Article I - Name
and Purpose
Section A: The name of this organization shall be
the Tecumseh FFA Chapter. The
letters, "FFA" and/or the words
“Future Farmers of America” may be used to designate the
chapter, its activities, or members thereof.
Section B: The FFA Mission is: FFA makes a positive difference in the
lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success.
Section C: The purposes for which this chapter is
formed are as follows:
1. To develop competent and assertive agricultural
leadership.
2. To increase awareness of the global and technological
importance of agriculture and it’s contribution to our well being.
3. To strengthen the confidence of agriculture students in
themselves and their work.
4. To promote the intelligent choice and establishment of an
agricultural career.
5. To encourage achievement in supervised agricultural
experience programs.
6. To encourage wise management of economic, environmental
and human resources of the community.
7. To develop interpersonal skills in teamwork,
communications, human relations and social interaction.
8. To build character and promote citizenship, volunteerism
and patriotism.
9. To promote cooperation and cooperative attitudes among
all people.
10. To promote healthy lifestyles.
11. To encourage excellence in scholarship.
Article II -
Organization
Section A: The Tecumseh FFA Chapter is a chartered
local unit of the Ohio FFA Association, which is chartered by the National FFA Organization.
Section B: This chapter accepts in full the
provisions in the constitution and bylaws of the Ohio FFA Association as well as those of the National FFA Organization.
Article III -
Membership
Section A: Membership in this chapter shall be of
three kinds: 1) Active 2) Alumni and 3) Honorary, as defined by the National Constitution.
Section B: The regular work of this chapter shall
be carried out by the active membership.
Section C: To become an active member and retain
membership, a student must:
1. While in
school, be enrolled in at least one agricultural education class per school
year.
2. Show an
interest in the affairs of the organization by attending meetings, striving for
degrees of membership and participating in other organized activities of the
chapter.
3. Pay all
current chapter, district, state and national dues.
4. Display
conduct consistent with the ideals and purposes of the National FFA
Organization.
Section D: Alumni Membership
1. Alumni
membership shall be open to former active members, collegiate and honorary
members, present and former professional agricultural educators, parents of FFA
members, and others interested in and supportive of the FFA.
Section E: Honorary Membership
1. Honorary membership shall be limited to the Honorary
Chapter Degree.
2. The Honorary Chapter Degree should be given to farmers,
school superintendents, principals, members of boards of education, chapter advisors, teachers, staff members in agricultural education, business people and others who are helping to advance agricultural education and the FFA and
who have rendered outstanding service to the chapter.
3. Those earning the Honorary Chapter Degree will be
determined by a majority vote of the members present at any regular meeting.
4. The Honorary
Chapter Degree should be presented at the annual Chapter Banquet.
Article IV - Emblem
Section A: The emblem of the National FFA
Organization shall be the emblem for the chapter.
Section B: All members shall be entitled to
display the emblem.
Article V - Membership, Degrees, and Privileges
Section A: There
shall be 2 degrees of active membership based on individual achievement in the
chapter. These degrees are the Greenhand Degree and the Chapter FFA Degree,
Section B: Greenhand Degree, Minimum
qualifications for election:
1. Be enrolled in agriculture education and have
satisfactory and acceptable plans for a supervised agricultural experience
program.
2. Learn and explain the FFA Creed, motto, salute, and FFA
Mission Statement.
3. Describe and explain the meaning of the FFA emblem and
colors.
4. Demonstrate a knowledge of the FFA Code of Ethics and the
proper use of the FFA Jacket.
5. Demonstrate a knowledge of the history of the
organization, the chapter constitution and bylaws and the chapter Program of
Activities.
6. Personally own or have access to the Official FFA Manual
and the FFA Student Handbook.
7. Submit written application for the Greenhand FFA Degree.
8. Recite from
memory the FFA Creed, motto, salute, and Mission Statement.
9. Achieve at
least an 80% on the Greenhand test.
Section C: Chapter FFA Degree. Minimum
qualifications for election:
1. Must have received the Greenhand FFA Degree
2. Must have satisfactorily completed at least one year of
instruction in agricultural education at or above the 9th grade level, have in
operation of a Supervised Agriculture Experience Program and be enrolled in an agriculture education class.
3. Must have participated in the planning of at least three
official functions in the chapter Program of Activities.
