Nov'26 - Randolph FFA Newsletter
November 2026
Horse CDE Heading to State
Congratulations to our Horse Evaluation Team that will be heading to state in April -- Jocelyn, Hunter, Sam, Jackson and Thomas
Dairy Evaluation CDE team heading to State
Congratulations to our Dairy Evaluation Team they will be heading to state in April - Violet Ackerman, Hannah Zweber, Regan Nordling, Tenley Otte
General Livestock Evaluation Team heading to State
Congratulation to our General Livestock Evaluation Team, they will be heading to state in April -- Brantley Larson, Maddie Beissel, Jonathan Tate
99th National FFA Convention
10 members attended the 99th National FFA Convention. Randolph FFA received a 2-star National Chapter Award. Jack Feldman received his American Degree
National Convention Tours
Members attended Agriculture Tours while in Indiana. We stopped at a Cranberry Bog, Indy Speed Way, and Hunt Bee Farm
National Convention Tours
Thank You -- 2026 Corn Drive for True Friends
Thank you to everyone that helped us have a safe and successful Corn Drive for True Friends Camp. We have raised a little under $9,000. (donations and corn) We are still taking check/cash donations sent to Randolph FFA attn: Corn Drive PO Box 38 Randolph MN 55068. Corn can still be dropped off at CFS in Randolph, Castle Rock Elevator. Just let them know it is for Randolph FFA Corn Drive.
October Upcoming Events
November 3- Fruit Sales Orders Due
November 12- 7th & 8th Grade FFA Middle School Ag Experience, Plainview-Elgin-Millville
November 12, 7 pm FFA Alumni Board Meeting, Ag Room
November 15, Region/State/National Rosters & POA Due
November 16, 6-7 pm FFA Monthly Meeting, Ag Room
November 16, 7-9 pm FFA Outreach Class, Ag Room
November TBD - Officer Winter Planning Meeting/Adopt a Family Outing
Committee Meetings: Fruit Sales,
December 4-5, FFA Greenhand Regional Leadership Camp, Eagle Bluff Center
December 9, FFA Fruit Sales Delivery Day
December 10, 7 pm FFA Alumni Board Meeting, Ag Room
December 11, Region FFA Food Science, Dairy Foods, & Poultry CDEs, Riverland Community College, Austin
December 21, 6-7 pm FFA Monthly Meeting, Ag Room
December 21, 7-9 pm FFA Outreach Class, Ag Room
MinTex Fruit and Gift Boxes
More Order Forms can be picked up in the Ag Room
FRUIT SALES 2026
Hope everyone is out selling Fruit/Nuts/Cheese Boxes/Popcorn and Herring. We would like you to put your sales in your google link by November 3rd. If you would like us to double check your orders please have paper work in by Friday November 5th so we can get a final order count over the weekend. If you collected all your money that can be turned in or wait until you complete your delivers. Please do not leave your orders on Mrs. Wagner's Desk. We have a bin with File Folders with you name on the front counter. Please place your materials in the folder if an officer is not there to collect them.
Middle School Challenge - 7th & 8th Graders
7th & 8th graders in Intro to Agriculture have an opportunity to participate in an FFA Middle School ID Contest. FFA has many different judging and evaluation contests held throughout the school year. Identification is part of those contests, along with vocabulary, scenarios, and evaluation. This is a great way to explore a few of our contests.
Students will be broken into small groups with students from other schools and move together to each station. Each station will have 5 specimens or photos. Students will have a Scantron and word bank to pick the correct ID/name for each specimen. There are 100 specimens (10 Dogs, 5 Cats, 5 Rabbits, 10 Crops/Seeds, 10 House Plants, 10 Nursery/Landscaping Plants, 10 Wildlife Mammals, 10 Game Fish, 10 Wild Birds, 10 Horses, 10 Leaf IDs). I have created a Kahoot that is in Google Classroom so they can practice. This is a great way to see if there is interest in some of our contests as they enter high school. The top 15 students will be recognized and receive a prize.
Students who go will be excused from their other classes but are required to check in with their teachers for missing work. Intro to Ag Students not attending will have a similar test/assignment at school to complete for Intro to Agriculture. We will be taking a bus leaving on Thursday, November 12 at 8 am from the Ag Room. The contest is at PEM Jr. High School and usually runs from 9 -11 am. We will stop for lunch on the way back to school. We will be back to school by the end of 8th hour. The FFA Chapter conducts the Fruit Sale Fundraiser that pays for the Contest Fee and Lunch.
Students do NOT need to be in FFA, but we hope this sparks some interest!
