Workshops & Activities
Nevada FFA Association provides a wide variety of fun and educational workshops and service opportunities for students during State Convention. See details about this year’s offerings below!
10:00 am – 11:30 am
Animal Science Production
Students will be able to participate in a hands-on learning activity that will allow for the opportunity to learn about cattle reproductive anatomy.
Presented by Dr. Luis Schutz, University of Nevada, Reno; Department of Agriculture, Veterinary and Rangeland Sciences
Location: AE4 (Agricultural Education Building), 100 Valley Road, Reno, NV
Must pre-register by March 4 via your convention registration.
Range Olympics
The golden opportunity to represent your school and go for glory in front of the world! The UNR Rangeland Olympic Games is a coveted competition and test of skill and might, competing to be the best in the west-ern range. Competitors will learn various skill sets common in field ecology and range management, and compete to be the ‘best hand in the land’. Sponsored events can include: 50m Tape Measure Reeling, Biomass Estimation, Navigational Orienteering, Chaining Pin Toss, First-aid Response, and Soil Texturing. Bring the best of yourself and your chapter!
Presented by Lucas Phipps, Will Richardson and Team, University of Nevada, Reno, Rangeland Science
Location: KRC 104, 1000 Valley Road, Reno, NV
Must pre-register by March 4 via your convention registration.
Let it Glow, Bacterial Transformation
Experience the process that introduces foreign DNA into a bacterial cell, resulting in the acquisition of new genetic traits.
Presented by Patricia Santos, University of Nevada, Reno, Department of Agriculture, Veterinary and Rangeland Sciences
Location: KRC 127, 100 Valley Road, Reno, NV
Must pre-register by March 4 via your convention registration.
1:30 pm – 3 pm
Workshops repeated:
(see descriptions above from 10 – 11:30 am)
- Animal Science Production
- Range Olympics
- Let it Glow, Bacterial Transformation
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Service Project
Pay it Forward Flowers – Students will deliver floral arrangements
Meet in EJCH 202
Locations KRC and AE are shown below
9:30 am – 4 pm
Service Projects
Students will be able to choose from a variety of projects. Supplies will be provided.
Meet in EJCH 202
9:30 am – 10:30 am
The Banking Survival Guide
Students will learn about checking and savings accounts, banks and credit unions, how to manage their accounts, how to save money, and why credit is so important in this engaging and fun-filled workshop!
Presented by Surae Helms, Senior Financial Education and Community Specialist, Greater Nevada Credit Union
Location: WRB 2003
Next Level Leadership: The Legacy You Leave
What will your FFA Legacy be? In this interactive workshop, you’ll dive into what it means to lead with purpose and make an impact that lasts. Through engaging activivities, real talk from a Past State President, and a little bit of self-reflection, you’ll create your very own Leadership Time Capsule – so get ready to step up, stand out, and shape what’s next!
Presented by Morgan Noorda – Past State Officer
Location: WRB 2006
11 am – 12 pm
9:30 am workshops repeated: see details above
- The Banking Survival Game
- Next Level Leadership: The Legacy You Leave
9 am – 12 pm
Service Projects
Students will be able to choose from a variety of projects. Supplies will be provided.
Location: EJCH 202
9 am – 10 am
Purposeful Pivoting
In life, we all encounter moments when we feel stuck in a rut, unsure of how to move forward. This workshop is designed to explore the tangible steps we can take to pivot, shift our mindset, and effectively lead ourselves and others through challenging times. Let’s dive into actionable strategies for growth and transformation through Purposeful Pivoting.
Presented by Caroline Groth – National FFA Eastern Region Vice President
Location: WRB 2003
Digging up Ag Ed with NevadaTeach
You’ve been Tagged to Teach Ag! Join us for an edible Ag Ed lesson to demonstrate the different layers of soil & soil health. Discover what a lesson in the life of an Ag teacher is like, the perks of being an Ag Teacher, and learn about Teach Ag – a UNR NevadaTeach program!
Presented by Sarah Perry, NevadaTeach Ag Pre-Service Teacher
Location: WRB 4116
10:30 am – 11:30 am
Workshops Repeated:
(see descriptions above from 9-10 am)
- Purposeful Pivoting
- Digging up Ag Ed with NevadaTeach
9:30 am – 4 pm
Service Projects
Students will be able to choose from a variety of projects. Supplies will be provided.
