Convention Welcome
Premier leadership, personal growth, and career success are all key to the success of the Florida FFA Association. For many years, FFA members have worn the blue jackets and have worked hard to uphold the gold standards that the organization is known for. FFA members today are no different - after 80 years, Florida FFA members continue "Looking Back" and "Moving Forward." Now it is time for those members to come together for the 80th Florida FFA State Convention and Leadership Conference.
The 80th Florida FFA State Convention is sure to be an exciting event, as we look back on 80 years of traditions: traditions of agriculture, leadership, hard work, and success. While at the convention, more than 3,500 members and guests will be challenged to move forward with a sense of pride for our industry, service for their community, and leadership for our organization.
While in the convention center, FFA members and guests will experience motivational speakers, award presentations, exciting exhibits, challenging career development events, and plenty of entertaining activities; not to mention the FFA Concert! Attendees can take a stroll through the FFA Trade Show in search of the perfect career connection, attend a workshop to brush up on those leadership skills, or simply interact and share ideas with FFA members and advisors from across the state. The 80th Florida FFA State Convention and Leadership Conference is your opportunity to continue "Looking Back" and "Moving Forward."
Convention Location
Nestled on over 45 acres covered with stately palms and fragrant tropical flowers, the Caribe Royale Orlando is sure to be the site for the best convention ever! Just minutes from Universal Orlando, Islands of Adventure, City Walk, Sea World, Walt Disney World, as well as plenty of shopping and restaurants. Physical and contact information for the Caribe Royale Orlando is:Caribe Royale Orlando
8101 World Center Drive
Orlando, Florida 32821
Phone: 407.238.8000
Fax: 407.238.8061
Web: http://www.cariberoyale.com
Convention Highlights
The 80th Florida FFA State Convention is packed with exciting award presentations, competitive Career Development Events, inspiring keynote speakers, entertaining special events, and much more. The 'Convention Highlights' provides an overview of all activities at the convention as well as session line-ups. Please consider that this schedule is subject to change and there will be multiple editions as changes are made.
Click here for the latest 'Convention Highlights.'
Be There!The 2008 State FFA Officer team is planning an exciting convention packed with excitement, recognition, awards, competition, and great speakers! Be there to help us celebrate “80 Years – Looking Back, Moving Forward!”
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Attendance
Attendance at the 2008 State FFA Convention is open to all bona-fide FFA members, advisors, parents, sponsors, alumni members and special guests. All FFA members must be accompanied (at all times) by an appointed school district representative. Students will not be allowed to register without their advisor.
Award Recognition
All first place state winning Career Development Event team members and all high individuals will be recognized on stage. One individual and one advisor from the second through fifth place teams will also be recognized on stage. One member and an advisor from newly chartered chapters will be recognized on stage. It is important for ALL award winners and finalists to report to the award line-up room (Curaco 7-8) 30 minutes prior to the session in which you will receive your award.
Planning Meals
The Caribe Royale Orlando and surrounding area offer plenty of food options. There will be specially priced food options available in thehotel eating areas.
Convention Guidelines
Proper behavior is imperative at the FFA Convention. It will be the advisor’s responsibility to ensure curfew adherence and that members who attend the convention attend each session. Careful selection of those members to attend convention is essential for a successful and meaningful event. All FFA members who attend the convention must be properly and adequately chaperoned and dressed. Adequately chaperoned is defined as one adult for every six students. We will not register students without an advisor or chaperone. We will not register students from a chapter without permission from the school and without an appointed school district representative in attendance. Convention lodging policy permits five (5) person maximum occupancy in convention suites. Chapters found to be in violation of this policy will be subject to additional room charges.
Convention Dress Code
All student attendees should be in official dress. Any FFA member going on stage must be in official dress. The Courtesy Corps and advisors will be monitoring dress at the entrances to the convention hall. Florida FFA reserves the right to limit convention participation for students not in proper official dress, as outlined in the Official FFA Manual.
