Winter 2022/2023 Update

Starting off the New Year, the Allentown FFA is excited to share the many upcoming events and to reflect on what has happened during the past month

To start off January, the Allentown FFA delivered donations to the Popcorn Park Animal Refuge on the 4th. Donations were greatly appreciated and will be used to help care for the animals at the refuge. We also held our monthly chapter meeting on January 19th with lots of fun games and a comfy theme. Members also learned more about upcoming competitions and events that will be happening in the coming months. Lastly, on January 28th, four officers attended SOCS, which is also known as State Officer Candidate School. This event allowed them to learn more about what it takes to be a state officer or a member of the nominating committee who elect the officers during state convention. 

As we move into the month of February, there are many events that the FFA has in store. To start, we will have a flower sale during lunches at the high school in celebration of Valentine’s Day. We will also have our chapter meeting on Thursday, February 16th, at 4:30 for members to learn more about upcoming events. The next event of February will be the National FFA Week, which is from February 18th to the 25th. In celebration of this week, the Allentown FFA chapter will be holding several events involving the chapter, school and community. These events are still in the making so be sure to keep a lookout for more information on them. On Wednesday, a teacher’s appreciation breakfast will be held in the morning, as well as application help for members after school. On Thursday, members will attend ALLD, which stands for Advocacy Legislative Leadership Day to learn more about how to advocate and be a leader. Lastly, to wrap up FFA Week, the Allentown FFA is holding a Sponsor's Breakfast/Open House. This event will be from 9am to 12pm on Saturday the 25th at the ag building. This is an event we hold to thank the supporters, sponsors and families of the FFA. There will be presentations from past and present FFA members, as well as presentations from some supporters. During the open house that will follow the light buffet, anyone can come and see the great program we have to offer. We hope to see you there!

We are also looking forward to the upcoming months and the events that come with them, including competitions. Spring Career Development Events, or CDE’s, that are happening in the Spring include, Floriculture, Nursery Landscape, Mechanics, Agricultural Sales, Veterinary Medicine, Environmental and Natural Resources, Dairy Cattle Evaluation, Livestock Evaluation, Horse Evaluation, Agronomy, Food Science and Technology and Poultry Evaluation. The Allentown FFA is excited to participate in some of these events and the many more held at the State Convention in May. 

Thank you for all of your support in our activities and fundraisers as we strive to create a Future For Agriculture.

Regards, 

The Allentown FFA Chapter

Fall 2022 Update

Back in October we took a trip to Fernbrook Farms in Chesterfield, NJ. We learned about the many wonderful things they grow and were able to explore their greenhouses. We also had our annual Halloween Safety Poster Contest at Newell Elementary School. The 3rd and 4th graders had the opportunity to make a poster describing 3-5 Trick or Treat safety rules and the posters were judged by members of the FFA. Prizes were awarded to the winners of the several categories and for each grade. At the end of October, 8 of our members were able to attend the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, IN. We competed on the National level for a public speaking event and had a display to represent our agriculture in New Jersey. Also at the convention, members were able to participate in community service events and have loads of fun. 

Moving forward to November, we again had our Fruit and Cheesecake sale. The sale offered items such as pears, apples, grapefruit, navel oranges, and more. There were also 3 flavors of cheesecakes for sale which were plain, strawberry, and triple chocolate. While that sale was going on, we also held our apparel sale of items including t-shirts, sweatshirts, crewnecks, long sleeves, zip-up jackets, and sweatpants. The officer team created the design that is featured on this year's orders. Another annual November event was our annual Thanksgiving Floral Arrangement sale. There were two types of arrangements to choose from, a cornucopia or a single-candle centerpiece. Members constructed the arrangements under the guidance of advisors and alumni, it was a great learning experience for all of those who participated. Members even demonstrated how to construct similar cornucopia arrangements during a workshop at the 4 Seasons earlier this month. 

Finally, in December, our Popcorn Park Animal Refuge collections were going on throughout the month. Donation bins were placed at some local businesses and all three district schools. The Popcorn Park Animal Refuge greatly appreciates these donations and the collections to help animals in need. All donations will be delivered to the Popcorn Park Refuge by members at the end of the month. And as the holiday season approaches, holiday centerpieces will also be another continued fundraiser and learning experience for the chapter. We offer three types of floral arrangements, Mason Jar Style Arrangement, Single Candle Centerpiece, and Double Candle Centerpiece. Members and alumni will construct the arrangements that will be ready for pick up before the district closes for winter break. 

