Local Members Celebrate National FFA Week

FFA members Ryan Wilen (10), Bridger Gordon (10), Tanner Granum (12), Destiny Wesner (12) and Baylee Volmer (11) prepare breakfast for SBHS advisers as a part of National FFA Week. photo by Adviser Brett Monson

Bridger Gordon, staff

Sturgis FFA celebrates National FFA Week Feb. 21-28, by hosting a series of FFA-related events throughout the week. National FFA Week was first started in 1948, and has been held every year to have FFA members show their FFA pride and to encourage other students to join FFA.

Sturgis FFA members hosted daily activities during FFA week. On Feb. 22, Sturgis FFA members showed their FFA pride by wearing the FFA Official Dress to school.

Before school on Tuesday morning, FFA members hosted a faculty breakfast, thanking the SBHS staff for all they do and helping share more with them about activities of the local FFA Chapter. Breakfast was served from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. in the High School Ag Building for SBHS staff to attend.

Wednesday was Community Partner Appreciation Day. FFA members went out in the community, thanking supporters and sponsors of the FFA program.

On Thursday, FFA Greenhand Initiation Day was marked with a Greenhand Ceremony for first-year FFA members.

The week ended with a school-wide assembly featuring an “End World Hunger Games” tournament involving participation from SBHS students and staff.

Janie Fritz (12) said, “The main goal of National FFA Week is to reach out to others who are not in FFA and get them to understand what FFA is and how it works, and to bring fellow FFA members together through fun activities.” Fritz is currently serving as the Sturgis FFA Chapter President.

“I hope we gain more active members and become more successful as a chapter,” Ryan Wilen (10) said. The Sturgis FFA chapter’s parliamentarian, Wilen will be helping to put on the Greenhand Initiation Day on Thursday.

During the week, an ag-in-the-classroom activity was presented to third grade students at Sturgis Elementary. The presentation was designed to give students a better understanding of where their food comes from and the role farmers and the Ag. industry has in bringing safe, nutritious food to the dinner table.

As a service project, FFA members volunteered their time to assist with a technology workshop at the Sturgis Senior Center, teaching interested senior citizens how to better use their smartphones, laptops or tablets. Workshops will be held Feb. 20 and March 5, from 9 to 11 a.m.

To its members, FFA is fun, educational and builds character, so join the program and try it out.