14 QOTD

Children have a much better chance of growing up if their parents have done so first. -Susan Peters

REMINDER:  YOUR RESPONSE NEEDS TO BE A MINIMUM OF 15 WORDS

Wednesday, 9/3/14 Case Study

The Case of the Unsatisfied Student Leader

A few days ago, one of your Student Activities leaders, Carol, came up to you and presented the idea of hosting a Spring Formal dance . While you love her enthusiasm, you tried to explain to her why it wasn't such a good idea this year . You have helped to plan these events in the past and have seen the attendance slowly decline over the years . Your student leaders decided last year to take a few years off so the student body could get excited about it again .

Not being one to take "no" for an answer, Carol went to the President of the school because he has always seemed like someone who wanted to be open and accessible to the student body . She asked him what he thought about it and he loved the idea and told her to go ahead with it . He said he couldn't understand why it was ever decided to stop planning the event in the first place, and he even offered to provide some discretionary funding to make it a success .

Carol stopped by this morning and told you about the President's decision . She tried to be respectful, and said, "I know you told me not to, but I really think this is a great idea . I totally respect you, but I really just feel that the campus needs this to happen . You don't need to attend, and I promise not to bother you with any of the planning details ."

> What would you do?
> How would this affect your relationship with Carol? 

DON'T FORGET YOUR RESPONSE NEEDS TO BE A MINIMUM OF 50 WORDS!!!!

Thursday, 9/4/14 QOTD

Greatness is not a switch you can flip on or off. You have to earn it everyday to be something special. Lots talk about it. Very few are about it.

Friday, 9/5/14 Share Your Goals!

It is important for ALL people to have goals.  It is even more important to share your goals with others that can help hold you accountable.  Today's post is about goals.  

List 3 Goals that you have for yourself to accomplish during this school year.  These goals can be academic goals that you have, they may be for athletics or activities you are involved in, work related, family related, or anything else.  You need to list at least 3 goals that you have set for yourself and one sentence for each goal on how you plan to "make it happen"!  

Keep in mind that these will be shared in class so make sure they are goals that you want others to know about.  Some personal goals should probably be kept personal for your own protection.  

8/2814 & 8/29/14 Morning Ag Clips

You will need to post to TWO different Ag Clips articles.  Read the articles, and write your responses.  Your responses to Ag Clips articles need to be a MINIMUM of 50 words and should include the title of your article in your response as a reference.

The Link to the Morning Ag Clips will be here as soon as it is released this week!  They usually are shared out on Monday or Tuesday of each week.

8/27/14 QOTD

Remember, minimum of 15 words in your response!

Don't be afraid to go out on a limb. That's where the fruit is. - H. Jackson Browne"

8/26/14 The Case of the Traveling Service Teams

"When responding to case studies, its important to read the whole case and form your opinion.  Your response to case studies, should be a MINIMUM of 50 words and needs to include what YOU would do if YOU were put into the situation."  

Ready the study below,

All year long you plan Service Learning Trips for students and no matter how well you try to plan them, something always comes up . This year, you have one trip planned to leave for Guatemala where they are going to spend the week teaching leadership in various High Schools . You also have another trip planned to go to the Dominican Republic to work with low-income families and orphans . Both are going to share a bus to the Miami Airport because they fly out at similar times (the Guatemala team flies out 25 minutes earlier than the Dominican Republic team) . In order to make their flights, they are scheduled to leave at 5:00 a .m . for the bus ride that will take an hour and a half to get to the airport .

While the Guatemala team arrives on time, the Dominican Republic team is missing their male student leader . Along with being one of the trip's leaders, he is also the only male going on the trip because all of the others needed to drop out due to financial reasons . Attempts to reach him or his roommates on the phone have proved to be unsuccessful and it's now 5:30 a .m .

In planning these trips, you told everybody that you would leave people behind if they don't wake up on time, but that's not so easy to do in this situation . The Dominican Republic trip, while not overly dangerous, would face some serious complications without a male presence on the trip . However, if more time is taken to wait for this leader, the Guatemala team might miss their flight . The student leader lives about fifteen minutes away from campus, but it's on the way to the airport, so you decide to start driving and hope he answers his phone before you get to his apartment .

As you get closer to where the leader lives, he still hasn't answered his phone . You could pull into the parking lot to knock on his door, but every minute spent waiting for this leader makes it highly possible that you'll run into rush hour traffic in Miami, which would most likely result in the teams missing their flights .

> What would you do? 

8/25/14 QOTD

Responses to QOTD posts should be a MINIMUM of 15 words in length.  Feel free to restate the quote in your own words of give real-life examples of ways the quote can be applied to your life.  

