I’m never going to get a job!!! At every interview they want someone with experience! How on earth am I supposed to get experience without getting a job first? What can I do?

What or who is an S.A.E??  An S.A.E. is a cognitive and hands on learning experience where students learn, practice, expand, and enhance the agricultural and natural resources skills learned in the classroom or laboratory.

How will an S.A.E. help me in my FFA chapter?  An S.A.E. is necessary to advance in the FFA program and to obtain most of your degrees.  To be a National of State FFA officer you need your National and/or FFA degrees, which you need an S.A.E. to get.  An S.A.E. can get you proficiency awards and money at many different FFA levels.

How will an S.A.E. help me in life outside of FFA?  An S.A.E. allows you the opportunity to learn new skills and possibly make money at the same time.  Being in charge of your own S.A.E., can teach you responsibility and managerial skills.  Allows you to prepare to open your own business and improves your decision making skills.

There are different types of S.A.E.’s to fit different types of people.  Entrepreneurship  Placement  Research  Exploratory  Improvement  Supplemental

Entrepreneurship  In an entrepreneurship S.A.E., the student is in charge of almost anything. The student plans and operates a farming activity or agribusiness. The student owns all the materials, keeps fiscal records, and assumes all of the financial risks concerned with their S.A.E.

Entrepreneurship S.A.E. Examples  Owning and operating a lawn care business  Owning and operating a hen house/selling the eggs  Raising a crop of roses for local florist  Growing an acre of corn, wheat, soy, etc.  Owning and operating a small community greenhouse

Placement  In a placement program, students can be placed in a variety of situations: farms, agribusinesses, etc. The main purpose of a placement S.A.E. is to create a “learning by doing” environment, and can also be done is school or community facilities. A placement S.A.E. is not done in the classroom and can be paid, but doesn’t have to be.

Placement S.A.E. Examples  Working on a livestock/crop farm  Interning at a local agribusiness  Being placed at an outdoors recreation park/camping grounds  Caring for the plants in the local greenhouse

There are two types of Research S.A.E.’s  Experimental  Non-Experimental

Experimental Research  Experimental research allows students a “hands-on” opportunity in learning new knowledge, using the scientific method, and showing scientific ideals in agriculture. In experimental research, students plan and carry out a major experiment in agriculture using the scientific method.

Experimental Research S.A.E. Examples  Analyzing the effectiveness of different fertilizers on plant growth  Comparing three different plant foods on plant development  Determining which of three weed controls are most effective  Determining what diet for a calf will result in the best growth and optimum strength

Non-Experimental Research  In a non-experimental research S.A.E., students select a problem in the agriculture community that does not require experimentation, and make plans to investigate the problem to find a solution. The student must research data from many sources and then present some sort of a finished product.

Non-Experimental Research S.A.E. Examples  An area use plan for the school greenhouse  Working out an advertising campaign for the county fair  Working out a recycling plan for your community

Exploratory  Exploratory S.A.E.’s are primarily for beginners. They are designed to help students better understand agriculture and become aware of careers in the agriculture industry.

Exploratory S.A.E. Examples  Assisting on a livestock farm for a week  Observing a veterinarian at work  Take an agriculture class in high school or at a local college  Interview an agriscience teacher about their experiences in agriculture  Attend an FFA National Convention’s Job Fair

Improvement  In an improvement S.A.E., the prerogative of the student is to improve the value and/or appearance of their workplace, school, home, or community. Students can also increase the efficiency of a business or the condition of the home life. An improvement S.A.E. cannot be done in one day due to the number of steps it takes to complete the project.

Improvement S.A.E. Examples  Building a school or community greenhouse  Landscaping a community center  Overhauling a car or tractor  Reorganizing a garage  Building and whitewashing a fence

Supplementary  A supplementary S.A.E. is always accomplished in one day and requires very few steps. The student is to perform one specific agriculture skill at a time outside of class. This certain skill is not a major S.A.E., but involves experiential learning and does contribute to the development of agricultural skills and knowledge on the part of the student.

Supplementary S.A.E. Examples  Mowing the lawn of neighbors  Artificial inseminating a cow  Pruning a tree or bush  Planting a tree  Picking vegetables from a garden

S.A.E. Leadership Agriculture Traveling Making New Friends Public Speaking Contests Parliamentary Procedure Teamwork Self- Improvement Conventions Banquets FUN!!!! Teaching Pride Tradition Blue Gold S.A.E. – A Big Part of FFA