Special Events
2nd Annual Dy of Service
Florida FFA is seeking students and teachers from across the state to uphold the gold standards and take part in one of the largest civic engagement events ever held within Florida FFA. During the 80th Florida FFA State Convention, one of the premier activities for young leaders to participate in is the 2nd Annual Florida FFA Day of Service. The Day of Service, “Moving Forward” in a fight against hunger, will have a huge impact on the city of Orlando and the entire state of Florida. While participating, FFA members will provide service to the community through a partnership with America’s Second Harvest Food Bank and the Greater Orlando Food Outreach. There are two opportunities for students to volunteer in these community food centers. Transportation to and from each site will be provided. Shift A will depart Tuesday morning at 8:00am. Shift B will depart Tuesday morning at 11:30am. Both shifts are scheduled to return to the convention site approximately 3.5 hours after departure.
SAK Comedy Lab presents…The SAK Show!
As the “newest and funniest” part of convention, two teams of improvisers and a host will perform the signature ‘Duel of Fools,’ where each will compete against each other using audience suggestions to build scenes, songs, and soliloquies. You don’t want to miss this hilarious and exclusive event!Circle America Fundraising, LLC. presents…Phil Stacey Live in Concert
Florida native and former American Idol Finalist Phil Stacey will be here to rock the convention hall Thursday night! Phil made a name for himself in 2007 when he performed for millions of viewers each week during his competition on the sixth season of American Idol. His renditions of the country hits "Where The Blacktop Ends," "The Change," and "I Need You" were among his most praised performances of the season. Following his time on American Idol, Phil toured with his fellow contestants over the summer on a 55 city tour before moving to Nashville. Be sure to checkDelegate Responsibilities
There should be two delegates from your chapter in the appropriate place whenever official business is being conducted at the convention. This includes delegate committee meetings, district meetings, business sessions, and campaign sessions as well as the general sessions. Delegate business sessions will be announced well in advance of convention. Additional delegate committee information will be sent in a future mailing.
Seating Delegates
Please remember that you must have submitted Form 1 of the National Chapter Award application in order to seat voting delegates at the Florida FFA Convention. Applications are due by April 1, 2008.
Changes/Cancellations
Cancellations must be made with the hotel a minimum of 72 hours prior to arrival. Cancellation fees may apply. There are no refunds on convention attendee registration.
Housing Rates and Chapter ReservationsThe rates are listed on the room reservation form ($150.00/room - 5 persons per room occupancy). Please fill out the form completely,print, attach a copy of your tax-exempt certificate, and mail to hotel. Tax-exempt status applies to any of the accommodations being paid by a check printed with a school or school district’s name on it. You must attach a copy of the schools tax certificate, and let the front desk know that you are tax exempt upon check-in. Send the form, along with a one night’s deposit to the Caribe Royale Orlando by May 1, 2008. Arrivals without confirmed reservations and/or reservations received after the cut-off date are subject to room availability. If the number of rooms you require changes after you send in the reservation form, contact the hotel immediately. Hotel registration will take place separately from convention registration.
All housing forms should be sent to the attention of: Sheylla Lugo / Group Housing Department.
All checks should be made payable to: Caribe Royale All Suites Hotel.
Individual Reservations
Individuals such as school officials, alumni members, sponsors, special guests (VIP), and exhibitors may choose to make their personal reservations by phone using a credit card. For individuals reservations, please call the Caribe Royale Reservation Agents at 1 (800) 823-8300 or (407) 238-8000 and request the Florida Future Farmers of America Group. Please indicate to the reservations agent you are one of the following: Alumni, Sponsor, Special Guest (VIP), or Exhibitor.
Check Out
Chapter accounts will be available for viewing on Thursday evening to enable you to check your bill before you go to check-out. This will eliminate the long check-out lines on the final day of convention.
