More than 800 students from across the state will visit Cobleskill in early May for the New York State Future Farmers of America annual conference.
The conference will be at SUNY Cobleskill, and the college along with FFA chapters at Cobleskill-Richmondville, Schoharie and Sharon Springs are hosting the event.
Students at the three schools are helping with the planning and arrangements, according to Deb Fletcher, ag teacher and FFA advisor at Cobleskill-Rich-mondville.
“Our kids are energized like crazy,” she said. “Even the kids on the fringe are active and more involved.”
The conference is May 6-8, Thursday through Saturday, and will include meetings, awards ceremonies, competitions, workshops and more.
Although most activities are centered at the college, students will also be getting tours of the county and visiting local businesses and restaurants.
Much of Thursday’s schedule is devoted to FFA competitions that range from ag mechanics to marketing to extemporaneous speaking.
Both Thursday and Friday offer workshops that cover such topics as virtual heavy construction equipment operation, greenhouse management, landscapes graphics, ag engineering, resume writing and others––more than 20 altogether.
“SUNY Cobleskill has been fantastic putting the workshops together,” Ms. Fletcher said. “In the 20 years I’ve been going to the state convention, this is the best lineup I’ve seen.”
Most of Saturday’s sessions will be awards, presentations, addresses by retiring and new officers and ceremonies.
SUNY Cobleskill was awarded the convention in January 2009, Ms. Fletcher said. College officials, SUNY students and C-R students made the pitch to get the convention.
“It was pretty competitive,” Ms. Fletcher said. “There were three or four other applications, and we really had to work at it.”
Since then, the college has been planning, as have the three public schools. C-R is handling much of the overall planning and student registration; Schoharie is helping recruit local judges for the competition; and Sharon Springs is lining up tours.
“It’s really a lot of work, but our kids have taken it on,” Ms. Fletcher said. “Just getting the judges is work enough; we need 150.”
“There’s something for everybody to do, from registration to making phone calls for judges.”
All three schools will provide buses for the tours, which will be to Maple Hill Farms, Kintz Plastics, Sap Bush Hollow Farm, New York Power Authority, the Price Chopper warehouse, SUNY Cobleskill’s Childcare Center, Schoharie Valley Farms, Wellington’s Herbs and Spices and McCarthy Tire.
The college is the base for the convention, but since it’s still in session, the FFA’ers will be staying in local or regional motels or commuting if their schools are nearby.
Some of the students will be dining on campus, but others will be eating in town, Ms. Fletcher said.
“You’ll see them. They’re not just going to be at the college for three days.”
As C-R, Schoharie and Sharon kids help with the planning, they also have to prepare for their competitions at the convention.
“We’re hosting this, but we’re also going,” Ms. Fletcher said. “We have people competing, and they have to practice.
“But our kids have really stepped up with their responsibility. It’s awesome to see.”
SUNY Cobleskill is also hosting next year’s FFA convention, though other schools in the region are hosts.
Still, C-R may be involved.
“That’s still to be determined,” Ms. Fletcher said, laughing. “I’m not sure we can do this every year.”