This articles is featured in the January 2024 issue of Horizons, SISD's magazine.
Middle school students with an interest in agriculture or FFA have new opportunities in Jr. FFA this year, thanks to two new teachers.
Teachers Dawn Sheets and Mallory Arvo are working hand-in-hand with high school FFA advisor Nathan Griffin to not only offer students a glimpse into what FFA offers students, but preparing them for high school FFA, as well.
“We try to instill the FFA motto of, ‘Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve’ into our members,” Sheets said. “Each week we teach a lesson from the FFA values. We are trying to teach the members about all the opportunities that are available to them as a member of the organization like being part of a team that is something that is bigger than themselves as individuals.”
Jr. FFA members meet weekly during SMS flextime and have monthly after school meetings that include hands-on learning activities that relate to FFA’s values.
“For the month of October we focused on growing crops and the farming opportunities so we grew pumpkins. The members were able to compete in a Pumpkin Product Competition,” Sheets said. “In November, for Floriculture Month, Autumn Krauska daughter of Helen Ethridge, the owner of Windsor Florist, came in to teach the students about the art of floral design.”
The calendar is full of events for the rest of the year and students work with the high school organization and the FFA Boosters regularly.
“Our students are showing so much interest and investment in the program which helps to encourage us to continue to make it better,” Sheets said. “We want students leaving middle school with an interest to continue learning and growing within the FFA program.”
SISD students who have an interesting in Agriculture or FFA can get involved at school as early as third grade by joining the Jr. FFA once they reach the age of eight. At the Intermediate School, Dr. Lisa Stovall sponsors younger students with early FFA activities.
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