Thank you for all of your support in our activities and fundraisers as we strive to create a Future For All. 

April 2022 Update 

Welcoming the gorgeous Spring, the Allentown FFA chapter would like to review the exciting events that occurred in the month of April, and announce/update the coming activities for the jam-packed month of May.

For FFA fundraisers and sales, the Allentown FFA saw a successful completion of the bud vases’ sale as a spring fundraiser. Members sold the products the week before spring break and a special thank you to all of the members who stayed after school to help construct the vases.  Along with the completed activities, the Allentown FFA alumni also sponsored some jackets for active members who would like to have their own blue jackets before the end of the year. The application finished on April 1st, and the chapter  would like to thank all of the members who applied for the jackets. The chapter concurrently held the annual candle sale fundraiser, selling candles from Little House Candles, which offered a wonderful variety of candles for everyone to choose from - whether it’s something sweet for mother’s day, or something that suits your taste more personally. The forms were due by April 11th, and thank you to everyone who purchased candles and supported the FFA chapter. Finally, the Allentown FFA is holding the end of the year annual plant sale, where FFA in conjunction with the greenhouse management class, sell all of the plants that were grown in the greenhouse throughout the year. The chapter highly encourages you to purchase the wonderful fruits, vegetables, and flowers grown by our very own redbirds.

For more miscellaneous news, Spring Career Development Events (CDEs) were also held at Rutgers University on April 7th. Students prepared for these competitions by earnestly meeting at the Ag building once a week and practising their specialized CDEs with their mentors. A special congratulation to all of the members who participated and placed in their respective competitions. For all of those interested in becoming a chapter officer, the information meeting (FALCON) for prospective officers was held on April 28th after school. Applications for being an FFA officer for the 2022-2023 school year will be due by May 13th 2022; a special note to everyone applying, please submit your applications as soon as possible. 

Attention Greenhands, the Allentown FFA Chapters Chapter Degree will be available for application until Friday, May 13th. Any Greenhand interested in pursuing an ag-related project is encouraged to apply for this distinguished recognition by the FFA! See an officer or advisor if interested in applying and eligibility. The Banquet will be tentatively on June 2, 2022. Make sure you are completing your point cards because they will be used to determine awards at the banquet. Lastly, for arguably the most important FFA event of the year, the New Jersey FFA State Conventions will be held at Monmouth University on May 25th, 26th and 27th: consisting of team-building activities, leadership development workshops, competitions, award ceremonies etc. If you are interested in attending the convention, please speak with an officer or advisor to receive the necessary paperwork. Any members who will be attending the convention should keep an eye out for important parent meetings and class information. We cannot wait to make some memories at this year’s convention! 

For staying informed on FFA events and activities, continue to view the FFA website for the monthly newsletter for all updates on the Allentown FFA Chapter and best of luck to all members for the month of May, especially those who are going to the State Convention. We invite anyone who wishes to come to the May Chapter Meeting that will be held on May 19th 2022. Finally, as it is the last FFA meeting held by the 2022 - 2023 officer team, and it would be amazing  to see you at the meeting to give a formal farewell and acknowledge the wonderful work the current officer team has dedicated to the FFA this year. For all questions regarding anything FFA, don't hesitate to contact an FFA officer or advisor. 

Regards, 

The Allentown FFA Chapter. 

March 2022 Update

The Allentown FFA Chapter is excited to welcome the new months of the FFA, excited for warmer weather months and spring weather, we had many exciting things for the month of March. 

On March 5, the Allentown FFA travelled to Delaware Valley University for a conference concerning personal development. Members learned about their chosen Career Development Events (CDEs) and participated in competitions as well. The aforementioned CDEs included floriculture, veterinary science and forestry. In addition, many members attended campus tours and workshops led by state officers called the State Officer Candidate School where members learned about the responsibilities of state officers in the election process. Everyone in the chapter would like to sincerely extend congratulations to the members who placed! 

