This week is your chance to put your name forward to be on your class or program team for OAC CHALLENGE!!  Below is the schedule of events with an explanation as to what is happening.  We are hoping to get a team from the 10s, 11s, 12s, 13s, Turf, Animal Bio, ESSE and LASS.  

OAC CHALLENGE - March 10/10

8:30-9:30 - Debate 1
9:30-10:30 - Debate 2
10:30-11:30 - Debate 3
11:30 - 12:30 - Debate 4
12:30-1:30 - Lunch in the Aggie Lounge for all teams (pizza and pop, etc)
1:30-3:00 - Case Study Problem Solving
3:00- 4:30 - Judges time to mark
4:30-5:00 - Awards and Remarks from Judges

Each team will be debating against only one other team.  Once the debate is over, you may leave until lunchtime if you so choose.  Lunch is free and will be provided to every participant in the Aggie Lounge.  The Case Study will be completed by every team at the same time.  You will each be given a room to work in, isolated from everyone else, in which you are able to work for the 1.5 hrs.  The Judges will have 1.5 hours to complete the marking and we will award prizes and give out remarks at 4:30.

The debate topic will be released to the team within two days of the competition, along with proper debate etiquette and technique.  For the case study, the team will have to pick one of three topics with which to solve the problem for.

If you have any questions please email Elliott Miller This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or Stewart Skinner This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

GUELPH, Ontario – Five new topics and a competition date have been announced for the 2010 Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture (CYSA) competition.

The topics, which will be presented by contestants Saturday, November 6, 2010 at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, Ontario, are:

• The profile and impact of a Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame member
• Who will feed the world in 50 years?
• What is the biggest challenge in agriculture today?
• Exploring First Nations agriculture in Canada
• What are the biggest events in Canadian agricultural history?

The CYSA competition has a junior division (11-15 years old) and a senior division (16-24 years old).

"We invite youth from across Canada to participate in this year's CYSA competition, to share their passion and ideas for Canadian agriculture," says Eric Dalke, CYSA President and past competitor. "This is a unique opportunity to share their enthusiasm with youth and agricultural leaders from across the country."

Participants must prepare and present a five- to seven-minute speech in either English or French on one of the five topics. Finalists in both the junior and senior division will receive cash prizes, with the senior champion receiving $1,000 and the junior champion receiving $500.

Applications are available online at www.cysa-joca.ca. Direct inquiries and other application requests to contest chair Ted Young at 519-824-9253 ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ).

The deadline for applications is September 30, 2010.

Looking for a career or a summer job in sales? Or just want to learn how to better network and communicate with clients? Next Wednesday February 10th SFOAC and te Job Shadow Office will be hosting the OAC Sales Skills Night. Sales Professionals from all sects of agriculture will be in attendance to share their experience and some tips and tricks on how to be a better salesperson. All students are invited to come out and learn and enjoy a free dinner!