HYPE Academy Application

Are you a future leader in agriculture, FFA and your community? Are you ready to be an active member of the agricultural community and tell the agriculture story? If you answered YES, the HYPE Academy is for you! HYPE is a youth leadership conference designed to challenge and equip the TOP 30 incoming high school senior FFA members to be advocates for agriculture.

SPONSORED BY THE MISSOURI CORN CHECK-OFF

MO Corn Merchandising Council Logo

What is HYPE?

These 30 FFA members will receive hands-on experiences to prepare them to communicate, lead, and advocate for the agricultural Industry. In addition, members will gain strategies to continue strengthening their knowledge base in agricultural issues, sharpen written and verbal communication skills, and spark potential career interests. Most importantly, participants will bring home tools to help other chapter members tell the agriculture story!

When, Where, and Why HYPE?

The HYPE Academy will challenge 30 Agricultural Education students during an intensive three-day academy, June 24-26, 2025. Held in Jefferson City, HYPE will build on other important FFA leadership conferences students have participated in up to this point. Expect this leadership experience to be a hands-on, engaging academy that will provide skills to communicate, lead, and advocate for the agricultural industry.

How do you Apply?

In 2025 the top 30 entering high school seniors in 2025-26 school year will be selected to participate in HYPE through a competitive online application process.

Students need to submit an online application including each element listed below.

Completed applications and uploaded portions must be submitted online no later than February 15, 2025.

HYPE DOWNLOADS

Forms below should be downloaded and completed with necessary information, then uploaded prior to HYPE application submission.

Before submitting the completed forms below within your online application, please save each file with type of form and your last and first name.
Filename Example: signaturepage_smith_jane.pdf

Download Signature PageDownload Counselor FormDownload Leadership FormSample Scoring RubricApplication Guide

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

There are six(6) parts to the written application:

  1. Information Page (Submitted Below)
  2. Signature page (Uploaded Below)
  3. 5 narrative responses (Submitted Below)
    1. Why would you like to participate in the 2024 Missouri FFA HYPE Academy? (800 characters)
    2. Why is it important to advocate for the agricultural industry & how have you advocated foragriculture in the past? (800 characters)
    3. Why do you believe advocating for the agricultural industry is important in 2024 and beyond? (800 characters)
    4. How will your engagement in the HYPE Academy help you develop into a leader andadvocate for the agriculture industry? (800 characters)
    5. Eminent domain, the right of a government or its agents to expropriate private property for public use with compensation, is a hotly contested issue in Missouri today. Recent legislation has been passed to help address compensation issues with energy transmission projects in Missouri, whilesome landowners still feel the practice is unjust. Please describe what you feel the benefits and challenges would be to landowners if a similar project were being proposed in your area or across your farm. (1050 characters)
  4. Counselors’ verification of academic achievement (Uploaded Below)
  5. FFA member activity form. (Uploaded Below)
  6. THREE letters of recommendation (SUBMIT HERE)
    1. One from the applicant’s Agricultural Education Teacher/FFA Advisor,
    2. The second from a school administrator (superintendent or principal)
    3. The third from a community leader that knows applicant and their leadership experience.
    4. NOTE: Students are expected to share the recommendation link above with individuals being asked to submit comments on their behalf.

 

FFA members will be notified of selection by April 1, 2025.

Consent form for selected attendees is due by May 24, 2025.

HYPE ONLINE APPLICATION

This section should be completed by STUDENTS submitting application to be considered for HYPE.

Step 1 of 4

ABOUT YOU

Your Name(Required)
I verify that I am currently a junior FFA member in good standing and will be a senior in high school for the 2025-2026 school year.
Your Home Address(Required)
Please use a personal email, as emails will come over the summer.