Morgan's Service to Society Experience at the National FFA Convention and Expo #SuperBowlLDE

As part of my service to society experience, I had the opportunity to expand my knowledge in the National FFA Parliamentary Procedure Leadership Development Event. As part of this experience, I got to assist the event aside from other collegiate interns from the Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Idaho. Although the national finals event was limited in the number of teams who got to compete due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I still had a great time being immersed into the #SuperBowlLDE! 

The week’s events started off with a flight to Indianapolis, Indiana, where the National FFA Convention and Expo were held. After arriving and settling into Indy, I and some of the other Penn State collegiate assistants got to help Dr. Foster and the other event chairs set up for the contest. It was very nice to meet the judges and event chairs in advance of the event and become comfortable in the room. We worked on preparing envelopes for each team with their awards and result cards. We also counted award pins and organized papers for the following morning.  

The morning of the semi-final and final team rounds, we were up early in preparation for the rooms and to learn our specific duties for the day. I was tasked with timing both the semi-final and final rounds throughout the day. We helped to set up the semi-final rooms by setting up chairs and the stage for the event. I got to learn how the official timers work for the event, and practice using the remote to ensure I could fix it when issues arose. During the semi-final rounds, it was so intriguing to watch and learn from each of the finalists. I was not ready for the fast pace and precision each team brought to the table, but it was very fun to watch. While also timing each of the teams, I got to replace the motion cards on the stage and reset the stage for the next team to begin. I think my favorite part about the semi-finals was getting to hear each of the teams complete the questioning round. This is where I felt each of the team’s knowledge of parliamentary procedure flourished. It was very impressive to hear their depth of knowledge and passion for parliamentary procedure. 

As we transitioned into the final rounds of the top 4 qualifying teams including California, Ohio, Nebraska, and Missouri, is when the fun really began. As I oversaw the timing of the final rounds, that meant I also had to sit on stage in the final hall, which was a bit terrifying. Overall, the final rounds on the big stage went well with no technical or timing issues, the first time in many years I was told that nothing went wrong! After the finals round concluded, we took a short break and then returned to help set up for the awards banquet. We helped to set out plaques and the awesome Parli Pro artifacts that Dr. Conners worked on gathering. The banquet was a great time to watch the students and educators celebrate all of their hard work throughout the year! 

Throughout this service experience, I got to learn from many different individuals, and see how the national event runs, along with networking with individuals from the Parli Pro family on a national level. Before arriving in Indy, I had no idea what to expect, having this been my first time assisting with a National Leadership Development Event, I feel that I learned a lot about all the work and time that goes into prepping for the event, the logistics of running the event, and the awards banquet that occurs afterward. It took many individuals to make this event a success and I was honored to meet some of them through assisting with this event. I got to build lasting connections with students, educators, and professionals in the field through this amazing service experience!

Morgan Bear

Agricultural and Extension Education 2023

AEE 216

Student Service to Society

Making Motions in Tomorrow's Leaders

I had an awesome opportunity to sit down with Conneaut Area Senior High School and talk to their FFA officer team about Parliamentary Procedure. The officers did not have a lot of experience with Parli Pro but neither do I! I was able to teach them the basics and at the same time, I was able to better understand it myself. They asked so many great questions and wanted to learn more. There were even two times that I was unsure of the answer so we dove into Robert's Rule of Order to find it!

The first activity was going through the process of how to make a motion. I created a set of cards on each step of making a motion, from obtaining the floor to the chair announcing the results of the vote.  Their first task was to take those steps and put them into order. I divided the officer team up into two groups to complete this activity. Each group was able to put the cards into order after a few attempts! Once we completed this activity, we went through each step and looked at how each step and process is pronounced.

After the students had a general idea of what was going on, we watched a quick 4-minute video showing the processes and steps in real-time. Once done, the officers did it for themselves! They had to run their own mock meeting! The motion that was brought to the assembly stated: CASH should purchase a cow for the FFA program. After debating for a bit, a vote was taken and it passed! Until Ms. Metrick stepped in and overruled!

I thought this demonstration was a lot of fun and I think the students had a lot of fun too. We were able to dive deeper into Robert's Rule of Order and talk about how important Parli Pro is for every meeting. I am so excited to see these students use their Parli Pro knowledge in the spring when I am student teaching.

Busy with Bylaws: A Morning with the Newport Parliamentary Procedure Team

Having the chance to give back to something that has changed you for the better is a powerful experience. This statement hits home every time I get to give back and have a positive impact on youth in agriculture, especially those in blue corduroy jackets. 

It has been a little over two years now since Newport's Parliamentary Procedure team got a fresh start with a group of nine excited individuals. And after months of studying, deliberating during mock meetings, and taking practice tests, we started competitions. Somehow, someway this group made an improbable run at states, and once there, were able to place first and advance to the National #SuperbowlLDE competition. 

Our Parliamentary Procedure Team after placing first at the 2017 PA FFA State Convention

Throughout our time as a part of this team, a few things stay with us even to this day. The first being a much greater understanding of parliamentary procedure, but we also forged a bond that was one of a kind. Practicing together multiple times a week at 7:00 A.M. has a way of bringing a group of teenagers together. 

Over Thanksgiving break, I had the chance to step back into that classroom, the same classroom that brought our team so close together. Being able to see eight smiling faces and know the amazing journey that are in for made me super excited. Especially because this time, I got to teach! After some discussion with my high school agriscience teacher and FFA advisor, Mrs. Barkley, we figured that the best thing for this team would be to cover something fundamentally important that I wish I would have more knowledge on during my time time on the team. The result we came to...bylaws!

