Attend Texas FFA Day at the Capitol
The Texas FFA is excited to announce two opportunities to attend Day at the Capitol in Austin this year! Members, this is your unique opportunity to walk the Capitol hallways, visit with your legislators, and see where history has been made since 1889. Don't miss this year's Texas FFA Day at the Capitol with Legislative Lead February 22 and 23, 2024.
As always, advisors must register via the Texas FFA Roster system.
Learn more here!
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Ten Steps to Advocate For Agricultural Science Education Locally and Successfully
- Define important issues or challenges agricultural science education is facing locally, in your state or nationally.
- Research and analyze statistics about agricultural science education in your area, your state or the nation. Become an expert about the topic.
- Decide who you are trying to influence. Your target audience may be local officials (city council, mayor, school board or school district superintendent), state officials (governor, state board of education or legislators), or federal officials (members of Congress or Senate).
- Determine what you want to accomplish. Maybe you want to ask elected officials for support of agricultural education and FFA. Think about other positive things you would like to see happen.
- Set goals for each of your objectives. How will you reach them? Your goals should be SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely.
- Develop your key message. Outline a set of clear, easy-to-remember talking points. Be prepared for elected officials to ask questions. How will you respond? If you don’t know an answer, tell them you will find out and get back to them.
- Work with your advisor to schedule a meeting with your target audience. Learn about the background of the officials you are meeting with, and research what they are responsible for at their job. Follow them on social media. Prepare a leave-behind document with information about agricultural education and FFA.
- Draft an elevator speech (a quick, 30-second pitch that includes key points) to share your message. Practice your speech with your advisor before your meeting.
- When the time is right, execute your plan. Arrive on time. Introduce yourself to the elected officials or staff members. Be confident and stay on topic. Use stories or examples to make a local connection. Ask direct, focused questions. Finally, thank them for their time.
- Reflect on your visit. Immediately after your meeting, write down key things that stood out to you. Quickly follow up with any requests for more information and send a handwritten thank-you note!
For even more info on being an advocate, click here.
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