AMP Happenings for the Week of December 21st

​The faculty and staff of the NEISD Agriscience Magnet Program want to wish our students and families peace, joy, and all the best this wonderful holiday season has to offer!

 The North East ISD will be closed the week of December 21, 2020 and December 28, 2020. Classes will resume on Monday, January 4, 2021.

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Howdy AMP families and students,

The following are important events and happenings for the week of December 21st.
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​Upcoming Events ​

• December 21, 2020 - January 1, 2021 - Winter Holiday Break
• Monday, January 4, 2021 - First day of classes for the 2nd Semester
• Tuesday, January 5, 2021 - FFA Career Development Events Informational Session from 4:00PM to 6:00PM in AMP Commons
• Tuesday, January 5, 2021 -  JM FFA Booster Club General Meeting @ 6:30PM via Zoom
• Friday, January 8, 2021 - Saturday, January 9, 2021 - 2021 North East Ag Fair

FFA Career Development Events Informational Session - January 5th
With the arrival of the Spring semester, a major focus within the AMP will be on preparing students to compete in Career Development Events (CDEs). CDEs build on what is learned in agricultural classes and encourage students to put their knowledge into practice. These events are designed to help a student prepare for a career in agriculture by testing and challenging the student's technical, leadership, interpersonal and teamwork skills as well as their knowledge of the subject matter.

Many CDEs are qualifying events for the National FFA CDE competition and/or offer scholarship opportunities. 

All AMP students are invited to attend a "come and go" CDE Informational Session from 4:00PM to 6:00PM on Tuesday, January 5, 2021 in the AMP Commons. At the session, AMP teachers will have informational tables for the various CDEs being offered this Spring semester so students can see first hand what each CDE has to offer. 
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January JM FFA Booster Club General Meeting - January 5th
The next monthly meeting of the FFA Booster Club will be Tuesday, January 5th at 6:30pm via Zoom. All parents/guardians of AMP students are encouraged to join us online for the Booster Club meeting.

2021 North East Ag Fair - January 8-9, 2021
The FFA Booster Club is seeking business and family sponsors for the 2021 North East Ag Fair. Sponsorship levels are available from $500 to $1500. Potential sponsors can find out more information about the sponsorship opportunities by going to: https://northeastagfair.weebly.com/sponsors.html.

A schedule of events is also available online at: https://northeastagfair.weebly.com/schedule.html.

NEISD Magnet Common Application Open for 2021-2022
The NEISD Magnet Common Application for the 2021-2022 school year is now available for interested 8th graders to apply for the Agriscience Magnet Program (AMP). Applications may be submitted until February 12, 2021. Go to https://tinyurl.com/AMPenrollmentprocess for more information. 

The AMP has also made available a virtual information session on the Agriscience Magnet Program YouTube Channel.

Texas A&M University - Kingsville (TAMUK)
Texas A&M University - Kingsville announces the Javelina Opportunity Award covering tuition and fees for freshmen enrolling in 2021! The Javelina Opportunity Award continues the University’s legacy by helping eliminate financial barriers to achievement. Eligible students may have their tuition and fees covered for the first two long semesters (Spring/Fall) in which they are enrolled. For details and eligibility requirements, check out the Javelina Opportunity Award.

Click the following YouTube links to learn more about the opportunities available through the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at TAMUK:

• Rangeland and Wildlife Sciences Program
• Agriculture College Experience
• Plant and Soil Science Program
• Hands On Opportunities
• Agriculture Science Program
• Veterinary Technology Program

Scholarship Opportunities
​Department of Soil & Crop Sciences at Texas A&M University
Deadline: January 1, 2021
The Department of Soil & Crop Sciences at Texas A&M University is awarding $16,000 scholarships to incoming freshmen and $8000 scholarships to transfer students.  The deadline for the application is January 1, 2021.  Please find the application at this link: http://soilcrop.tamu.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/scholarships/

Texas Farm Credit Scholarship Program
Deadline: January 8, 2021
To qualify, an applicant must be a high school senior, be a member of FFA or 4-H, plan to pursue an agriculture-related college degree, submit a current high school transcript, resume, and essay (prompt at link above). Click the link above in the title for further details.
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National FFA Scholarship Program
Deadline: January 14, 2021
The National FFA Scholarship Program application opens Nov. 1. Whether students are planning on attending a specialized training program or seeking a four-year degree, the National FFA Scholarship Program has opportunities for all. Scholarships support FFA high school seniors and collegiate members as well as non-FFA students.

Just one application is required for multiple scholarship opportunities totaling close to $2 million dollars. Everything students need to successfully complete the application can be found on the scholarship website. This year, we are also including how-to videos to assist students in completing the application and advisors on validating the student’s application. It is imperative that students “white list” emails that will come from our scholarship partner ISTS. Here is a document to walk you through how to ensure you receive the communication around the scholarship program.

The scholarship application closes on Jan. 14, 2021. Access the scholarship application and resources at FFA.org/Scholarships.

USDA/1890 National Scholars Program
Deadline: January 31, 2021
Prairie View A&M University is in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to encourage bright young people to study agriculture, food, natural resource sciences or related disciplines. USDA recently announced that applications are now being accepted for the USDA/1890 National Scholars Program for the 2021/2022 school year. Aspiring high school seniors are encouraged to apply before the January 31, 2021 deadline.

USDA/1890 National Scholars are selected by participating USDA agencies based on recommendations of participating 1890 Land-Grant Universities. USDA/1890 scholarship recipients receive full tuition, fees, books, summer employment and employee benefits for each of the four years they pursue a bachelor’s degree. The partnering institutions provide room and board. Recipients are required to work one year (with pay) at USDA for each year they receive the scholarship. The 2018 Farm Bill authorizes conversion to full-time employment upon graduation and successful completion of the program.

For further information, please contact Horace D. Hodge, USDA Liaison Officer by voice at (202) 302-4712, or email at [email protected]. His mailing address is P.O. Box 2736, Prairie View, Texas 77446.

Stay Connected with Us!
Find us online at www.JamesMadisonFFA.com or follow us on
Youtube (Agriscience Magnet Program), 
Facebook (www.facebook.com/MadisonFFA),
and on Instagram (www.instagram.com/jamesmadisonffa)
Stay connected with the AMP for the 2020-2021 school year.