NATIONAL CHAPTER AWARD

• Chapter in good standing: Only Idaho FFA chapters chartered by the state association may apply.

• Superior Chapter first: The chapter must qualify as a Superior Chapter by meeting minimum National Quality Chapter Standards (NQCS) criteria. This is verified by completing Form I of the National Chapter Award application in AET..

• Activity documentation: Chapter activities must be original and student‑driven. A new application is required every year; while the same activity may be used, the goals, plans of action and results must be different. Copy‑and‑paste reuse of previous applications or other chapters’ work is prohibited.

Idaho follows the National Chapter framework: three divisions, each with five quality standards. To qualify, your chapter must complete 15 activities total—one activity for each quality standard below:

• Growing Leaders Division — develops members’ leadership, academics, and personal skills.

  • Quality Standards: Leadership, Healthy Lifestyle, Scholarship, Personal Growth, Career Success

• Building Communities Division — engages members in civic responsibility and community development.

  • Quality Standards: Environmental, Human Resources, Citizenship, Stakeholder Engagement, Economic Development

• Strengthening Agriculture Division — promotes ag literacy, advocacy, safety, and program support.

  • Quality Standards: Support Group, Chapter Recruitment, Safety, Agricultural Advocacy, Agricultural Literacy

• March 1 – Application due in AET.

• Early March – Advisors meet for state awards sifting; applications are scored.

• During State Leadership Convention – Gold ranking finalists are announced and chapters are allowed two representatives on-stage during session to receive the award on behalf of the chapter.

• June 1 - Deadline for applications advancing to the national level.

• Chapter Level: Chapters should showcase their POA activities at local banquets. Encourage members to plan and record activities in AET; this fosters record‑keeping skills and contributes to future state and national recognition.

• State Level: All chapters meeting NQCS and completing Form I earn a Superior Chapter certificate. Chapters completing Form II compete for Gold, Silver or Bronze state awards. The Gold ranking chapters are recognized on stage at the Idaho FFA SLC and invited to apply for national awards.

• National Level: Chapters that advance are eligible for 3‑star, 2‑star or 1‑star ratings. 3‑star chapters may compete for national Premier Chapter, Models of Excellence and Middle School Models of Excellence awards.

• Access the application: Use the National Chapter Award forms in the FFA.org Application Center, which are also available through AET.

• Complete Form I: Describe one activity for each quality standard and conduct a self‑assessment using the NQCS indicators. Form I must earn at least 51 of 64 possible points to unlock Form II.

• Complete Form II: Select and describe three major activities per division (nine total). For each, provide SMART goals, plans of action, results, evaluation and a photo.

• Advisor review: Advisors should verify accuracy, ensure originality and submit the final application through their advisor AET account. Use the “Assign Students” feature so students can help complete the application.

• Submission: Submit by March 1 for state review. Chapters advancing to nationals must re‑submit by June 1.

All State Awards submitted through AET (National Chapter, Agriscience, Proficiency Awards, and State Star Awards) must meet allowable replicated text thresholds. Applications that exceed these limits will be automatically disqualified and ineligible for awards. All rulings from the Idaho FFA State Advisor or their appointed representatives are final and not subject to appeal.

Allowable Limit for National Chapter Awards – 10% or less.

• Students may reuse their own text, but not text from others.

• Applications may be disqualified.

• Form I (Superior Chapter): This form is worth 64 points; chapters must score at least 51 to qualify for Form II.

• Form II (State ranking): Judges score each activity on quality, SMART goals, plan of action, outcomes and advancement of leaders/communities/agriculture. Points determine Gold, Silver or Bronze rankings.

• Gold ranking: Idaho’s Gold applications (overall score of 300+) are selected for national submission and recognized at SLC.

How many chapters advance to national competition?
Only Idaho’s Gold‑ranked chapters (recorded and announced on stage at the State Leadership Convention) may submit their applications to National FFA. These applications must be re‑submitted via AET by June 1.

Can chapters reuse past Form II narratives or activities?
Chapters must submit a new application each year. If a previous activity is used, the goals, plans of action and results must be significantly different. Copying verbatim from past years or other chapters is not allowed.

What’s the difference between Form I and Form II?
Form I documents one activity per quality standard and verifies that the chapter meets the NQCS; completing Form I earns the Superior Chapter Award and unlocks Form II. Form II describes three major activities per division and determines the chapter’s gold, silver or bronze ranking.

How does a Gold ranking affect the IQPS grant?
The IQPS grant rubric awards points to agricultural education programs whose FFA chapter earns a Gold ranking on the National Chapter application. Gold‑ranked chapters can therefore strengthen their IQPS grant applications.

Are there limits on the number of activities or pages?
The online application limits the length of each section (e.g., 350 characters for most descriptions). Altering the template (fonts, sizes, character limits) will disqualify the application.

What counts as an “activity”?
An activity is a single, specific task (e.g., hosting a leadership workshop or conducting a needs survey). An event is a bigger, multi-part occasion (e.g., a full-day career fair). The application asks you to report one activity per quality standard—if multiple activities are bundled into one description, that line won’t earn points.

Do fundraisers count as an activity?
No; fundraisers (fruit/plant/meat sales) don’t align to any quality standard and shouldn’t be used as National Chapter activities; service or benefit events that help the community can fit under Citizenship.