THE SOCIETY FOR
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
PARLIAMENTARIANS
(SAEP)
www. saep.us
INVITATIONAL
NOVICE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
COMPETITIVE EVENT
BASED ON THE CURRENT EDITION OF
ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER NEWLY REVISED
SAEP OFFICERS
PRESIDENT: BILL BUTCHER (Superintendent), Professional Accredited Parliamentarian
VICE PRESIDENT: AL GAGE (Assistant Superintendent), Professional Accredited Parliamentarian, Registered Parliamentarian
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/TREASURER: DR. JAMES CONNORS (Assistant Superintendent), Professional Accredited
Parliamentarian
PARLIAMENTARIAN: SHANE D. DUNBAR (Assistant Superintendent), Professional Accredited Parliamentarian, Professional
Registered Parliamentarian
THE SOCIETY FOR
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PARLIAMENTARIANS
INVITATIONAL
NOVICE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE COMPETITIVE EVENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PURPOSE…………………………………………………………………………………………….
1
OBJECTIVES………………………………………………………………………………………..
1
EVENT RULES………………………………………………………………………………………
1
EVENT PROCEDURES……………………………………………………………………………
2
WRITTEN TEST…………………………………………………………………………………….
3
AWARDS………………………………………………………………………………………………
3
REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………………………….
4
SCORE CARD--FORM 1…………………………………………………………………………… 5
JUDGES SCORE CARD WORKSHEET--FORM 2………………………………………….. 6
GRADING SCALES AND CRITERIA RUBRIC--FORM 3…………………………………. 7
TABULATION SHEET FOR RANKING TEAMS--FORM 4………………………………. 8
RULES FOR THE PERMISSIBLE MOTIONS--FORM 5…….……………………………. 9
EVALUATION OF THE EVENT--FORM 6……………………………………………………. 10
TEAM DEMONSTRATION COMMENTS FROM THE JUDGES--FORM 7…………… 11
SCRIPT FOR OPENING AND CLOSING CEREMONIES—FORM 8…………………… 12
THE SOCIETY FOR
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PARLIAMENTARIANS
(SAEP)
www. saep.us
INVITATIONAL
NOVICE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE COMPETITIVE EVENT
PURPOSE:
The Invitational Novice Parliamentary Procedure Competitive Event is designed to introduce 7th, 8th and 9th grade
FFA members to parliamentary procedure and how to conduct efficient meeting.
OBJECTIVES:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Develop a basic knowledge of parliamentary law.
Demonstrate parliamentary procedure to conduct an orderly and efficient meeting
Communicate and participate effectively as a team member
Demonstrate critical thinking and teamwork for effective decision making
EVENT RULES:
1. The official registration form with the non-refundable entry fee check made out to the “SAEP” for $75.00 per team
must be postmarked by August 1st and sent to Shane Dunbar, P.O. Box 13753, Mill Creek, WA 98082. The form can
be requested from the SAEP website, www.saep.us. (click on “Novice Competitive Event” ).
2. The event is open to one team from each state that has been certified by their State FFA Office. Each team will consist
of seven (7) members from the same chapter. Members will fulfill the duties of President, Vice-President, Secretary,
Treasurer, Reporter, Sentinel, and Advisor. The member who performs the advisor role in opening ceremonies will
participate in the entire event.
3. Team members must be enrolled in the 7th, 8th or 9th grades at the time of selection and qualification. Selection and
qualification must be held in the twelve months prior to the national convention at which the team will participate as
their state’s representative. FFA members may participate in this novice event one time.
4. Team members must be FFA members at the time of selection and qualification.
5. There will be a minimum of two rounds of demonstrations, but team members will only take one written test.
6. The competitive event will consist of the five activities listed below in the following order (minutes are not required
and the audience, including the timekeeper and judges, will not participate in the closing ceremonies):
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Written examination
Opening ceremonies
Team demonstration
Closing ceremonies
Judges oral questions
1
7. Team members will conduct a regular chapter meeting by demonstrating a designated main motion and four additional
permissible parliamentary procedure motions selected by the event superintendent on Form 5, page 9.