We are representing Randolph School at this contest, so we do require that students are on their best behavior so we can continue to have fun field trips. The contest is held in a Jr. High Gym, so students should wear jeans/t-shirt/sweatshirt.
When: Thursday, November 12, 2026
Time: Meet in Mrs. Wagner's Classroom at 7:50 am we will be leaving on bus at 8 am. We will return to school before the end of the day.
Where: Plainview/Elgin/Millville Jr. High School
Bring: Water bottle, pencil (I will have clipboards and extra pencils)
Snack: Snack will be provided while Scantrons are being tabulated.
This is open to the first 40 students who are interested in attending.
Please sign and return the permission slip by Friday November 6.
Winter Career and Leadership Development Events
Winter CDE/LDE -- We are always looking for volunteer coaches who can help prep teams or drive to contests. Teams are forming, and all teams have room for students who would like to participate -- Practices are required.
Poultry Evaluation - Teams consisting of four individuals evaluate and select live meat chickens and live egg hens. They also evaluate and grade ready-to-cook carcasses and parts of chickens and turkeys, eggs, and further processed poultry products. They identify poultry parts, complete a written exam on poultry production and management, and perform a team activity related to poultry science. (Contest December 11 -- Gradyn, Jonnie, Faith, Jaylie, Carlee)
Milk Quality & Products - Members complete a written exam on milk production and marketing, evaluate milk samples for flavor and quality, identify cheeses, evaluate sediment pads and milker parts for defects, demonstrate problem-solving skills in distinguishing real and artificial dairy foods, merchandising dairy foods, and current issues in marketing dairy foods. (Contest December 11)
Food Science & Technology - The Food Science & Technology CDE requires students to have an in-depth understanding of food product development and presentation and food safety issues. Participants use their sensory skills to solve problems and make sound decisions. (Contest December 11)
MN FFA Auctioneering CDE Invitational - To provide an avenue to explore and bring awareness to the auction industry. This contest aims to shine a spotlight on the rich traditions and valuable bid-calling skills associated with the auction industry, promoting its significance as an industry that not only fosters commercial transactions, but also serves as a vibrant platform for verbal and interactive communication. Registration Deadline: December 1, 2026 Contest: January 13th, 2027 St. Cloud River's Edge Convention Center.
Lynnes Welding FFA Invitational - Jan 7, 2027 - New Hope, MN -
Welding Plans will be provided prior to the contest - PPE REQUIRED (brought by students): Welding Helmet, Welding Gloves. Welding Sleeves or Welding Jacket and Safety Glasses. Appropriate footwear for welding (no sandals or open shoes)
🌲Region VIII Greenhand Camp
Registration for the 2026 Region VIII Greenhand Camp is officially OPEN! Region Officer are excited to welcome another group of FFA members to Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center December 4-6 for a weekend of leadership, fellowship, and discovering all the opportunities FFA has to offer.
Here are a few important details to share with your chapters:
Dates: December 4-6, 2026
Location: Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center
Cost: $130 per camper (Randolph Members pay $25, chapter covers balance)
Who can attend: Students in 8th, 9th, and 10th grade
Registration link: 2026 RGC Registration (Please let Mrs. Wagner know if you register)
Registration deadline: Registration will remain open through November 19, 2026, or until camp reaches maximum capacity, whichever comes first. Once capacity is reached, registration will close early, so please encourage interested students to register as soon as possible!
We have a great weekend planned, and we can’t wait to welcome our Greenhand members to Eagle Bluff! Here is the 2026 camp schedule. Registration opened and closes when filled.
I would like to fill the van or even a bus.
Recording SAE Hours
All FFA members need to track SAE hours on theAet.com.
Setting up your AET account (tracking program)
Chapter ID MN0035
Member ID - FLast (Initial of First Name, Last Name)
Password – same as ID – FLast
Update Profile - Address, Emergency Contact
Class Enrolled for this year - (this should already be completed)
Set up your Project/Experience Manager (SAE)
All FFA members must have a Supervised Agricultural Experience. You will have a mentor (Can be a parent, grandparent, or work site supervisor)
There are five types of Immersion Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs):
Placement/Internship: Students work for an employer in an agricultural setting, performing tasks related to the business's operations. An internship provides a more targeted experience focused on specific training goals. (This can be paid or unpaid)
Ownership/Entrepreneurship: Students create, own, and operate their own business that provides goods or services.
Research: Students conduct investigations to establish new knowledge, validate previous research, or develop inventions using the scientific method. There are three kinds: experimental, analytical, and invention.
School-Based Enterprise: Student-managed projects or businesses located in the school setting, providing goods or services.
