Wisconsin FFA Foundation Star Mission Partners have been generous financial supporters of leadership, growth and career success opportunities throughout the Wisconsin FFA organization since 2011. These substantial donations range from $5,000 to $30,000 and provide the ability for new projects, as well as long-term growth and financial stability for Wisconsin Agricultural Education and FFA. To date, $115,000 in unrestricted funds and an additional $53,000 in project-specific grant funds from Star Mission Partners have benefited all five entities of Wisconsin FFA: the Wisconsin FFA Alumni Association, Wisconsin Association of FFA, Wisconsin FFA Center, Wisconsin FFA Foundation and Wisconsin Association of Agricultural Educators.
Three-Star Star Mission Partners of the Wisconsin FFA Foundation are ANIMART and CHS Foundation. Two-Star Star Mission Partners include Badgerland Financial, Culver Franchising System, Inc., Organic Valley/CROPP Cooperative, Inc. and Rural Mutual Insurance Company. One-Star Star Mission Partners are the Alliant Energy Foundation and Oscar Mayer.
"We couldn't be more thankful for our Star Mission Partners," says Sara Schoenborn, Wisconsin FFA Foundation Executive Director. "They truly bring a sincere and significant level of commitment to Wisconsin's agricultural education programming. The projects and people we've been able to support and grow because of our Star Mission Partners have been phenomenal."
The Wisconsin FFA Foundation's Star Mission Partners have contributed to many projects over the past 12 months. These funds supported the installation of the first private/parochial FFA chapter in Wisconsin at Lakeside Lutheran High School in Lake Mills, and the Wisconsin FFA Alumni Association benefitted from new branding tools and media training. Providing resources for agricultural educators is also an objective of the Star Mission program, and in the last year, this group was granted funds for new instructor mentoring and instructional resource kits, a DOW Agriscience Inquiry Institute pilot program, as well as instructional packets for a professional development conference.
"The country is facing a shortage of agricultural instructors," says Jeff Hicken, State FFA Advisor and Agriculture and Natural Resources Education Consultant. "The Wisconsin FFA Foundation's Star Mission Partner Program provides us with resources to better support our students, ag educators and the many alumni who support these two groups at the local level."
To learn more about the 2014-15 Star Mission Partners and the overall program, visit www.WisconsinFFAFoundation.org.
The Wisconsin FFA Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) organization, unites individuals, organizations and companies who share a common interest in the advancement of agriculture and community leadership through FFA. You can support today's FFA members by supporting the programs that have been core tenets of the FFA: proficiency awards, career development events, state FFA degrees, sectional leadership workshops, scholarships, chapter awards, agri-science fair, state FFA convention and state officer support. Learn more about the Wisconsin FFA Foundation and sponsorship opportunities by visiting www.wisconsinffafoundation.org 5.19.2015