FFA programs surrounding Richland County will be active during the upcoming months. Clear Fork, Plymouth, and Shelby schools have active chapters, demonstrated by their current activities including FFA Convention and annual fruit sales.
Plymouth’s FFA had a busy October planned. They offered rides on October 29 and on October 31, they trick-or-treated for cans to help stock the Food Pantry in Shiloh. Then eight students from the Plymouth FFA traveled to Louisville, Kentucky from October 29-November 2 for the National FFA Convention.
“The National FFA Convention gives students opportunities to tour and visit many different businesses where they learn about agriculturally related commodities while visiting working farms,” said Agriculture Education and FFA instructor Laura Ringler.
“While at the convention, they can visit hundreds of colleges and potential future employers. At the National Convention, students can visit with their peers and hear from motivational guest speakers that teach them lessons which will leave a lifetime of impact, even if they do not enter into a career related to agriculture,” said Ringler.
Plymouth is not the only FFA program that will be attending the National FFA Convention. Clear Fork FFA will be making the trip to Louisville, Kentucky as well.
“As of right now there are 13 members that are signed up to go. Last year I went to the National Convention to help judge. The experience was so inspirational and eye opening because you see the dedication that these people from around the country put into the program. It’s incredible to see the recognition for their accomplishments,” said reporter and member of the Clear Fork FFA Ellyse Shafer.
“It will be very exciting because two members from Clear Fork FFA will get to walk across the stage at the National Convention. It hasn’t been decided on who those two members will be, but it’s great that we will be recognized,” said Shafer.
Like Plymouth’s FFA, Shelby FFA wants to keep its students engaged in activities.
“The Shelby FFA is the largest club at Shelby High School with close to 115 members this year. The Shelby FFA will be attending the Fort Worth Texas Stock Show in January, where we will take about 45 members on the eight day trip, which includes at least two stops every day,” said Shelby FFA President Brianna Gwirtz.
“Some of these stops will include a race horse farm in Kentucky, the Country Music Hall of Fame in Tennessee, The Cowboy Hall of Fame Museum in Oklahoma, and the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo in Texas,” said Gwirtz.
“Many Shelby FFA members are locating steers for the Richland County Fair that will take place in August 2014. In the classroom, members are learning about parliamentary procedure, and hope to have both a junior and senior team for Parliamentary Procedure contests in November,” said Gwirtz.
All three FFA programs are currently holding fruit sales. See the related story to order from the club and support their programs.
“The National FFA Convention gives students opportunities to tour and visit many different businesses where they learn about agriculturally related commodities while visiting working farms,” said Agriculture Education and FFA instructor Laura Ringler.
FFA was formerly the Future Farmers of America; but in 1988, the official name of the organization was changed to the National FFA Organization. FFA is a national organization dedicated to preparing members for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture. The Ohio FFA Association has over 23,000 members in over 300 chapters throughout Ohio.