Service-Learning: Students plan and conduct projects that benefit the community, a public entity, or an organization.
You will track your hours worked September-May. (Returning FFA members can run their SAE from January to December and can keep adding hours each year. Those who have not entered hours in the past but have been members, we can go back and add hours.
Enter SAE Hours (Need a minimum of 60 hours for Class Requirement, 600 cumulative hours for State Degree )
Navigate to Experience Manager: Log in to The AET and go to the "Experience Manager" section.
Add New Project: Select "Add New" to begin creating your project.
Enter Project Name: Create a three-part name: [YEAR] - [APPROVED SAE NAME] - [ADDITIONAL DESCRIPTION].
Year: For example, the current school year or the year of market sale.
Approved SAE Name: Choose from the list of approved names for your project.
Select Project Focus & Type: Choose the project's focus (e.g., Foundational, Individual) and the type of experience (e.g., Basic, Entrepreneurship, Placement).
Choose Primary Experience & Subcategory: Select the appropriate primary experience and subcategory that best describes your project.
Save the Project: Click "Save" to finalize the project setup.
Complete Your SAE Plan
Develop Your SAE Plan: Go to the Experience Manager and complete the four tabs of your SAE Plan.
Fill in Details:
Description Tab: Add details about project duration, size, goals, and evaluation methods.
Time Tab: Include time spent on the project during the school year and summer.
Learning Objectives Tab: Add relevant skills learned through your project by clicking "Add Skills".
Get Approval: Ensure the plan is complete and then have it signed by your agricultural education instructor.
Record Your Time and Activities
Go to the Journal: Select the "Journal" tab on The AET's website.
Add Journal Entry: Enter the date, choose your SAE Project, and select the skills related to your work.
Enter Details: Input the hours and minutes spent on the project and provide a detailed description of the tasks performed and the learning outcomes. (Can enter all “daily tasks” weekly/biweekly)
Upload Photos (Minimum of 4 photos with heading): You can add photos to your journal entries to support the work you have completed.
Enter Classroom/Lab/Learning Experience (Not included as SAE or Above Chapter Level Activities). (Need a minimum of 30 hours)
Log in to The AET: Access the AET system via the provided login credentials.
Navigate to the Journal Tab: Click on the JOURNAL tab in the main navigation menu.
Select the Experience Type: Choose “Classroom (General Learning)” to begin recording time spent in workshop/class.
Select the Date: Pick the appropriate date from the calendar for your classroom experience.
Choose Your Class: Select the specific class that the classroom experience relates to from the dropdown menu.
Describe the Activity: In the description box, detail the tasks performed during the classroom activity. Reflect on what you learned (Complete for Monday Night Class)
Enter the Time Invested: Input the amount of time spent on the activity, specifying the hours and minutes.
Add Teacher Assistance (Optional): If your teacher provided assistance, you can indicate this in the designated section.
Add a Picture (Optional): You can also add a relevant picture to your journal entry for a more complete record.
Save the Entry: Save the journal entry to add it to your record book.
Why Record Classroom Experiences?
Skill Development: Documenting your time helps you and your teacher identify and track the development of specific skills, which can be used for grading.
Comprehensive Record-Keeping: The AET serves as an online FFA Record Book system, allowing students to track various educational experiences, including those in the classroom.
Life Skills: The process helps students learn life skills, improve decision-making, and manage their educational journeys effectively.
Proficiency, State Degrees and American Degrees -- Start your applications
Proficiency (Compete in SAE at Region) Due January
See the website for Proficiency Awards including: National FFA Handbooks, SAE Policies, Rubrics, Forms, and more!
State Degree Due January
See the website for State Degrees, including: State Degree Handbook, SAE Policies, and the Does my SAE Count for State Degree (List of Acceptable/Not Acceptable SAE’s), and more for info on State FFA Degrees. Students must have received their Chapter Degree, 11th grade or older and completed a minimum of 10 activities beyond chapter level.
American Degree Applications for 2027
January 1-February 28: Accepting American Degree Applications (If received by Jan 31st, FFA members will be able to make edits to their application after the National submission.)
Register for 2026-2027 Randolph FFA
Register for 2026-2027 Randolph FFA - Randolph FFA is open to all students in 7th grade through high school (4 National Conventions past graduation). Randolph FFA is open to students who do not have a program in their current school district. FFA members are expected to participate in Fruit Sales and other fundraising events that support our programming. Randolph FFA alumni and chapter sponsors many of the fees associated with participating in Randolph FFA.
FFA is an intracurricular student organization for those interested in agriculture and leadership. It is one of the three components of agricultural education. Many of our contests/events are held during the school day, and we will use the school van/bus for transportation. We are limited to the number of students that can compete in each contest, but if you see one that interests you, please let me know.