Discussing bylaws back at Newport

This lead to a discussion and lesson on the nine standard articles that go into bylaws. But first, what are bylaws? Bylaws are a document of rules created by an organization or society that sets a precedence for how their organization conducts business. These nine standard articles set a solid baseline for bylaws, but bylaws can contain more than just these nine.

When teaching bylaws for the first time, a great tool to use is the mnemonic device NO MOME C PA (sounds like no mommy, see pa. Have you ever asked mom for something and get a no, only to ask dad shortly thereafter? This mnemonic device sounds a lot like that progression). 

But what exactly does NO MOME C PA stand for? These articles strive to answer the following questions(and more!).

N - Name: What is the name of the organization or society?

O - Object: What is the goal/objective of this organization?

M - Members: Who are your members? What rights do they have? Membership dues? 

O - Officers: What offices? What responsibilities? How are they elected? How do we fill vacancies?

M - Meetings: When are they they? How often? How do we call them? Special meeting protocol?

E - Executive Board: Who and how many serve on this board? Special rules for their meetings?

C - Committees: What standing committees exist? How do we make a special committee?

P - Parliamentary Authority: What parliamentary authority does the organization follow?

A - Amendments: If we need to change these bylaws, how do we do that?

That morning I was able to spend 40 minutes discussing the importance and meaning of these articles with the new Parliamentary Procedure team. Attentive and ready to learn, I cannot wait to see what they accomplish by participating in this leadership development event. 

And as I look back and reflect, a couple key thoughts come to the forefront.

1. It is amazing how the opportunity to build a team for a competition like this can bring people together

2. There are always opportunities to give back and share knowledge. We should do this more often.

3. I cannot wait to spend my future career sharing knowledge with amazing students such as these eight.

I was truly blessed to get a chance to share a little bit of knowledge regarding bylaws and parliamentary procedure.

Parliamentary Procedure, running meetings and bringing people together. Two noble and important tasks.

We're Going to the SuperBowl but this isn't Football

It was a no brainer that when the opportunity came about to participate as a collegiate assistant at the National Parliamentary Procedure LDE, more recently known as the SuperBowlLDE. When asked I wasn't sure what that entailed but if it meant getting to go and see the contest for myself. 

As a collegiate assistant there was a plethora of jobs that were available throughout the few days that the LDE was going on. For me I decided that I should stick to things I can't mess up especially since this was my first time not only helping with something like that but also seeing the contest. I was assigned to be a time keeper and a event host at various levels for the contest.

As an event host it was awesome just getting to sit and chat with all the members competing and learn about their journey to get to the National contest. As someone who was always the one more passionate about Parli Pro than her fellow FFA members it felt really good to hear the passion behind why these members compete and realize just how much Parli Pro means to them. 

Time keeping was what I was waiting for since it was a chance for me to sit in on the action. I know time keeping doesn't sound like a very rewarding job but it gave me a chance to listen to what the members were saying and how they were performing the motions. 

At the end of this experience I learned how important parliamentary procedure was to so many people such as the members, volunteers, and judges. It was awesome to be back with people in the blue jacket since I miss wearing it so much and be able to join in the excitement about parli pro. 

To anyone who has the chance to participate even if it is doing something as simple as time keeping I would 10/10 recommend. You get just as much out of it as you put into it and so that means that you can decide how much you take away from this experience. Even if you don't think you know that much about parli pro, sign up for something where you have a chance to expand your knowledge while also still sharing what you know. 

Living to Serve: #SuperbowlCDE Volunteer

With a blue corduroy jacket zipped to the top and a copy of Robert's Rules of Order in hand, an eager and excited, young FFA member walks into the National Parliamentary Procedure Career Development Event contest ready to prove their knowledge of Parli Pro. This nervous, anxious, young FFA member is someone that I know very well; I was this FFA member.

In the fall of 2010, I was able to travel to the National FFA Convention and compete with my team in the National Parliamentary Procedure Contest.  My team did not advance past the preliminary round however that did not hinder my experience in the contest; win or lose I loved every second of it!  This was an opportunity that helped to shape me into the person that I am today and was one of the first stepping stone of my journey to become an Agriculture Educator.

Flash forward to this fall, I was able to make my way back to National FFA Convention and the

National Parliamentary Procedure Contest.  Instead of competing myself this time, I was there to help with the contest and all of the FFA members there to compete.  Through my Parli Pro class at Penn State, I was able to take the opportunity to be a part of a team of Collegiate Volunteers to help with the contest in any way needed.

I was so excited to be back and be a part of the contest.  Being surround by fellow Parli Pro enthusiasts and talking about in depth concepts of Parli Pro (which sounds like a foreign language to anyone else), it felt like a big family reunion.  I was able to learn so much during my time helping with the contest.  I was able to learn more to add to my Parli Pro Knowledge Library but also learned how to successfully facilitate and plan a contest, something I can add to my teacher toolbox.

I had a blast being able to be a part of a judge's team and help with comment cards just as much as being a holding room monitor.  I loved being able to talk to the students as the awaiting going into the semi-final rounds.  I remembered being in their shoes and how I felt sitting there waiting and I loved that I could just talk with them, calm their nerves, joke, laugh and learn more about each of their teams and their stories.

I cannot wait to be able to finally make it back to the National FFA Convention again for the National Parli Pro Contest however I hope that the next time with be with my own students and a team of my own to compete!  My Parli Pro journey has almost made it full circle and I am hopeful and excited to see if I ever will get to take my own team back to where it all began for me!

Macy Fisher
#psuaged18