WEST SALEM, Ohio — The Northwestern FFA chapter lent a helping hand with packing soup on Nov. 17 at the Harvest Call Distribution Center in Sterling, Ohio. The chapter measured out the ingredients for each soup and poured them into bags to later be packaged into boxes and sent out to families in need. There were two groups who helped pack rice pilaf soup. The chapter packaged 2,000 bags, which would equal 10,000 meals. These meals were distributed to those in need in Honduras. There were a total of 25 students who volunteered two hours of their evening to help with the soup packing. Those students were Emma Connelly, Kaylee Cherry, Jacelyn Cherry, Clara Saal, Carmen Guidetti, Madeline Morris, Torrie Wurst, Joy Phillips, Avery Blount, Brooke Bittle, Kashmiere Woods, Natalie Koch, Bailey Howman, Trevor Howman, Ariana Petry, Madison Miller, Cayden Lyons, Mallory Bloom, Annalise Metzger, Savanna Lemon, Masen Collado, Chet McNeil, Skylir Miller, Zella Cradlebaugh and Carlee Bailey.
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WATERFORD, Ohio — Twenty members of the Waterford FFA chapter recently attended the 98th National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, from Oct. 29 through Nov. 1.
Throughout the trip, the students toured Young’s Jersey Dairy, Jungle Jim’s and Crossroad Genetic Boar Stud and attended the Ella Langley and Ernest concert, Leadership Workshops, the FFA Expo, a hypnotist show and the Cinch World’s Toughest Rodeo held at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum.
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RACINE, Ohio — A group of Racine Southern FFA officers visited Southern’s first-grade students on Dec. 3 to provide an interactive demonstration on proper handwashing. The initiative was designed to promote healthy lifestyles within the school community, directly supporting one of the core National FFA Chapter Quality Standards.
The Healthy Lifestyle standard requires chapters to conduct activities that “promote the well-being of students mentally or physically, in achieving the positive evolution of the whole person.”
The officers used a simple, visual experiment to illustrate the importance of soap. A bowl of water was sprinkled with pepper, which represented germs. A child first dipped their finger in the plain water, and the “germs” (pepper) clung to their finger. Then, they coated their finger with soap and dipped it in the bowl again, causing the pepper to quickly swim away from the soapy finger. This visual demonstration effectively showed what soap does to germs, making the abstract concept of hygiene concrete for the young students.
Following the experiment, all of the first graders practiced the proper handwashing technique, using soap and water for the recommended duration while singing their ABCs. The activity was a great success in teaching the younger students valuable lessons about health and hygiene.
RACINE, Ohio — Three students from the Racine Southern FFA participated in the District 10 Job Interview CDE Nov. 5 at Warren High School: Garrett Beasley, Tyson Hupp and Hunter Jarrell. The purpose of this CDE is for FFA members to practice and demonstrate the skills needed in seeking employment in all areas of agriculture.
Beasley placed 12th overall in the freshmen division; Hupp placed 10th overall in the sophomore division, and Hunter Jarrell placed fifth overall in the senior division. The participation of the three members demonstrates their commitment to personal growth, professionalism and the development of real world career skills. By preparing résumés, practicing interviews and presenting themselves confidently, they not only represented their chapter with pride but also gained valuable experience that will serve them well in future academic and workplace opportunities. Their dedication reflects the core values of FFA leadership, hard work and a willingness to embrace new challenges.
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MILLERSBURG, Ohio — The West Holmes FFA conducted its annual Greenhand Initiation and Chapter Degree Ceremony on Nov. 17. After opening ceremonies, guest speaker, Taylor Johnson, talked about becoming the best version of yourself and finding your own path. She also explained the importance and honor of receiving your Greenhand Degree and moving further in FFA.
In the morning, officers had the chance to dye the freshmen’s hands green to represent Greenhand Initiation. Freshmen also wore the T-shirts that they made while attending the Greenhand lock-in. The members receiving their Greenhand Degrees were Conner Allison, Clayton Beckett, Victoria Bell, Lane Burgett, Harlie Curry, Trenton Heller, Dean Hodson, Una Holasek, Tori Kaufman, Austin Long, Tim Mittman, Emily Ogi, Jocelyn Olney, Khloe Schafer Breck Sheldon, Macie Sours, Bryar Strouse, Ron Tomlinson, Tyler Tope, Leland Turner and Patrick Weaver. In order to receive their degree, freshmen had to have said the creed, have an active SAE or Supervised Agricultural Experience and have a knowledge of FFA history and parliamentary procedure.
In order to receive Chapter Degrees, members had to complete 10 hours of community service, have an active SAE and be an active participant in the FFA. The members receiving their Chapter Degrees were Reece Anderson, Ellie Babitt, Jackson Baker, Electra Beachy, Deacon Clemens, Hayden Conckle, Courtney Crider, Zander Croskey, Gabriella Fowler, Kendra Hall, Cam Hinton, Jack Jewell, Chloe Kaser, Rayne Larimore, Natalie Lauriha, Natty Lint, Reagan Mackey, Emily Manges, Cadence Martie, Ali Mash, Makenzie Mast, Emma McDonnell, Madison Mittman, Malachia Spencer, Wyatt Troyer and Andrew Weaver.