Concerning exhibitions,  FFA members also participated in the NJ FFA Horticulture Exposition, which commenced on March 11th, 2022. The chapter travelled to Mercer County Community College to view, exhibit and competed with floral arrangements created by the members themselves. The arrangements were absolutely beautiful and congratulations to all of the members who placed in their respective categories! On the same day, the Allentown FFA officers hosted a table and attended Science Night Live at Newell Elementary School. They had showcased two tables where they displayed interactive exhibits on equine science and plant propagation, and we would like to thank the officers for promoting the FFA to budding children in STEM. 

For upcoming fundraisers, the Allentown FFA will be selling bud vases as a spring fundraiser. We will sell them the week before spring break. The chapter will need help with constructing the vases, so please let us know if you are willing to help, we will provide you with more information about which days we will be staying after. Contact an advisor or officer for the details. 

For the month of April, Spring CDEs will be held on April 7th at Rutgers University and they are great ways to get involved in agriculture and the FFA. This season, floriculture, mechanics, ag sale and veterinary science teams competing. Students prepare for these competitions by meeting at the Ag building once a week and practising their specialized CDEs. If you want to be a last minute addition to any teams, please contact an officer and advisor for information on any open spots. Good luck to all competing me

Attention Greenhands, the Allentown FFA Chapters Chapter Degree will be available for application. Any Greenhand interested in pursuing an ag-related project is encouraged to apply! See an officer or advisor if interested in applying and to see if you are eligible! Another FFA development opportunity presents itself in the form of the New Jersey FFA Convention that will be held from May 25 - 27th, May, consisting of development workshops, awards, and competitions.  This year, the State Convention will take place at Monmouth University. If you are interested in attending, please speak with an officer or advisor. 

Please participate in the monthly challenge by posting a photo of yourself on spring break to the google classroom to win a ticket in the monthly prize raffle. For staying informed on FFA events and activities, continue to view the FFA website for the monthly newsletter for all updates on the Allentown FFA Chapter and we wish luck to all members for the month of April. We would love to invite anyone who wishes to come to the April Chapter Meeting that will be held on April 7th 2022, We would love to see you at the meeting. For all questions regarding anything FFA, don't hesitate to contact an FFA officer or advisor. 

Regards, 

The Allentown FFA Chapter. 

February 2022 Update

The Allentown FFA Chapter is excited to welcome the new months of the FFA, bringing new goals and perspectives for the chapter in the month of February. 

Concerning FFA leadership development and conferences, the Allentown FFA will attend the  Delaware Valley conference which will be held on March 5th at Delaware Valley University. This conference focuses on CDEs and members can choose to attend a workshop for Floriculture, Dairy cattle evaluation, horse evaluation, milk quality, vet science and forestry.  This conference is a great way to try out a CDE you are interested in! This will happen in conjunction with  SOCS, the state officer candidate school which will take place on the same day. At SOCs, FFA members learn what skills are needed to serve as an NJ state officer and how to be on the nominating committee for this election. 

This month, the Allentown FFA chapter will be participating in more exhibitions to show the wonderful work of our members. The NJ FFA Horticulture Exposition will take place on March 11, 2022. If you are interested in going to Mercer County Community College to view all of the floral arrangements, compete in the floral design competition, or exhibit your own floral arrangements, please pick up a permission slip from the Ag building. If you are interested in constructing a floral arrangement for the contest, please sign up on Google Classroom. We can’t wait to see the beautiful arrangements our chapter will create!

For fundraisers, donations, and sales, February was a busy month. This month, the Allentown FFA pre-sold candy grams and floral packages during all lunches from Wednesday, February 9 to Thursday, February 10 and on Valentine’s Day. Thank you to everyone who sold during lunches and helped construct the floral bouquets, and we hope the flowers made your day. This year the Allentown alumni would also like to donate some jackets to active members who would like to have their blue jackets before the end of the year. The application is still active, and will likely extend till March. Preference will be given to juniors and seniors, but we still encourage everyone to apply. 

In terms of competitions, Spring CDEs are a wonderful opportunity to compete in agriculture-related competitions. This season, the CDEs that are being offered are Agriculture Business Management, Mechanics, Horse Judging, and more. Students prepare for these competitions by meeting at the Ag building once a week and practising their specialized CDEs. Competitions for Winter CDEs will occur on March 23, 2022. Continuing with CDEs, Spring CDEs will be starting soon, so join all the teams that have available spots. Practices have started and we wish all the luck for our competing members. 

