Habersham Central senior and FFA member Sarah Cantrell shows her winning heifer at a cattlemen’ show. She’s part of a growing trend among Future Farmers of America.
Habersham County’s Board of Education heard Monday night about the success of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization in the Habersham school system. In fact, Board members saw, at the meeting, quite a number of students – 40, by some estimates – who are members of the group, dressed in the official blue jacket with FFA embroidered in red on the back.
One agriculture teacher at Habersham Central High School, Amy Crump, detailed recent activities of the groups for not only the high school, but Habersham Ninth Grade Academy, North and South Habersham Middle Schools, and Hilliard Wilbanks Middle School.
There is a multi-purpose building at the new high school, called the Agriscience Center, which has been home to numerous FFA events since its opening in 2014. Events have included local livestock showings in February and October, the “Shamtown Throwdown Goat and Lamb Show,” the “AgGeorgia Farm Credit Heifer Show” in November, and there is a “Farm Bureau Cattle Show” to be held there on July 16, 2016.
Events involving all ages have been held at the AgriScience Building. Upper Chattahoochee Soil and Water Conservation meetings have been held there, as well as a Dairy Clinic, and classes in Veterinary Science, Animal Production, and Animal Science.
There has been overall growth in the FFA programs, Crump said, but the most remarkable increases have come in student involvement in the showing of animals.
In the 2011-2012 school year, she told the school board, “we had 35 students showing 46 animals of 3 different species.” During the 2015-2016 school year, though, there are 91 students showing 113 animals of 5 different species.
More students that ever before are involved with livestock, but Crump said “we have limited resources to assist the students with their projects.”
There are out-of-town showings for which “parents, family members, former students, and community volunteers” must be recruited “to help haul animals to the shows,” she said.
For those “long hauls” Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education Director Jonathan Stribling is requesting that the school board consider buying a truck and trailer for FFA’s use. “The Agriculture Education faculty is to be commended for growing the livestock program to its current size,” he said.
“The need for a new truck and trailer is well justified.”
Stribling also praised FFA in general, and the contribution it can make to students’ lives.
“FFA builds upon the knowlege and skills students learn in Agriculture Education classes,” he said, and it “offers students an opportunity to be a part of a program that brings relevance and ‘real world’ application to core subject areas like math and science. Students who see their education as relevant graduate high school and pursue career goals.”
School System Superintendent Matthew Cooper agreed with the “need for a truck and trailer.” In fact, FFA leaders had found one at a cost of $63,441 “that fully meets their needs,” Cooper said.
After the presentation, Board members agreed that the purchase of a truck and trailer for $63,441, although not budgeted for this year, will be addressed in the next meeting of the Board.
Board member Russ Nelson praised FFA and its activities, adding that “not only boys” are members of FFA, but – smiling – added that he has “a daughter involved.”
