The annual FFA Jackrabbit Invite set for Thursday hopes to give middle school and high school students an opportunity to develop leadership skills and gain a glimpse of life as a Jackrabbit.
Jackrabbit Invite is an opportunity for FFA chapters to practice and receive feedback before district competitions begin and has no effect on state and district standing. Leadership Development Events (LDEs) are the focus of the invite. Some examples of events include agriculture sales, marketing plan, extemporaneous speaking and employability skills. These competitions help participants develop skills that they can use well past their days in FFA.
Emily Matejka, a senior agricultural communications major and president of the Collegiate FFA/Agriculture Education club said, “No matter the competition they choose to participate in, students will get something out if it that they can use later in life.”
The Collegiate FFA/Agriculture Education club works in partnership with 12 SDSU agriculture education seniors to put on the event. It will bring over 450 high school FFA members from across South Dakota to campus to participate in 10 events. FFA chapters are coming from areas as close as Brookings, and from as far away as Belle Fourche.
The agriculture education seniors are each assigned a competition to oversee while the club does all the supporting work such as booking rooms, ordering food and handling sign-up for the competition.
FFA Jackrabbit Invite is a student run competition overseen by two advisers, Laura Hasselquist and Matthew Albritton. There are 80 student volunteers in addition to the seniors running competitions and the club officers coordinating the day’s events.
“It’s a lot of work, but it’s definitely worth it to provide an opportunity for students to come do some practice and get feedback,” Matejka said.
Lindsey Vander Wal, a senior agriculture education major at SDSU, is a co-chair for the agriculture sales competition. This competition is one of the largest of the day with 92 participants. She and her classmate, Samantha Genc, have worked on their event throughout the semester making the content for the contest through their supervision of youth organizations class.
Vander Wal believes in Jackrabbit Invite and the benefits it brings to its participants.
“These events help with communication skills, but also confidence. The more times you do it, the better you get at it,” Vander Wal said.
Tyler Burgess, a senior agriculture major, is the chair for the conduct of chapter meetings competition. He thinks this event also brings value to participants because it helps them develop their skills in team work, professionalism and poise.
Not only will Jackrabbit Invite allow students to develop skills that will be useful later in life, they will also get a look into what life is like on campus as an SDSU student because the competitions are hosted in buildings across campus.
Events such as this one can have a positive impact on students’ exploration of South Dakota State University. When students spend time here, it allows them the opportunity to picture themselves on campus as a college student.
Shawn Helmbolt, director of University Admissions, said, “I hope (event participants) walk away impressed by not only the campus facilities they get to use but I also hope they walk away with a feeling of comfort with regards to the people they get to interact with while on campus…and that this place feels like home, a place they can see themselves at.”
Jackrabbit Invite gives participants a different perception of campus than they may experience on a tour because of the additional time they spend in the Student Union, different classrooms and exploring campus on their own.
Vander Wal also said that participants “get to see SDSU in action and see what life is like as a student.”
South Dakota State University students are encouraged to do the “simple things,” like saying ‘hi,’ helping the participants find a building, and smiling and being a friendly face, to help the FFA members feel welcome.
Students should feel “a sense of pride that the university that we attend is really investing and giving back to high school students,” Matejka said.
