Career Development Events (CDE)
In California, there are twenty-eight career development events (CDEs), eight leadership development events and/or speaking contests that cover job skills in everything from communications to mechanics. Frontier FFA competes in multiple contests. Some events allow students to compete as individuals, while others requite students to work together in a team.
Career Events
The Agricultural Communications contest prepares students for careers in the agricultural business industry. Topics include a media plan, media pitch, editing exercise, communications quiz, and four practicums, including: web design, video production, journalistic writing, and opinion writing. See Mrs. Ford if you are interested in competing in this Spring Competition.
The objective of the Best Informed Greenhand contest is to understand the aims, purposes, history, and structure of the Local, State, and National FFA student organizations and know the opportunities it makes available as referenced in the current National FFA Manual and State Constitution. See Miss Noel if you would like to compete in this freshmen only contest.
Dairy Cattle Judging helps students develop skills in dairy cattle selection and herd management. Participants evaluate the cattle’s physical characteristics, explain their reasons for placing various classes and take a test on dairy industry knowledge. See Miss Noel if you are interested in competing in this Spring Competition.
Farm Power & Machinery The contest shall be designed to test a student’s mechanical skills and abilities relating to power equipment used in agriculture, and shall serve as a training forum for students interested in pursuing a career as an equipment technician. Israel Higareda is the coach for this contest.
The Floriculture Career Development Event seeks to effectively prepare students for the expectations of the agricultural floral industry. Students seeking careers in the floricultural field must develop a high degree of knowledge and skill, and also use critical thinking and oral communication skills. They will be able to demonstrate quality evaluation by judging potted foliage plants, cut flowers, flowering potted plants, and floral design classes. The students will identify the many cut flowers, potted plants, and tools and materials commonly used in the floral industry. Students will also demonstrate their design ability with flowers to wear, flowers to carry, and a floral design according to the floral industry standards. Students will also demonstrate their knowledge of the floral industry with a written test. See Mrs. Downs if you are interested in competing in this Spring Competition.
Livestock Judging The purpose of this CDE is to understand and to interpret the value of performance data based on industry standards, make accurate observations of livestock, to instill an appreciation for desirable selection, management and marketing techniques and become proficient in communicating in the terminology of the industry and the consumer. This is coached by Clay Freeman
Leadership and Speaking Events
The FFA Creed outlines the organization’s beliefs regarding the agricultural industry, FFA membership and the value of citizenship and patriotism. The FFA Creed is recited by FFA members, as part of the requirements to earn the Greenhand Degree. The purpose of the Creed Speaking Career Development Event is to develop the public speaking abilities of 7th, 8th, and 9th grade FFA members as well as develop their self-confidence and contribute to their advancement in the FFA degree program. See Miss Noel if you want to compete in this contest.
The purpose of the Impromptu Public Speaking Career Development Event is to foster and develop the speaking abilities of FFA members as well as develop their self-confidence and contribute to their advancement in inter-personal skill attainment and leadership development. The intention of the Impromptu Contest is to offer a more realistic, practical speaking contest to better prepare our students for public statements, media coverage, and general questions about the FFA and Agriculture Industry. Students will develop the valuable speaking skills necessary to be professional, competent public representatives of the FFA Organization and Agriculture Industry. See Mrs. Ford to get more information.
The Job Interview Career Development Event seeks to effectively prepare the students for the expectations of interviewing for available positions within the Agricultural Industry. Students seeking careers within the Agricultural Industry must not only develop a high degree of knowledge and skill; they must also develop the ability to interview through communication in both written and oral forms; and be able to complete a resume, cover letter and job application accurately. See Mrs. Downs for more information.
The purpose of the Prepared Public Speaking Career Development Event is to foster and develop the speaking abilities of FFA members as well as develop their self confidence and contribute to their advancement in inter-personal skill attainment and leadership development. See Mrs. Ford for more information.
The FFA Extemporaneous Public Speaking Career Development Event is designed to develop the ability of all FFA members to express themselves on a given agricultural subject without having prepared or rehearsed its content in advance. This gives the FFA members an opportunity to formulate their remarks for presentation in a very limited amount of time. The event requires students to think on their feet, state their case quickly and persuasively, and to be able to answer relevant questions based upon their presentation. See Mrs. Downs for more information.
The purpose of the Parliamentary Procedure contest is to encourage students to learn to effectively participate in a business meeting and to assist in the development of their leadership skills. See Miss Noel or Mrs. Ford to get involved.