 |
|
 |
«-- back to listings
February 21, 2009
 FFA chapters across the state are celebrating National FFA Week, February 21-28, in style! The theme for the week - “Step Up and Stand Out” – challenges FFA members nationwide to actively participate in fun activities that promote FFA and agricultural education. For more than 60 years, FFA Week has been held the last week of February in honor of President Washington’s birthday. Every chapter is doing something different. A few examples come from the Hartington, Centennial and Crofton High School FFA chapters.
At Hartington, students participate in an FFA t-shirt day and trivia day as well as a “Tructor Day” and the ugliest boot contest. For “Tructor Day,” members drive to school in tractors, trucks, 4-wheelers, semi trucks, combines, pedal tractors, and other farm equipment. They park the various vehicles in the parking lot and there is a parade after school. According to advisor Fritz Steinhoff, the ugliest boot contest is a big success because “there are many ugly boots around the area.
Amy Rasmussen, advisor for the Centennial FFA chapter, reports that their chapter has specific events planned for each day. On Monday, members host a farmer and teacher appreciation breakfast and scavenger hunt. On Tuesday, students take part in the “Ag Olympics” and trivia contest. Wednesday brings an apple bobbing competition and dirty vehicle contest. On Thursday, there is a petting zoo and career fair. The week wraps up on Friday with an FFA “Fear Factor” competition and a send-off for members attending leadership conferences.
According to Stephanie Mann, advisor for the Crofton FFA chapter, students have an action-packed week of school and community activities. Before the week begins, middle school and freshmen members are responsible for designing, printing and hanging posters on each member’s locker with the FFA Week theme and number of years that member has been in FFA. During “Official Dress Day,” members wear their official FFA dress to school and reach out to the community by delivering cookies to local businesses and visiting students at public and private schools to encourage them to join FFA. One morning, students rise early to prepare and serve breakfast to all high school administration, faculty and staff. Crofton also does a scavenger hunt, FFA t-shirt day, trivia contest, and similar to Hartington, they host a “Drive Your Tractor to School” day followed by a parade through town.
Congratulations to all of our FFA chapters for doing such a fine job promoting youth in agriculture. Here’s to a fantastic week of honoring the greatest youth organization in the world – FFA!
Listen to interviews with past FFA members and FFA supporters!
|
|
|