EVENT PROCEDURES:
1. The room will be pre-set with a lectern, tables, chairs, station markers, and an electronic timer.
President

LECTERN
OFFICERS
Reporter 
Treasurer 
OFFICERS
AND
TABLE
ADVISOR
TABLE
Sentinel 
 Vice-
 Secretary
Advisor
VicePresident
TIMEKEEPER
TABLE
TG

JUDGES TABLE
TTTABLE



 TABLE

President stands behind a lectern. Other team members, judges and timekeeper sit
behind tables on a chair. Arrows ( ) designate direction facing.
2. All participants will be provided paper to take notes during the entire demonstration. Pencils or pens must be provided
by the team.
3. Participants will have one-minute immediately before their demonstration to read their card silently and take notes.
Team members may not mark or write on the cards and may not confer or signal each other during the one-minute
time period or during the demonstration.
4. The Junior Advisor will participate during the opening ceremonies for the advisor’s part and then will take on the role
as a member to participate in debate and can be assigned a motion and asked an oral question.
5. Every participant will receive a card (see the sample below) with the main motion and the four required motions from
the list of permissible motions. No other motions may be used. Included in the four required motions, will be a
minimum of one debatable subsidiary motion. The rules for the motions are on Form 5, page 9.
MAIN MOTION:
I move that our chapter organize a District novice
parliamentary procedure competitive event.
REQUIRED MOTIONS:
Raise a Question of Privilege
Previous Question
Amend
Point of Order
3
6. If the privileged motion Recess is adopted, members must stay at their officer stations and may not talk or signal each
other.
7. Four of the six participants on the floor will be assigned a required motion. The items will be marked in bold print and
underlined on their cards to indicate the motion assigned.
8. The demonstration will not be over 12 minutes and 30 seconds, including the opening and closing ceremonies.
9. A time clock will be provided so that the team can see. The clock will count up from 0 minutes starting with opening
ceremonies (signaled to begin by two taps of the gavel by the president) and stop when closing ceremonies are
completed. If a time clock is not used, the timekeeper will signal the team with large cards at the elapsed times of 9
and 11 minutes.
10. Judges will ask one oral question (which may contain 1-2 parts) per participant. The participant will need to answer
the question as an individual with no help from team mates. Questions will be pre determined by the event
superintendant and will relate to all the permissible motions and chapter officer duties.
11. Main Motion: There is no pre-determined list of main motions. Main motions are determined annually by the event
superintendent and must be developed for any of the three divisions of the Chapter Program of Activities, which
includes Student Development, Chapter Development, and Community Development.
12. Official dress is highly recommended.
13. The order of business will begin at the conclusion of opening ceremonies. After opening ceremonies are completed,
a member on the floor with gain recognition and state the main motion on the card without suspending the rules.
14. Form 4 will be used to determine the ranking of teams for each round
WRITTEN TEST:
1. The thirty minute test will consist of 25 multiple-choice questions covering:
 The 10 permissible motions
 Officer duties
 Opening and closing ceremonies
 Order of business
AWARDS:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Awards will be presented at the awards ceremony.
The first, second, third, and fourth place national teams will each be awarded a plaque.
Members of the first, second, third, and fourth place national teams will each receive ribbons.
A plaque will be awarded for the best chairman.
A team plaque and individual ribbons will be awarded for the best team written test score.
Gavels will be awarded for each member of the first place team.
REFERENCES:
All references (except #6) are available on-line through the National FFA Organization’s Core Catalog,
http://www.ffa.org/
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
National Official FFA Manual
National FFA Student Handbook
Dunbar’s Manual of Parliamentary Procedure Test Questions
Parliamentary Procedure Oral Questions (CD)
Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (11th edition)
Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised in Brief (11th edition) (Optional)
4
THE SOCIETY FOR
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PARLIAMENTARIANS
INVITATIONAL
NOVICE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE COMPETITIVE EVENT
FORM 1
SCORE CARD
WRITTEN
TEST
OPENING
CEREMONY
DEBATE
ORAL
QUESTIONS
INDIVIDUAL
TOTAL
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Reporter
Sentinel
Advisor
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
15
15
15
15
15
15
15
*45
45
45
45
45
45
45
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
95
95
95
95
95
95
95
INDIVIDUAL
TOTALS
175
105
315
70
665
4
50
200
65
65
50
50
Required Assigned
Motions
Conclusions Reached
Team Voice, Poise,
Expression
Closing Ceremony
20
TEAM TOTAL
20
335
TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE
1000
Debate:
 *President’s debate points = Ability to preside, use of the gavel (see Form 4 on page 7).