FFA members need to be enrolled in a min of one semester of Agriculture Class at Randolph (with Mrs. Wagner) or Extended SAE Class (see attached description) - (You must complete a min of 90 hours/year of educational programming through an outreach program, Agricultural Education Workshops or on-site training through your SAE)
FFA membership is $25 (Make Checks out to Randolph FFA) for students taking an Agriculture class at Randolph this year and $50 for those taking the outreach class. Fees can be paid during the Monday Night Meeting or your Agriculture class. Checks can be made out to Randolph FFA (Dues cover National, State, and Regional Dues/Fees, as well as Chapter T-shirt). Extended Class dues cover teacher compensation, classroom supplies, and community education facility/fees/insurance.
National FFA SAE Grants Now Open - Grant applications close at 7 p.m. on Nov 15.
- Do you need financial assistance to help start or expand your SAE? A limited number of grants of $1,000 each are available to current FFA members each year. Visit this link for more information and to apply.
Washington Leadership Conference or Next Gen Conference in 2027 - Grants Open
Notifications/Communications
Member and parent email – please let us know if you need to update/add/remove an email. You can email Mrs. Wagner at wagners@district195.org
We have a “Remind App'' page setup – We will use this to remind you about deadlines or quick updates. You can subscribe by texting @83dkbed to 81010.
Committee Meetings
The Minnesota FFA Store is OPEN for business!
The State FFA Officers have worked with the vendor and there will continue to be new things throughout the year! Check it out and promote it! https://www.mnffa.shop/
NEW SEASONAL ITEMS & GIFTS!20% of the MN FFA Store’s proceeds go directly to the Minnesota FFA to support MN FFA activities!
Scholarships
Set-up your Scholarship/Memorial
Memorials/Scholarships
A memorial or tribute gift is a meaningful way to remember a loved one's legacy or express your appreciation for someone special. Your gift on behalf of a loved one will make a difference in the lives of others today, tomorrow and far into the future, all while supporting Randolph's future leaders.
Losing a loved one is difficult, but many families find comfort in honoring those they have lost by requesting memorial contributions be made to the Randolph Alumni FFA. You can invite others to give, when making aftercare decisions, by requesting to direct memorials to the Randolph FFA Alumni.
Honorariums
Celebrate those milestone moments in life with a gift in honor of that special person. A gift may be given in honor of a birth, anniversary, retirement or any occasion that we celebrate as important in the life of the honoree.
Blue Jacket - Bright Futures
Dreams are possible when you wear a Blue Jacket. You can make a difference in the life of a young person by sponsoring a Blue Jacket for an FFA member by giving them the gift of infinite possibilities and the chance to start their FFA Career. This project provides members with the opportunity to earn an FFA jacket through an application process. Jackets can be sponsored for $90. Each sponsorship includes a complimentary tie or scarf to accompany their jacket. We have 18 members attending State FFA Convention in May. We have 5 younger members and we would love for each of them to have their jacket. Please let us know if you would like to sponsor one of those jackets.
The Randolph FFA Alumni is happy to provide direction or materials when setting up a Memorial or Honorarium, contact us today for details.
Join us in becoming a Randolph FFA Alumni and Supporter
Adult membership is open to anyone who is interested in supporting and promoting agriculture, agricultural education, and the FFA at the local level.
If you are proud of FFA and want to help local FFA members acquire knowledge and experience from agricultural education and FFA activities –becoming an adult member is for you! The Randolph FFA Alumni Booster and active members depend on volunteers to help support our chapter through the gifts of time, talent, and resources in order to gain community support. Join us and give back your skills, starting at the local level. Contact Bret Otte at otte.bret@gmail.com to sign-up.
Meet your Officer Team
Back Row - Logan Tate (Treasurer), Lucy Larson (Reporter) Gradyn Taylor (President) Lindsay Taylor (Secretary) Jonathan Tate (Sentinel)
Front Row - Maddi Beissel (Treasure), Sadie Wagner (Reporter), Karlea Roehl (Vice President), Natalee Feldman (Assistant Officer), Abby Beissel (Assistant Officer)
Randolph FFA Officer Team
Location: 29110 Dawson Avenue, Randolph, MN, USA
Phone: 507-645-4473 245
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/675310739206661
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/randolph.ffa?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
Mrs. Wagner - Randolph AG Teacher
Email: wagners@district195.org
Location: 29110 Dawson Avenue, Randolph, MN, USA
Phone: 507-645-4473 245
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/675310739206661
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/randolph.ffa?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