Attention Greenhands, the Allentown FFA Chapters Chapter Degree will be available for application. Any Greenhand interested in pursuing an ag-related project is encouraged to apply! See an officer or advisor if interested in applying and to see if you are eligible! 

Lastly, The monthly challenge for the month of March is to bring a non-FFA friend to the next chapter meeting! Bringing new people to the chapter meeting is an excellent way to recruit members and meet new students! Every member who brings a new person to the meeting will receive a ticket to be entered into the monthly prize drawing! 

For staying informed on FFA events and activities, continue to view the FFA website for the monthly newsletter for all updates on the Allentown FFA Chapter and we wish luck for all members for the month of March. We would love to invite anyone who wishes to come to the March Chapter Meeting that will be held on March 17th 2022, We would love to see you at the St Patrick Days themed meeting. For all questions regarding anything FFA, don't hesitate to contact an FFA officer or advisor.

Regards, 

The Allentown FFA Chapter. 

January 2022 Update

For January, The Allentown FFA Chapter is excited to welcome the New Year in stride, bringing new goals and perspectives for a new chapter. 

Concerning FFA leadership development and conferences, the Allentown FFA will attend the  Delaware Valley conference will be held on March 5th at Delaware Valley University. This conference focuses on CDEs and members can choose to attend a workshop for Floriculture, Dairy cattle evaluation, horse evaluation, milk quality, vet science and forestry.  This conference is a great way to try out a CDE you are interested in! This will happen in conjunction with  SOCS, the state officer candidate school which will take place on the same day. At SOCs, FFA members learn what skills are needed to serve as an NJ state officer and how to be on the nominating committee for this election. Coming more soon, the chapter will also attend Advocacy and Legislative Leadership Day (ALLD) will be held on February 24, 2022; a one-day long leadership conference for all FFA members ALLD is focused on the importance of advocacy and how to be a good advocate. 

For fundraisers, donations, and sales, January is a busy month. This year the Allentown alumni would like to donate some jackets to active members who would like to have their blue jackets before the end of the year. The application is still active, and will likely extend till March. Preference will be given to juniors and seniors, but we still encourage everyone to apply. As Valentine’s day is quickly approaching, the Allentown FFA will be pre-selling candy grams and floral packages during all lunches from Wednesday, February 9 to Thursday, February 10. Surprise someone you love with a candy gram or a floral bouquet from our chapter! If you have any questions or are interested in selling during lunch, please see an officer or advisor. 

In terms of competitions, Winter CDEs are a wonderful opportunity to compete in agriculture-related competitions. This season, the CDEs that are being offered are Agriculture Business Management. Students prepare for these competitions by meeting at the Ag building once a week and practicing their specialized CDEs. Competitions for Winter CDEs will occur on March 23, 2022. Continuing with CDEs, Spring CDEs will be starting in the new semester. We will hold a spring CDE interest meeting on Thursday, January 20th. Practicing will start at the beginning of February. 

For upcoming events, new and existing FFA members are invited to Greenhand Day 2! To welcome the new Ag students in the 2nd semester, the Allentown FFA Chapter will be holding a second Greenhand Day to interest potential new members on Thursday, February 17. Existing members are welcome to attend, as there will be fun ag-related activities, games, and snacks! The Allentown FFA Chapter will also hold Science Night Live in March at the Elementary school. At this event, we create a fun science presentation and experiment for the students of the elementary school to learn more about ag. Talk to an officer or advisor to learn more.  Any volunteers will be greatly appreciated. The Allentown FFA will also be holding events from Tuesday, February 22 to Friday, February 25 in honor of FFA week. We will be holding a craft night, trivia night, and an open house. More information is to come!

 For staying informed on FFA events and activities, continue to view the FFA website for the monthly newsletter for all updates on the Allentown FFA Chapter and we wish luck to all members for February. We would love to invite anyone who wishes to come to the February Chapter Meeting that will be held on February 17th 2022, We would love to see you at the Valentine-themed meeting. For all questions regarding anything FFA, don't hesitate to contact an FFA officer or advisor. 

Regards, 

The Allentown FFA Chapter.