Today's quote,

Take nothing for granted! Dont ever know when something will end or how fast things change. Live everyday to its fullest! - Legrand

Morning Ag Clips 8/20/14

Click on the link below, pick on article to read, actually read it, and then write a MINIMUM of 3-4 sentences(at least 50 words) summarizing what you read.  

https://www.morningagclips.com/enewsletter/nebraska-edition-for-august-19-2014/?utm_content=articles&utm_campaign=NLCampaign&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_term=newsletteredition&utm_medium=email

Be prepared to share your thoughts during class as well.  

5/16/14

"We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own."― Ben Sweetland

5/15/14

"Those who can…do. Those who can't…complain about those who do."  - JoshShipp

5/14/14

 Practice turns the unnatural into the automatic. - Jon Gordon

5/13/14

"Earn the right to be proud and confident." - John Wooden

5/12/14

"Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines." Robert H. Schuller

5/9/14

 Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. -Steve Jobs

5/8/14

 "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure"-Collin Powell

5/7/14

 "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." - Nelson Mandela

5/6/14

You can do anything if you have enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes rise to the stars. -Henry Ford

5/5/14

: "The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence."  Vince Lombardi.

5/2/14

"You control every decision you make until you make it, then that decision controls you".- Tony Dungy

Happy May Day 5/1/14

Due to FFA Highway Clean-up taking place today, there will be no need to post to the blog!  - Mr. Miller

4/30/14

For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

4/29/14

"A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd." - Max Lucado 

4/28/14

 Talent is God given be thankful; Fame is man given be humble; Conceit is self given be careful! - John Wooden

4/25/14

 If you think small things don't matter, think of the last gme you lost by one point.  - Michael Jordan

4/24/14

The 3 S's that prevent a player from reaching their potential: Soft, Stupid, and Selfish. You have complete control over all 3!  - Alan Stein

4/23/14

He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander. -Aristotle

4/22/14

Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them—a desire, a dream, a vision.—Muhammad Ali

4/17/14 The Case of the Former Athlete

Ten years ago, Seth Johnson was widely considered to be the best basketball player that had ever played at your school . Seth set records for scoring, assists, and rebounds; he was voted First Team All-Conference for four years and he was even named as a Second Team All-American his junior and senior years . Once Seth graduated, he was drafted to play professional ball in Europe . He's had a very successful career, making the league's All Star team four times . With homecoming scheduled to take place in a few weeks, it seems only logical for him to be inducted into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot .

However, the last few years have also included rumors about steroid use because Seth has grown significantly and is much stronger than he used to be . Once some of his teammates came forward to validate the rumors, Seth admitted to using steroids, apologized for everyone he hurt by doing so, and adamantly denied using them in college .

Many of the school's faculty, staff, and alumni have now distanced themselves from Seth . They claim he's damaging the reputation of the school and have petitioned for the Athletic Department to bar him from the Hall of Fame . At the same time, there are also many other alumni who remember his athletic prowess and are quick to remind everyone that he never failed a drug test in college .They think he should be inducted for what he did on the court and not punished for what he did off of it .

The Board of Trustees has scheduled a meeting of the executive committee to discuss the situation . They expect you to recommend a solution to the question of whether he should be inducted into the Hall of Fame or not .

> Would you recommend that Seth be inducted into the Hall of Fame? 

4/16/14

A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on. - Mark Twain

4/15/14

I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying. -Michael Jordan

4/14/14

 Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. -Vince Lombardi

FRIDAY 4/11/14 SAVE THIS QUOTE FOR FRIDAY OR NEXT WEEK

Please share your thoughts on State FFA Convention.  Make sure that you list ALL the activities that you participated in, your thoughts, what all took place, and whether or not it would be worth going to again.  

Your responses should be AT least 200 words in length!  

4/10/14

“ Inspiration will get you started, motivation will keep you going, dedication will help you finish”

4/9/14

It's the things that most people don't do… that anyone could do… that if you do makes the difference.  -  Josh Shipp

4/8/14

BryanCBailey: Your identity and significance does not come from what others think of you. Chasing the approval of others is a dangerous pursuit.  - Bryan C. Bailey

4/7/14

 Never let your fear decide your fate. - Chad Kilgore

4/4/14

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly. -Robert F. Kennedy

4/3/14

 Whatever you are, be a good one. -Abraham Lincoln

4/2/14

 "The skills of leadership can be learned. The character of leadership is lived." -Tony Robbins

4/1/14 Happy April Fools Day!

