Program of Activities (POA)
Objectives
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Define the function and purpose of a program
of activities.
State the three major divisions of a POA.
Explain the goals of each major division.
Explain how to develop a POA.
Explain why the POA is important and how it
is connected to State Superior Chapter Award
and to the National Chapter Award.
State the Quality Standards of the National
Chapter Award.
Objectives 1: What is a POA?
A document with chapter goals
(activities) and plans on how to
accomplish them.
 It is developed by students with
guidance from the advisor.
 A new one is developed every year.
 Every student should have a copy of the
chapter POA.
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A well-planned POA will:
Ensure that chapter activities meet the
needs of students
 Provide direction from year to year
 Lead to a workable budget
 Provide experience in planning
 Serve as reference point throughout the
year
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What is the difference
between a POA and
a Chapter Handbook?
POA is simply a listing of planned
activities along with action steps
 A Chapter Handbook includes the POA
plus some of the following:
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Directory of members
Constitution and By-Laws
List of past award winners
Chapter history
Objective 2: Divisions of a POA
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Student Development
– Promotes personal and group activities
that promote life skills
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Chapter Development
– Encourages students to work together
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Community Development
– Cooperate with other groups to make the
community a better place to live & work.
Objective 3:
Student Development
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I-1 Leadership activities that help the
individual develop, technical, human
relations and decision-making skills to
enhance personal success.
WLC
Student Development
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I-2 Healthy lifestyles activities that
promote the well-being and self-esteem
of the student, either mentally or
physically.
Student Development
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I-3 Supervised agricultural experience
activities that promote student
involvement and growth through
agriculture-related experience and/or
entrepreneurship.
Student Development
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I-4 Scholarship activities that develop a
positive attitude toward lifelong
learning experiences.
Student Development
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I-5 Agricultural career skills activities
that develop agricultural competencies
and career skills through a progressive
learning environment.
Chapter Development
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II-1 Chapter recruitment activities
conducted to increase the agricultural
education enrollment and/or FFA
membership and encourage greater
partipation.
Chapter Development
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II-2 Financial activities conducted to
encourage thrift and good financial
management among members through
earnings, savings and investments.
Chapter Development
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II-3 Public Relations activities
conducted to promote a positive image
and inform students, parents, school
officials and the community about
chapter and member accomplishments.
Chapter Development
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II-4 Leadership activities conducted to
develop team-work and cooperative
skills among chapter officers,
committees and members.
Chapter Development
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II-5 Support group activities conducted
to develop and maintain positive
relations among the FFA, parents,
community leaders and industry.
Community Development
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III-1 Economic activities conducted to
improve the economic welfare of the
community.
Community Development
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III-2 Environmental activities
conducted to preserve natural resources
and develop more environmentally
responsible individuals.
Community Development
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III-3 Human resources activities
conducted to improve the welfare and
well-being of members and citizens of
the community.
Community Development
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III-4 Citizenship activities conducted to
promote and encourage members to
become active, involved citizens of their
school, community, and country.
Community Development
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III-5 Agricultural awareness activities
conducted to help the public become
better informed about the food system
and related agricultural issues.
Objective 4:
How is a POA developed?
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Divide students into committees
– 3 or 15 committees suggested
– Consider using students in intact classes as
committees
Review past POAs
 Use forms in POA Handbook
 Use class time to develop POA
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When is the POA developed?
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After new officers are elected
Objective 5: National
Chapter Award Program
Recognizes top chapters
 Let’s public know of chapter
accomplishments
 Recognition for students
 Develops pride
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State Level Awards
Award
Recognition
Form
Superior
Certificate
I
Gold
Plaque
II
Silver
Plaque
II
Bronze
Plaque
II
National Level Awards
Award
One Star Gold
Two Star Gold
Three Star Gold
Top 10 Student
Top 10 Chapter
Top 10 Community
Top in each division
Recognition
Plaque
Plaque
Plaque
Plaque
Plaque
Plaque
Plaque
How to Develop a
Program of Activities
Your Chapter’s Roadmap to Success!
Simply stated the POA is:
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A record of WHAT is going to be done,
WHO is going to do it, WHEN it is
going to be done, WHERE it will
happen, WHY it is happening, HOW it
will be done, and HOW MUCH it is
going to cost.
POA Organization
Chapters build their Program of
Activities around their committee
structure.
 Committee structure will depend on:
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size of chapter
involvement of members
number of activities to complete
school and community support
number of advisors
Committee Structure
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Standing committees
– committees that serve a function from year to
year
– examples: SAEs, Leadership, Recreation
Executive committee
– usually consists of the chapter officers and
changes each year
Special committees
– committees that may meet to plan only one
event
– examples: Safety Fair, Hayride, Auction
Committee Structure
The Vice President has the
responsibility of coordination all
standing committee work.
 Chapter officers have the responsibility
of coordinating chapter activities, but
need not serve as committee chairs.
 Every chapter member should actively
serve on at least one committee.
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Committee Structure
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Number of committees
– Three committees
– Nine committee
– Fifteen committees
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Names of committees
– standards
– tradition
– function
Committee Structure
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Student participation in committees
should be based on:
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member interest
member abilities
member availability
desired representation of student diversity
POA Divisions
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Student Development Division
– to promote personal and group activities
that improve life skills
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Chapter Development Division
– encourage students to work together
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Community Development Division
– cooperate with other groups to make the
community a better place to live and work
Student Development
Division
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Leadership
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Healthy Lifestyles
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Supervised Agricultural Experience
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Scholarship
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Agricultural Career Skills
Chapter Development
Division
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Chapter Recruitment
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Financial
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Public Relations
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Leadership
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Support Group
Community Development
Division
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Economic
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Environmental
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Human Resources
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Citizenship
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Agricultural Awareness
Developing your POA
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Suggested forms (in handbook)
– POA-1-brainstorming, setting goals POA Form 1 (.pdf)
– POA-2-planning, steps involved POA Form 2 (.pdf)
– POA-3-committee report, action taken
POA Form 3 (.pdf)
– POA-4-final report, results and evaluation
POA Form 4 (.pdf)
Brainstorming
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Review last year’s POA
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Review other chapters’ POAs
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Model Innovators booklet
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Chapter needs
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Student interests
Writing SMART Goals
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Specific
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Measurable
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Attainable
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Realistic
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Trackable
Plan of Action
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What is necessary to meet the goal?
– Step by step processes
– listed in order
– clear and detailed
– who, what, why, where, when, how, how
much
Committee reports
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Inform chapter of progress made
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Provide a system of responsibility
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Allow for discussion and ideas
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Allow for feedback from members
Final Report
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Did the chapter meet all of the goals for
the activity?
– Why or why not
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Did the activity stay within budget?
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Recommendations for future activities
Completed POA
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Should be provided to all members.
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Should be approved by all members.
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Can be used as an informational tool to
parents, administration, school board,
advisory committee and others.
Next step?
 Apply
for your Superior Chapter
Award at the state level then
hopefully it will be selected to go to
the National level.