 15 points maximum per debate, 45 points maximum total
 Only the top 3 debates will be scored
Deductions:
 Presenting a required motion before the assigned team memberdeduct 15 points.
 Errors in parliamentary procedurededuct 15-20 points (determined by judges).
 Time limitsdeduct 2 points per second over 12 minutes and 59 seconds.
Tie Breakers for teams will be in the following order:
 Written Test-sum of all scores
 Oral Questions-sum of all scores (will also be used to break ties for the team written test award)
 Debatesum of all scores
5
THE SOCIETY FOR
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PARLIAMENTARIANS
INVITATIONAL
NOVICE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE COMPETITIVE EVENT
FORM 2
JUDGES SCORE CARD WORKSHEET
WRITTEN
TEST
OPENING
CEREMONY
DEBATE
ORAL
QUESTIONS
INDIVIDUAL
TOTAL
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Reporter
Sentinel
Advisor
*(25)
(25)
(25)
(25)
(25)
(25)
(25)
(15)
(15)
(15)
(15)
(15)
(15)
(15)
(**45)
(45)
(45)
(45)
(45)
(45)
(45)
(10)
(10)
(10)
(10)
(10)
(10)
(10)
(95)
(95)
(95)
(95)
(95)
(95)
(95)
INDIVIDUAL
TOTALS
(175)
(105)
(315)
(70)
(665)
(4)
(50)
(200)
(65)
(65)
(50)
(50)
Required Assigned
Motions
Conclusions Reached
Team Voice, Poise,
Expression
Closing Ceremony
(20)
(20)
TEAM TOTAL (335)
TOTAL POINTS (1000)
Debate:




* Numbers in parentheses indicate maximum points. Place your team score to the right of these.
**President’s debate points = Ability to preside, use of the gavel (see rubric -Form 3 on page 7).
15 points maximum per debate, 45 points maximum total
Only the top 3 debates will be scored
Deductions:
 Presenting a required motion before the assigned team memberdeduct 15 points.
 Errors in parliamentary procedurededuct 15-20 points (determined by judges).
 Time limitsdeduct 2 points per second over 12 minutes 59 seconds.
Tie Breakers for teams will be in the following order:
 Written Test-sum of all scores
 Oral Questions-sum of all scores (will also be used to break ties for the team written test award)
 Debatesum of all scores
TEAM NUMBER: _______ STATE: ______________________TOTAL POINTS: _________RANK

JUDGE’S NAME (PRINT): _________________________SIGNATURE: ________________________________
6
THE SOCIETY FOR
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PARLIAMENTARIANS
INVITATIONAL
NOVICE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE COMPETITIVE EVENT
FORM 3
GRADING SCALES AND CRITERIA RUBRIC
GRADING SCALES
OPENING CEREMONIES
Excellent….…13-15 points
Good………….9-12 points
Average…….......6-8 points
Poor….………....0-5 points
DEBATE
Excellent ….....13-15 points
Good……..……9-12 points
Average…..…….6-8 points
Poor………….…0-5 points
SUGGESTED POINT ALLOTMENT FOR SCORING
EACH MEMBER’S DEBATE
Beginning Statement = 2
Middle Statement = 8
Ending Statement = 2
Other criteria = 3
GRADING CRITERIA
Voice: Volume enunciation, pitch, pace, grammar.
Poise: Confidence, professional, eye contact.
Expression: Conviction, gestures.
Accuracy is reciting officer ceremonial script.
Members: Completeness of thought, logical reasoning, clear statement of
speaker’s position, conviction of delivery, concise and effective statement of debate.
Chair: Ability to preside: States motions correctly, follows rules of debate, keeps
members informed, puts motion to vote, announces results of votes, use of gavel,
awareness of business on the floor, eye contact. Tactful, sensitive, firm,
understanding, good voice, proper pace.
CONCLUSIONS REACHED
Excellent……...56-65 points
Good………….41-55 points
Main Motion on card was well analyzed.
Who, What, When, Where and How were answered.
Average……….30-40 points
Poor……………0-29 points
TEAM VOICE, POISE, EXPRESSION
Excellent….….43-50 points
Good………….32-42 points
Average……….23-31 points
Poor…………….0-22 points
Convincing, logical realistic, orderly and efficient, germane, and free from
repetition.
Voice: Volume enunciation, pitch, pace, grammar.
Poise: Confidence, professional, eye contact.
Expression: Conviction, gestures.