 "If what you are doing today is important, you WILL encounter resistance." - Donald Miller and Josh Shipp

3/31/14

If effort is 100% controllable, why do so few players play as hard as they can? -Alan Stein

3/28/14

 Thought for the off-season: "You can't make up for a poor effort today by giving 110% tomorrow."  Alan Stein

3/27/14

To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift"  - Steve Prefontaine

3/26/14

Today's post.  Share your thoughts on the banquet last night?  Did you like the food?  Videos?  Set up?  Etc.  Please share about 3-4 sentences with your thoughts on the banquet to hopefully continue to improve it even more.  

3/24/14 FFA Banquet Part

Type in your response today the following phrase 5 times!  Once you submit your response, say it out loud one time by yourself.  

"To practice brotherhood, honor agricultural opportunities and responsibilities, and to develop those qualities of leadership, which an FFA member should possess!

3/21/14

Leadership isn’t a position, it’s a process. John Maxwell

3/20/14

 "The beauty of success is it doesn't matter how many times you fail, you only have to be right once." - Marc Cuban

3/19/14

 A determined person doesn't find it hard to succeed; they find it hard to stop trying. -Allen Steble 

3/18/14

Life is not measured by number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.  - Maya Angelou

3/17/14

Team players care more about shared success than about who gets the credit or the blame.Fear of blame and lust for credit destroy teams.  - Dr. Mark Rutland

3/13/14

 You let too many opportunities go and eventually they stop presenting themselves.

- Brady Bolles

3/12/14

 "Never mistake activity for achievement." - John Wooden 

3/11/14

I hated every minute of training, but I said, “Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion. -Muhammad Ali

3/10/14

 "Leadership is action, not position." - Donald H. McGannon 

3/6/14

"Creativity is intelligence having fun." - Albert Einstein

3/5/14

Life has no remote. Get up and change it yourself.

3/3/14

 Your character makes your choices. Your choices define your reputation. Your reputation becomes your brand. Your brand ends up your legacy.

2/28/14

Nothing is easier than saying words. Nothing is harder than living them day after day. -Arthur Gordon

2/27/14

 To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

2/26/14

"to get big you have to work hard when you are small. there are no shortcuts" - Mark Cuban

2/25/14

 Seek the lofty by reading, hearing and seeing great work at some moment every day. -Thornton Wilder

2/24/14

 “I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars.” - Og Mandino

2/20/14

 You let too many opportunities go and eventually they stop presenting themselves.
- unknown

2/19/14

 "Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress." -Mahatma Ghandi

2/18/14

 "Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Eliot 

2/17/14

If you are afraid of failure you don't deserve to be successful...

- MJ

2/14/14 Happy Valentine's Day!

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” - Henry David Thoreau

Fwd: Tweet from Tim Elmore (@TimElmore)

He that cannot obey, cannot command. - Benjamin Franklin

2/10/14

A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them, and uses them to accomplish goals. -Larry Bird

2/7/14

 Success is not a single act. It's a culmination of many single acts. - Josh Shipp

2/6/14

"The only time you don’t feel the pull to settle is when you already have." -@JoshShipp

2/4/14

Being positive in a negative situation is not naive. It's leadership.

2/3/14

Adversity causes some men to break, and others to break records. -Unknown

1/31/14

“There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation. One is by the sword, the other is by debt.” -John Adams

1/30/14

Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade? -Benjamin Franklin

1/29/14

Motivation is always in direct proportion to the level of expectation. -Denis Waitley

1/28/14

"When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you'll be successful." - Anonymous

1/27/14

The best athletes in the world r those who r willing to push harder then anyone else & go through more pain then anyone else. -Ashley M.L.

1/24/14

If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it. The more things you do, the more you can do. -Lucille Ball

Fwd: Tweet from @TimElmore

A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him. -David Brinkley

1/22/14

If I have seen farther than others, it is because I was standing on the shoulder of giants. -Isaac Newton

1/21/14

 Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another. -Walter Elliott

1/17/14

Leaders goal: Be the leader you would want to follow... Follow the leader you would want to be! - Brian C Houston

1/16/14

You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

1/15/14

 Time is what we want most, but what we use worst. -William Penn

1/14/14

When people go to work, they shouldn't have to leave their hearts at home. -Betty Bender

Fwd: Tweet from @TimElmore

Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new. -Og Mandino

1/10/14

 Winning is so much better than losing. However the taste of losing is what makes u focus on all the little things that make winning possible.  - Frank Martin

1/9/14

 A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm. -Henrik Ibsen

1/8/14

Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity. -Gen. Patton

1/7/14

Education is learning what you didn't even know you didn't know. ~ Daniel J. Boorstin

1/6/13 ... Welcome Back!

 We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future. -Franklin D. Roosevelt