Youth News
CANCELED- 2020 Oklahoma State FFA Convention- PENDING- National Qualifying Contests May Still Happen
Wed, 18 Mar 2020 14:16:00 CDT
The Executive Secretary for the Oklahoma FFA, Trevor Lucas, has announced to FFA Supporters across Oklahoma that the 2020 State FFA Convention is canceled on the original dates of April 28 and 29. Lucas indicates that the State FFA is considering a replacement convention event that would be "a pared-down event at the Cox Convention Center or another venue in late May or early June. Obviously, many variables will go into making the decision on whether that happens. If we are unable to hold an event in the summer, we will elect state officers digitally and pass out awards at agricultural instructors' area meetings."
The complete memo that has gone out to FFA Advisors and FFA Supporters follows:
"The Governor issued an Executive Order 2020-08 declaring an emergency caused by the impending threat of COVID-19 to the people of this State and the public's peace, health, and safety. To ensure we are being proactive to address this impending threat, tough decisions are having to be made everywhere, and the same goes for us in the FFA world. No easy way to break the news. So, let's just get to it:
"State FFA Interscholastics for all non-national qualifying CDE/LDE events for 2020 will be canceled. This includes the following:
• Agricultural Education
• Animal Science Quiz Bowl
• Electricity
• Entomology
• Freshman Agriscience Quiz Bowl
• Homesite Judging (National Contest Canceled)
• Land Judging (National Contest Canceled)
• Soil and Water Conservation
• Rangeland Judging (National Contest Canceled)
• Turfgrass Management
"The rest of the contests are postponed and will remain pending. This includes all region, area and state public speaking, parliamentary procedure, agriscience fair, and star contests. None of these events will happen in-person until after the Center for Disease Control guidelines allow. We are evaluating the ability to conduct these virtually, where applicable. More details to follow.
"Now on to convention. In accordance with the CDC guidelines the determination has been made to cancel the annual state FFA convention on the original dates of April 28-29. We are currently in the process of looking into the possibility of a pared-down event at the Cox Convention Center or another venue in late May or early June. Obviously, many variables will go into making the decision on whether that happens. If we are unable to hold an event in the summer, we will elect state officers digitally and pass out awards at agricultural instructors' area meetings.
"Planning a convention of this size and scope requires a lot of planning with hotels, presenters, and staff. Many who require deposits well in advance. In the event of a complete cancelation, we will refund when and where we can. We will start with reimbursing all Expo Booth exhibitors immediately.
"The State Board of Education voted March 16 for all accredited public schools to cease operations to include all instructional services, grading and extracurricular activities, staff development, trainings or conferences, but essential clerical and administrative activities such as business management, nutrition services, maintenance may continue. Please be sure that during this time that your chapter is neither hosting nor attending an extracurricular event unless approved by your local administration."
Editor's Note- In talking with Trevor Lucas and State FFA Advisor Jack Staats at the Oklahoma Youth Expo this past weekend- they were considering all the options that would allow Oklahoma to have winners in the conests that could advance on to the National Contests- mostly at the National Convention- they did note that every other state is facing the same challenges that Oklahoma is facing- and that could make for a very different National Convention than normal this coming October- even if COVID-19 is long gone.
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