CLOSING CEREMONIES
Excellent………16-20 points
Good…………..11-15 points
Average…………6-10 points
Poor………………0-5 points
Voice: Volume, enunciation, pitch, pace, grammar.
Poise: Confidence, professional, eye contact.
Expression: Conviction, gestures.
Accuracy in reciting officer ceremonial script.
7
THE SOCIETY FOR
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PARLIAMENTARIANS
INVITATIONAL
NOVICE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE COMPETITIVE EVENT
FORM 4
TABULATION SHEET FOR RANKING TEAMS
TEAM
Number
State
TEAM RANKING
(1ST, 2ND, ETC)
Judge 1
Judge 2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
TEAM RANK
POINT
ALLOCATION
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
8
Judge 3
FINAL
RANKING
SCORE
RANKING
OF TEAMS
(1ST, 2ND, ETC)
THE SOCIETY FOR
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PARLIAMENTARIANS
INVITATIONAL
NOVICE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE COMPETITIVE EVENT
FORM 5
RULES FOR THE PERMISSIBLE MOTIONS
MOTION NAMES, CLASS1
AND PURPOSES
INTERRUPT
SPEAKER?
SECOND
NEEDED?
DEBATABLE?
AMENDABLE?
VOTE
NEEDED?
CLASS: Privileged Motions (Deal with special matters of immediate or overriding importance to the business of the assembly)
Recess
(Provides a brief break)
Raise a Question of Privilege
(Asks an urgent question regarding rights
and privileges of the assembly)
No
Yes
No
Yes2
Majority
Yes
No
No
No
No vote.
Chair rules
CLASS: Subsidiary Motions (Aid the assembly in handling or disposing of a main motion)
Previous Question
(Closes debate and goes directly to a vote
and prevents the making of subsidiary
motions listed on this table)
Commit or Refer
(Refers the motion to a committee)
Amend
(Proposes to change a motion)
Postpone Indefinitely
(Rejects or kills the main motion)
No
Yes
No
No
Two-thirds
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Majority
No
Yes
Yes3
Yes
Majority
No
Yes
Yes
No
Majority
Yes
Majority
CLASS: Main Motions (Introduce new business to the assembly)
Main Motions
(Introduce new business to the assembly)
No
Yes
Yes
CLASS: Incidental Motions (Related to the pending business and must be decided immediately)
Parliamentary Inquiry
(Allows a member to ask a question
related to parliamentary law or the rules of
the organization)
Division of the Assembly
(Requires a standing vote)
Point of Order
(Requests that the rules be enforced)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
Motions That Bring a Question Again Before the Assembly are not required for this event.
Amendable with respect to the length of the recess
Debatable if applied to a debatable motion
Assembly decides by a majority vote if the Chair does not want to make a ruling.
9
No vote.
Chair answers
No vote.
Demand
No vote.
Chair usually
rules4
THE SOCIETY FOR
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PARLIAMENTARIANS
INVITATIONAL
NOVICE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE COMPETITIVE EVENT
FORM 6
EVALUATION OF THE EVENT
List three ways the competitive event could be improved:
1. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
List three things you liked about the competitive event:
1. ______________________________________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
Evaluator’s Name: ___________________________School: ______________________State: __________
Phone number: _____________________________ Email: ________________________________
Would you be willing to serve as a Judge for next year’s novice competitive event? __________________
10
THE SOCIETY FOR
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PARLIAMENTARIANS
INVITATIONAL
NOVICE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE COMPETITIVE EVENT
FORM 7
TEAM DEMONSTRATION COMMENTS FROM THE JUDGES
STATE:_______________
How you can improve your demonstration:
1. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
What we liked about your demonstration:
1. ______________________________________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________________________________
Judges signatures:
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
11
THE SOCIETY FOR
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PARLIAMENTARIANS
INVITATIONAL
NOVICE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE COMPETITIVE EVENT
FORM 8
SCRIPT FOR OPENING AND CLOSING CEREMONIES
When the time set for opening the meeting arrives, the president, after quietly arranging for any necessary officer
substitutions, rises, raps for attention, secures order and proceeds as indicated below. The other officers rise as
called upon by the vice president and remain standing until seated by the president.
Opening a Meeting
President: "The (meeting room, banquet hall, etc.) will come to order. We are now holding a meeting of the
______________ (chapter name, district name, etc.) FFA___________(chapter, district, etc.). Mr./Mdm. Vice President,
are all officers at their stations?"
