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Call to Order!

Tips for hosting a successful chapter FFA banquet

Call to Order!


March 2008

The school year is slowly winding down and chapter FFA banquets will be here before you know it! Planning a banquet can be overwhelming and time-consuming, so start early and remember to have fun with it! Here are a few tips and suggestions to make your chapter banquet a success.

Preparation
Divide and conquer! Split up your banquet committee into subcommittees to make planning run smoothly. Budgeting is one of the most important parts of the planning process. Consider asking local business to sponsor awards or donate portions of the meal to reduce the cost for your chapter and guests. Invitations should be sent at least a month prior to the banquet to alumni, parents, teachers, school administration, school board, sponsors, and the local media. Keep accurate records of all expenses and write down the names of everyone you contact, so budgeting and planning next year’s banquet will be easier! 

Entertainment
Depending on the size of your banquet, the serving process can be long, so be sure to entertain your guests while they dine! Chapter banquets provide the perfect opportunity for talent participants to practice their skills in front of an audience. If your chapter displays a power point presentation during the banquet, test your guests’ knowledge by using the screen to project agriculture or FFA trivia questions during the meal. 

Awards
One of the highlights of chapter banquets is the recognition of FFA members for their involvement and achievement throughout the year. Chapter banquets can be long, so make a script for speakers and presenters to reduce down time and keep the program progressing. While members are presented with their awards, use a power point to showcase pictures of the member in action. Usually awards include plaques, medals or certificates, but practical awards, such as monogrammed bags, shirts, or other clothing, let members show off their FFA achievements throughout the year!

Decorations
Keep it simple! Instead of purchasing decorations, showcase the talents of your chapter’s members with home-grown plants, flowers or other items made in agriculture classes. If your chapter has a banquet theme, incorporate the theme in the backdrop, placemats and centerpieces.  Decorate a table to place the winning applications for proficiencies or other awards so members can view examples for next year.

Photos
Most banquet guests do not have the opportunity to attend all of the FFA events during the year, so show them your chapter’s involvement with a review in pictures. If your chapter competes in the scrapbook contest, make its debut at your chapter banquet!  Powerpoint presentations are also a fun way to recap the year! Besides pictures, power points can also include reflective messages from senior members or officers and recognize sponsors for their support.

With preparation and some creativity, you and your guests will enjoy every moment of your chapter banquet! But just because the banquet is done doesn’t mean you are!  Schedule a committee meeting the week after your banquet to discuss the things that went well and the areas in need of improvement. Before you know it, it will be time to start planning your banquet for next year!




Web Extra

Get Unique!

Need a fun and unique idea for your next chapter banquet? Try these.

Home Grown
Nearly all of the food enjoyed at the Durant FFA Chapter banquet is produced by the members themselves. About 200 members of this Florida chapter contribute to the production of the vegetables and meat served at the banquet. Utilize a school greenhouse or garden to self-cater your next banquet!

FFA Newscast
The Rockcastle County FFA Chapter in Kentucky makes their chapter banquet as entertaining as possible with a FFA Newscast. Members of the agricultural communications class serve as anchors and report on chapter committees, activities and events that took place throughout the year. The reports are a fun way to recap the year and use communication skills gained in FFA and agricultural classes!

Going, going, gone!
The Calallen FFA Chapter in Texas includes a silent and live auction hosted by the chapter’s alumni affiliate. All of the items auctioned are donated by alumni members, parents and community members and the money earned supports FFA chapter scholarships. The chapter raises over $5,000 every year!

Theme
If your chapter is looking for variance from the traditional blue and gold decorations, try coordinating the banquet with a theme! Every year the senior members of the Cochrane-Fountain City FFA Chapter in Wisconsin select a different theme for their chapter banquet. All of the decorations relate to the theme, which ranges from ‘Aiming for Success,’ with bulls eyes and hunting decorations, to ‘Nothing Runs Like FFA,’ with John Deere decorations.

Flower Power
Brighten up your tables and raise money for your chapter!  As a floral design project, members of the Coronado FFA Chapter in Texas make floral arrangements for table centerpieces. Students participating in the project work together to create and build the decorations. After the banquet, the arrangements are sold for $10.



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The National FFA Organization is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Visit ffa.org