4. Have earned and productively invested at least $150 by
the member’s own efforts or worked at least forty-five hours in excess of
scheduled class time, or a combination thereof, and have developed plans for
continued growth and improvement in a supervised agricultural experience
program.
5. Be able to lead a group discussion for fifteen minutes.
6. Have demonstrated five procedures of parliamentary law.
7. Show progress toward individual achievement in the FFA
award programs.
8. Have a satisfactory scholastic record.
9. Submit a written application for the Chapter FFA Degree.
10. Must have participated in at least one Career
Development Event.
11. Must have participated in one leadership activity.
Section D: Degree Process
1. The
executive committee shall review the qualifications of the members and make
recommendations to the chapter concerning degree advancement.
2. The committee’s
recommendations must receive a majority vote at any regular meeting before
degrees can be granted.
Section E: Pins
1. Greenhand
FFA Degree Recipients are entitled to wear the official bronze emblem pin.
2. Chapter FFA
Degree recipients shall be entitled to wear the silver emblem pin.
Article VI - Officers
Section A: The officers of the chapter shall be as
follows: President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, Reporter,
Sentinel, and Student Advisor. The local Advisor(s) shall be
the teacher(s) of Agricultural Education in the school where the chapter is
located. Officers shall perform the usual duties of their respective positions.
Section B: Chapter officers must hold the Chapter
FFA Degree unless elevated from an assistant office position.
Section C: Chapter
officers must be passing all subjects and have at least a B- average in Ag.
Education and at least a B- average in all other coursework.
Section D: Election process for officer positions
is as follows:
1. Interested members
will fill out an application, get the proper signatures and turn in on time.
2. A nominating
committee made up of willing FFA members will interview those candidates.
3. The
nominating committee will present a slate of officers at the next FFA meeting
where it must receive a majority vote of members to be accepted.
4. In the event
the slate is not accepted, the nominating committee will reconvene and the
process will continue until a slate of officers is accepted.
Section E: Chapter officers and assistant officers
must give 24 hour notice to missing any officer or regular meeting and cannot
miss more than 2 meetings without the approval from the executive committee.
Each time that an officer acquires two unexcused lates to any official officer
function, they will be treated as one unexcused absence. Accumulation of 2
unexcused absences or the equivalent will be terms for dismissal from the
officer team with the assistant officer for that position to become the new
officer.
Section F: Members wishing to receive an assistant
officer position must acquire at least the Greenhand Degree.
Section G: The process for determining assistant
officers is as follows:
1. Interested
members will fill out an application, get the proper signatures and turn in on
time.
2. The chapter
officers will evaluate the applications, interview candidates if needed and
present a slate of officers at the next FFA meeting where it must receive a
majority vote of members to be accepted.
3. In the event
the slate is not accepted, the officers will reconvene and the process will
continue until a slate of officers is accepted.
Section H: The officers, assistant officers and
standing committee chairs shall constitute the chapter executive committee.
This executive committee shall have full power to act as
necessary for the chapter.
Article VII - Committees
Section A: There
shall be 15 standing committees in the chapter. These will be the following:
Student
Development Chapter Development Community Development
Ag. Career
Skills Financial Agricultural Awareness
Healthy
Lifestyles Leadership Development
Citizenship
Leadership
Activities Public
Relations Economic Activities
Scholarship Recruitment Environmental Activities
Supervised
Agricultural Exp. Support Groups Human Resources
Article VIII - Meetings
Section A: Regular chapter meetings shall be held
once a month during the school year at such time and place as designated by the Chapter Executive Committee. Special meetings may be
called at any time.
Section B: Delegates shall be elected annually
from active membership to represent the chapter at State Convention. Other
delegates may be named as necessary to have proper representation at other
meetings.
Section C:
Standard meeting paraphernalia and agenda shall be used at each meeting. All
regular meetings shall open and close with the official ceremonies.
Parliamentary Procedure shall be used in transacting all business at each
meeting.
Article VIII - Dues
Section A Local dues of this chapter shall be
fixed annually by a majority vote of the active members.
Article IX - Amendments
Section A: The constitution may be amended or
changed by a two thirds vote of the active members present, providing it is not
in conflict with the State Association Constitution or that of the National FFA
Organization.
Section B: Bylaws may be adopted to fit the needs
of the chapter at any regular chapter meeting by two thirds vote of the active
members present providing such bylaws conflict in no way with the constitution
and bylaws of either the state association or the national organization.