Telephone Usage
Local phone calls made from your room at the Caribe Royale Orlando will be surcharged, even if there is no answer. We recommend that your students make calls from the pay phones in the convention center. In addition, ONLY advisors are authorized to have outside phone service turned on in the rooms.
Room Conditions
The cleaning of rooms for youth sponsored events can cause additional work on the part of the hotel staff. We would encourage you to visit with your members about keeping their rooms picked up. Please remember proper etiquette for lodging i.e. (tips, courtesy, etc.). In addition, each chapter will be responsible for signing a room damage waiver holding the chapter/school responsible for any room damages up to $300.00 maximum.
Curfew
Students are expected to be in their rooms with the lights out and quiet by 11:30 p.m. each night, unless otherwise noted in the convention program. Students will need their sleep. In addition, we ask that you check your students’ rooms periodically after curfew to insure that they are adhering to curfew policy. Hotel security has been instructed to contact Belinda Chason and Ronnie Simmons with any complaints. Chapters found to be in violation of curfew policies, and/or disrespecting other guests or hotel property will be terminated from the convention at once, at the expense of the chapter/school. All convention policy violations will be reported to school principal and superintendent.
Changes/Cancellations
Cancellations must be made with the hotel a minimum of 72 hours prior to arrival. Cancellation fees may apply. There are no refunds on convention attendee registration.
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Convention Registration Information
Online – Convention Registration (with rooms in FFA block) Online – Convention Registration (without rooms in FFA block) Online – Single Day Convention Registration Onsite – Convention Registration (with rooms in FFA block) Onsite – Convention Registration (without rooms in FFA Block) Onsite – Single Day Convention Registration How do I register?
Coming soon, convention registration can be completed online! All attendees registering online will receive the discounted registration rate. Using the online registration system, payment methods will include VISA, MASTERCARD, or school check. Those attendees pre-registered online will be permitted to use the EXPRESS registration line to pick up registration materials at the convention. Chapters who will choose to pay by school check should mail all payments to the Florida FFA Association office postmarked by May 15, 2008. If you feel that your convention registration will not arrive in time, please do not send it. Instead, bring a copy of your registration confirmation and payment to the Express line at convention.
Those chapters not using the online convention registration system must enter the ONSITE registration line and take the time to fill out the proper paperwork onsite. Attendees registering onsite will incur an additional $5.00 registration fee per attendee, as per the above schedule. We cannot be responsible for your payment and registration forms being lost in the mail. Please DO NOT send your student permission forms in the mail. Permission forms must be presented upon arrival. All forms related to convention and hotel registration can be found under 'Required Forms for Students' below.
Onsite Registration hours are: Monday, June 9 from 1:00-6:00 p.m., Tuesday - Thursday, June 10-12 from 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. and Friday, June 13 from 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
The registration fee will be $50.00 per person (online) or $55.00 per person (onsite) for any chapter that does not stay at the convention hotel (except those chapters within a 30 mile radius). As you know, the Florida FFA Association is able to offer the lowest student convention registration fee in the state based on an agreement with the hotel for a certain number of rooms used. Your choice to stay at the convention hotel insures that this is possible.
Required Forms for Students
The Authorization to Attend the State FFA Convention form must be signed and turned in at the registration desk upon your arrival at convention. It is your responsibility to have each member of your group read and sign the form. In addition, each of your students must complete the parental consent form (that must be notarized) to be left on file at registration. You will not be permitted to attend convention without this documentation. Please have all of these forms completed before your arrival at the convention, regardless if you have pre-registered or are using onsite registration.
Special Event Tickets
Tickets for the all special events, including the concert and comedy show, will be available for purchase online with your chapter registration. Ticket prices are $10 for each event during the pre-convention registration period and $15 for each event on-site at convention.
Copyright 2008 © Florida FFA Association. All rights reserved.
The Florida FFA Association is a resource and support organization that does not select, control, supervise or approve local
chapter or individual member activities except as expressly provided for in the Florida FFA Constitution and Bylaws.