December 2021 Update

For the month of December, The Allentown FFA Chapter is excited to reflect on the cheery festivities and events that occurred over the preceding weeks ahead of the holidays. 

In regards to leadership, on December 4th,  the Allentown FFA attended the Mission conference at Rutgers University. We learned a lot about our own individual strengths and learned how to use our strengths to make our chapter better! For those interested in future leadership opportunities within the FFA, the State Officer Candidate School will be held on January 29th at Stonebridge Middle School. This conference is for anyone interested in learning what it takes to be a state officer or anyone who is interested in learning about the nominating committee.

The Allentown FFA’s  Popcorn Park Refuge Supply Drive has officially been extended into the new year! Please donate any new or gently used pet supplies. Some supplies the shelter is in constant need of is detergent, dog beds, towels, leashes, and dog and cat food. The Allentown FFA Chapter and Popcorn Park Refuge greatly appreciate your contributions! The Allentown FFA also conducted a Winter Floral Arrangements sale consisting of candle or mason jars centerpieces which were constructed by members on December 20th and 21st. It was a great success and many FFA members learned a great deal about floral design. 

The Allentown FFA Chapter is also participating in Winter CDEs. Our chapter is currently searching for members to be a part of the Agribusiness Management team. This CDE explores the vast field of agriculture on an economic level and develops students’ business skills. If you are interested in signing up, please reach out to an officer or advisor. Whether you’re spectating a light show, wrapping gifts, or spending time with family and friends, the Allentown FFA would love to see how you celebrate the holidays, so be welcome to share your experience with the January Monthly Challenge. 

For staying informed on FFA events and activities, continue to view the FFA website for the monthly newsletter for all updates on the Allentown FFA Chapter and we wish luck for all members for the month of January. We would love to invite anyone who wishes to come to the January Chapter Meeting that will be held on January 20th 2022, We would love to see you for the first meeting of the new year. For all questions regarding anything FFA, don't hesitate to contact an FFA officer or advisor. 

Regards, 

The Allentown FFA Chapter. 

November 2021 Update 

For the month of November. The Allentown FFA Chapter is delighted to recap  this month of family, history and wonderful Thanksgiving festivities that occurred over the preceding weeks. 

On November 18th, the Allentown FFA Chapter competed in fall Career Development Events at Rutgers University. This year, our teams participated in Fruit & Vegetable Identification, Milk Quality and Products, Turf Management, and Land Evaluation competitions. In honor of Kathryn Giovanelli winning 1st place in Turf Management and Kylie Byrne winning 2nd in Milk Quality and Products, and all the teams that competed, Congratulations on your achievements and ambition!

The Allentown FFA is happy to announce that the annual Popcorn Park Zoo Pet Supply Drive has returned! Starting November 15th, a labelled donation bin has been placed in the school’s main office atrium to collect new or gently used pet supplies until the third week of December. Some popular items the shelter is frequently in need of include cat and dog food, leashes, cat and dog toys, disinfecting products, and animal beds. The Allentown FFA and Popcorn Park Zoo would like to thank you in advance for your supportive donations. 

In terms of sales, the Allentown FFA Chapter apparel sale which began on October 20th and will end on November 18th: consisting of FFA T-shirts, long-sleeve shirts, hooded sweatshirts, crewneck sweatshirts, zip-up jackets, and sweatpants. We sold an outstanding 30+ articles of clothing. The Allentown FFA Chapter has also kicked off its annual fruit sale which will continue until November 22. As usual, the sale will offer various fruit packages, in addition to chocolate, fruit, and plain cheesecakes. The Thanksgiving Floral Arrangement sale was held till November 19th as well. Members spent November 22nd and 23rd crafting beautiful candle and flower arrangements which sold a staggering 70 arrangements. Great job for all the members involved. For staying informed on FFA events and activities, continue to view the FFA website for the monthly newsletter for all updates on the Allentown FFA Chapter and we wish luck to all members for the month of December. We would love to invite anyone who wishes to come to the December Chapter Meeting that will be held on December 16th 2021 and for all questions regarding anything FFA. 

P.S Don’t hesitate to contact any officers or advisors for any questions on upcoming events like Winter CDEs and the Mission Conference held on December 4th, ongoing events like sales, or anything in general. See you soon. 

Regards, 

The Allentown FFA Chapter.