Sample Activities for Conducting a Local
Officer Development Program
Taken from Dr. Jim Knight’s AED 301 Course at the University of Arizona,
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
More resources can be found at http://ag.arizona.edu/classes/aed301.htm
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Revise and implement local officer development program.
Acquaint total membership through instruction with the organizational structure
and function of the youth organization, the official accoutrements, parliamentary
procedure, and general operating procedures.
All officers know, by memory, their parts for ceremonies.
Conduct routine advisor-officer meetings to discuss activities.
After each regular meeting, conduct individual officer evaluations.
Officers meet one-half hour early before each regular meeting to arrange the
agenda.
Hold executive meetings once a month to plan activities for the month and to
evaluate the past month’s activities (first Tuesday before the first meeting of the
month, for example).
President and advisor regularly check the treasurer’s and secretary’s books
Use a slate of revolving assistant officers from the introductory classes (change
every month).
Hold one day orientation session for new officers; advisor utilize "Guides" for
respective officers.
Old officers discuss duties and responsibilities with each respective new officer.
English teacher work with secretary on use of good grammar and how to write
business letters.
Accounting teacher work with the treasurer on approved methods of keeping
accurate records.
Journalism teacher work with the reporter on recognized practices and forms in
news reporting.
School Board President speak to the president, vice-president and sentinel on the
importance of using parliamentary procedure, having good chairing skills, and
maintaining proper conduct in business meetings.
Advisors hold individual conferences with new officers to discuss "Guides" given
during the orientation session.
Outgoing officers learn ceremony for the installation of new officers.
Old and new officers discuss and evaluate past year’s activities and shortcomings
of old officer development program and offer new suggestions for improvement.
Officers complete forms for organizational awards..
Conduct officer - advisor retreat (camping trip).
Discuss all aspects of officer development, suggest means of involving higher
percentage of members in the program; go over again the duties, responsibilities
and expectations of organization officers.
Attend State Leadership Conference.
New officers attend leadership sessions for their respective offices.
Chapter Leader Notebook 9.1
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Officers meet to plan agenda for summer meeting and to make plans for another
officer retreat.
Have members who served as observers give their impressions of State
Leadership Conference and the benefits they got from attending.
Conduct second officer-advisor retreat.
Review and discuss events and sessions which took place at the State Leadership
Conference.
Revise officer and leadership development program to better serve the
organization’s needs.
President appoints first slate of assistant officers (hereafter to be selected by the
executive committee throughout the school year).
President and vice-president explain the officer and leadership development
program to the membership.
Have new members study the organization and program of activities, and learn
the official declarations of the group.
Invite local banker as guest speaker to talk on the importance of keeping up-todate, accurate financial and management records.
Secretary announces the members on the standing committees for the program
of activities and has President appoint one of the members in each committee as
chair (with vice-president to be the overall chair).
Speech teacher review with the officers the criteria involved in evaluation and
judging of speeches.
Officers study and practice official ceremonies for initiations.
Have all members review and evaluate old program of activities and offer new
suggestions for improvement to the program of activities chair (different chairs
and secretaries in each class to be used each day).
Officers meet with School Board and school administrators to review
organization’s activities.
Organization officers demonstrate how to use parliamentary procedure in a
contest situation.
Invite local politician as guest speaker on the necessity of using proper
parliamentary procedure in conducting an efficient business meeting.
Speech teacher give short talk on the preparation of a good speech.
Newly elected officers attend camp.
Begin primary discussion and planning for annual Awards Banquet.
President appoints committee responsible for arrangements and planning of
banquet.
Officers memorize and practice parts for banquet.
Executive committee meets to consider award applications.
Have junior officers conduct opening and closing ceremonies.
Have assistant officers perform a ceremony.
Chapter Leader Notebook 9.2