Location: EJCH 202
9:30 am – 10:30 am
The Banking Survival Guide
Students will learn about checking and savings accounts, banks and credit unions, how to manage their accounts, how to save money, and why credit is so important in this engaging and fun-filled workshop!
Presented by Surae Helms, Senior Financial Education and Community Specialist, Greater Nevada Credit Union
Location: WRB 2003
Next Level Leadership: The Legacy You Leave
What will your FFA Legacy be? In this interactive workshop, you’ll dive into what it means to lead with purpose and make an impact that lasts. Through engaging activities, real talk from a Past State President, and a little bit of self-reflection, you’ll create your very own Leadership Time Capsule – so get ready to step up, stand out, and shape what’s next!
Presented by Morgan Noorda – Past State Officer
Location: WRB 2006
Workshops repeated:
(see descriptions above from 9:30 – 10:30 am)
- The Banking Survival Guide
- Next Level Leadership: The Legacy You Leave
10 am – 11:30 am
The Science of Poop: Using Cattle to Fecally Seed Degraded Rangelands
Learn the science behind what and how ruminants eat, how plants they eat are digested, how ingested seeds would be affected in their germination, the ruminant
digestive processes, and how we could use these animals to manage plant inventory
in grazing systems. Cannulated cattle will be used in this workshop to show the
digestive process.
Presented by Dr. Mozart Fonseca, College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural
Resources
Must pre-register by February 28 via your convention registration.
Location: UNR Equestrian Center (Corner of Valley Rd. & Sadleir Way)
The 2023 International Field Ecologist and Range Manager Olympic Games
The golden opportunity to represent your school and go for glory in front of the world! Or, well at least us range types here in Reno! The UNR Rangeland Olympic Games is a coveted competition and test of skill and might, competing to be the best in the west-ern range. Competitors will learn various skill sets common in field ecology and range management, and compete to be the ‘best hand in the land’. Sponsored events can include: 50m Tape Measure Reeling, Biomass Estimation, Navigational Orienteering, Chaining Pin Toss, First-aid Response, and Soil Texturing. Bring the best of yourself and your school colors! Glory at the awards ceremony may be a moment you will hold forever.
Best of luck to all our competitors!
Presented by Rangeland Science Lab – Lucas Phipps and Team, University of Nevada Reno, Rangeland Science
Must pre-register by February 28 via your convention registration.
Location: Knudtsen Resource Center (KRC) 104, 1000 Valley Road, Reno 89512 (see map below)
Drones in Agriculture and Land Management
Learn about the sciences of remote sensing and precision agriculture. Learn about how to get certified to fly drones for agricultural crop and animal monitoring, the skills and abilities needed to process and utilize drone-acquired data, and weather-permitting, watch drone imagery capture live.
Presented by Tracy Shane and Russell Godkin, College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources
Must pre-register by February 28 via your convention registration.
Location: Knudtsen Resource Center (KRC) 105 to start, 1000 Valley Road, Reno 89512 (see map above) – Call Tracy, (775)934-5646, if running late & they are outside.
Human Nutrition & Dietetics
Learn about the nutritional needs of your body and the science behind keeping it healthy. This workshop will include hands-on activities in a lab setting.
Presented by David St. Jules, College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources
Must pre-register by February 28 via your convention registration.
Location: Meet at WRB 2003 and be escorted to the lab classroom.
1:30 – 3 pm
Workshops repeated:
(see descriptions above from 10 – 11 am)
3 pm – 4:30 pm
Service Project
Students will deliver floral arrangements.
Location: EJCH 202
9 am – 12 pm
Service Projects
Students will be able to choose from a variety of projects. Supplies will be provided.
Location: EJCH 202
9 am – 10 am
Let’s ROCK this World
Students will learn how to add value to others in their lives by being the ROCKstars they already are.
Presented by Gracie Murphy – National FFA Eastern Region Vice President
Location: WRB 2003
What YF&R Means To You
Learn more about Young Farmers & Ranchers and how it can help you once you graduate high school.
Presented by Monica Avery/ Simon Solagui/ Sarah Stallard
Location: WRB 2005
Leadership Development
Learn how to grow as a leader with Ember.
Presented by Ember Mendoza, Idaho FFA Association 2022-2023 State Reporter
Location: EJCH 205
10:30 am – 11:30 am
Workshops Repeated:
(see descriptions above from 9-10 am)