Vice President: (Rises and faces the president) “I shall call the role of officers, determine if they are at their stations
and report back to you, Mr./Mdm. President."
Vice President: (Calling roll of officers) "The sentinel."
Sentinel: "Stationed by the door."
Vice President: "Your duties there?"
Sentinel: "Through this door passes many friends of the FFA. It is my duty to see that the door is open to our friends at
all times and that they are welcome. I care for the meeting room and paraphernalia. I strive to keep the room comfortable
and assist the president in maintaining order."
Vice President: "The reporter."
Reporter: "The reporter is stationed by the flag."
Vice President: "Why by the flag?"
Reporter: "As the flag covers the United States of America, so I strive to inform the people in order that every man,
woman and child may know that the FFA is a national organization that reaches from the state of Alaska to Puerto Rico
and from the state of Maine to Hawaii."
Vice President: "The treasurer."
Treasurer: "Stationed at the emblem of Washington."
Vice President: "Your duties there?"
12
Treasurer: "I keep a record of receipts and disbursements just as Washington kept his farm accounts—carefully and
accurately. I encourage thrift among the members and strive to build up our financial standing through savings and
investments. George Washington was better able to serve his country because he was financially independent."
Vice President: "The secretary."
Secretary: "Stationed by the ear of corn."
Vice President: "Your duties there?"
Secretary: "I keep an accurate record of all meetings and correspond with other secretaries wherever corn is grown and
FFA members meet."
Vice President: "The advisor."
Advisor: "Here by the owl."
Vice President: "Why stationed by the owl?"
Advisor: "The owl is a time-honored emblem of knowledge and wisdom. Being older than the rest of you, I am asked to
advise you from time to time, as the need arises. I hope that my advice will always be based on true knowledge and
ripened with wisdom.
"Mr./Mdm. Vice President, why do you keep a plow at your station?"
Vice President: "The plow is the symbol of labor and tillage of the soil. Without labor, neither knowledge nor wisdom
can accomplish much. My duties require me to assist at all times in directing the work of our organization. I preside over
meetings in the absence of our president, whose place is beneath the rising sun."
Advisor: "Why is the president so stationed?"
Vice President: "The rising sun is the token of a new era in agriculture. If we will follow the leadership of our president,
we shall be led out of the darkness of selfishness and into the glorious sunlight of brotherhood and cooperation. Mr./Mdm.
President, all officers are at the stations."
President: (Rises and faces the vice president) "Thank you, Mr./Mdm. Vice President." (All take seats at tap of gavel.)
"The secretary will call the roll of members."
Secretary: "There are ___ members and ___ guests present, Mr./Mdm. President."
President: "Thank you. FFA members, why are we here?" (All members stand at three taps of gavel.)
All members in unison: "To practice brotherhood, honor agricultural opportunities and responsibilities and develop those
qualities of leadership which an FFA member should possess." (All are seated at one tap of gavel.)
President: "May we accomplish our purposes. I now declare this meeting of the ______________ (chapter name,
district name, etc.) FFA ____________ (chapter, district, etc.) duly opened for the transaction of business, or attention to
any matters which may properly be presented."
Note: The secretary may call the complete roll if necessary and report on that basis. However, it is a time-consuming
procedure for a local chapter because all members’ names are in the secretary’s book and can be quickly consulted and
checked beforehand,
13
When the business at hand has been disposed of or an appointed time for closing has arrived, the procedure is
as indicated below.
Closing the Meeting
President: "Mr./ Mdm. Secretary, do you have a record of any further business which should now be transacted?"
Secretary: (Rises, replies and is seated.) "I have none, Mr./Mdm. President."
President: "Does any member know of any new or unfinished business which should properly come before this
meeting? (If no answer, proceed as follows.)
"We are about to adjourn this meeting of the ______________ (chapter name, district name, etc.) FFA ___________
(chapter, district, etc.). As we mingle with others, let us be diligent in labor, just in our dealings, courteous to everyone
and, above all, honest and fair in the game of life. Fellow members and guests, join me in a salute to our flag."
(Taps three times with gavel to call members to stand, face the flag at the reporter’s station and, with their right hands
over their hearts, repeat the following salute.)
All in unison: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands,
one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
President: "I now declare this meeting adjourned." (Tap once with gavel, and the meeting is adjourned.)
14