Tag Archives: FFA

Georgia 4-H & FFA Student Leads by Example

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Athens, GA

This is just a small sample of the awards that grace the trophy case of Lexi Pritchard, whose career in both 4-H and FFA has been nothing short of remarkable. Growing up on a ninety-acre family farm right outside of Oconee County, agriculture was a path Pritchard knew she was destined for.

“I started showing cattle in the seventh grade. I got involved with 4-H and FFA right around that time too,” says Pritchard. “I’ve done anything from forestry judging to livestock judging, to consumer judging. It’s just been a whirlwind since then, and I’m really grateful for all the opportunities that I’ve had because it’s really developed me into who I wanted to be, and it’s shown me what I want to do with my career in the future.”

It’s that passion for agriculture and all there is to learn about the industry that led Pritchard to become actively involved with both her 4-H and FFA chapters.

“What I think sets Lexi apart is she is such an advocate for agriculture in 4-H and FFA,” says Kelle Ashley, Oconee County 4-H Agent. “We often find that kids are very loyal to one club or the other. And that’s great. I mean, both have the same mission, but Lexi is a kid that really advocates for both because she encourages her peers to do it all.”

All that hard work has certainly paid off as she now up to six masters in the 4-H program, including one that recognizes her entire body of work.

“Lexi has excelled in all things agriculture in both clubs,” says Ashley. “She recently became a master 4-H’er in the Dean’s Award project. That’s a culmination of a 4-H’er’s whole career from fifth grade until whatever point; for her it’s the eleventh grade. Lexi’s a kid who has not just focused in one area; she loves the beef industry, she loves poultry, but if you look at her resume, she’s hit dairy and equine. She really touches it all.”

That love for cattle has manifested itself into her very own startup operation thanks to plenty of hard work and determination.

“In the fifth grade, I decided that I wanted to be a cow farmer, just kind of like out of the blue, but my grandma sat me down and was like, ‘this is going to take a lot of work. You got to understand it’s not as easy as that decision.’ So, I worked my butt off cleaning horse stalls for her every day for a couple of years and they supported me through it, and they helped me buy my first two cows. It’s just grown since then, and now I have about a herd of thirty head of cattle,” says Pritchard.

Even though she’s accomplished so much in a short period of time, this is just the beginning for Pritchard as she has big plans for the future.

“I really hope to go into poultry science, which is something I got involved with in 4-H poultry judging in the seventh grade,” says Pritchard. “That’s been something when I haven’t been doing poultry judging I’ve been thinking about. When it hasn’t been the season where we’re practicing, I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh. I miss it so much.’ So, that has been something that I have figured out. I want to do that with my future, and, I’m always going to have a herd of cattle as well. I just know that in some point in my life, I will figure out how to have a herd of cattle because it’s my favorite thing in the world.”

By: Damon Jones

FFA Students Volunteer Time to Macon Community

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Macon, GA – Living to Serve. It’s the last three words in the FFA motto, and it was put into practice on the first day of convention, as high school students from all over the state volunteered their time in the Macon community that served as their host for the weekend.

“Roughly 800 FFA members of the approximately of the 6,000-7,000 that are attending convention this weekend will be out in the community,” says Kevin Jump, Central Region Ag Education for the FFA. “This year, we will be at 12 sites.”

One of those was the Rescue Mission of Central Georgia, an organization that serves as a life recovery program for both men and women in need. This particular project was a natural fit for the FFA, as the kids got a chance to showcase some of their Ag knowledge.

“I mean, it’s always good to do work and research other stuff, but it’s always good to sort of return to your roots literally and physically,” says Jump. “It’s good to work with the soil, you know, it’s hands on. That’s what I really love about it. It’s hands on. You’re returning back to what you did first year, what you did as a kid really.”

“We’ve got these wonderful kids with the FFA out here planting gardens, and not just planting, they weeded the raised beds and they put a lot of hard work into that,” says Pat Chastain, President of the Rescue Mission of Middle Georgia. “So, we’re going to take pride in making sure this thing is maintained in the right way. So, to see them and their hard work was huge.”

While all this hard work will certainly benefit the Rescue Mission, it’s also helpful for the students, as they get pride in knowing they had a big hand in improving the community.

“I really think it’s great to help the community just because, you know, you’re becoming a part of it,” says Kevin Poole, part of the Locust Grove FFA Chapter. “You’re not just standing aside. You’re being active. You’re helping yourself be helping other people and that’s truly a great feeling.”

“These young kids come out and wanted to know how they could give back and how they could help somebody that was in need and volunteered their time and effort so that we could have fresh vegetables here to serve our men and women,” says Chastain. “So, that touched our hearts.”

This effort will be appreciated by the 36 men, 7 women, and 22 children at the Rescue Mission that will be able to enjoy meals that are literally farm to table.

“There’s a few things that we really use around here a lot and that can go a long way, like tomatoes and squash and peppers. So, I think that’s going to be the bulk of what’s planted and the guys really appreciate fresh vegetables. So, what’s grown in that garden goes right back in house,” says Chastain.

All this is truly a labor of love for these students, as they genuinely enjoy the community outreach.

“You know, I really like it just because all my friends are out here. All my teachers are out here, my advisors, people from different schools. I can really meet new people, new other members and just having a great time helping people,” says Poole.

Having the nearly 800 members helping out in the community is not just a great message being sent by the FFA, it also serves as inspiration to those involved with the organization.

“It’s a beautiful thing to see and it’s incredibly contagious,” says Poole. “It actually brings life back into us older teachers who have kind of been around a while, been there done that, that new enthusiasm that the student shines is just a bright light to see.”

By: Damon Jones

First Georgia FFA Chapter Celebrates 90 Years

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Statham, GA -The year was 1928, the National FFA organization was just getting started in the United States and it was about to begin in Georgia. The first to take on that challenge in the state was in Barrow County at Statham Consolidated High School. Here’s a picture of the first chapter’s members. Since then, Barrow County now has three chapters in their county, and hundreds of others have been started across the state.

“Now we have 333 chapters in our state, ninety years later we have nearly 42,000 members. We’re the third largest state FFA association in the nation,” says Ben Lastly, Executive Secretary for the Georgia FFA Organization.

All that’s left of the original FFA chapter is a plaque on the gym of the old school, but their legacy continues to live on. Proof of that was shown at a celebration event held at Statham Elementary, where the old high school used to be. Family members of the first chapter and members of today’s chapters were there, talking about the FFA of the past and present.

“To be on site for something like this and get to witness it personally is really cool for me and it’s great for Georgia FFA to recognize those people who created this program, and to see some of their family members and let them see what’s going on now,” says Lastly.

Delaney Parr, Vice President of the Winder-Barrow FFA says, “I know the kind of impact the FFA has had on my life and just knowing that this where that same impact that its had on my life has begun for so many other people, especially knowing how many FFA members are in Georgia and knowing that this where those people walked and went to school, it’s pretty amazing.”

One by one at the event, former and current FFA members got the chance to share stories of how the FFA has affected and shaped their lives. One of those that shared is the son of one of the founding members. He spoke about how his father loved the FFA and how he passed on that love to him growing up. He ended up joining the FFA in the 8th grade and talked with me about the impact it has had on his life.

“FFA taught me that, it’s like if a piece of land’s not productive, you don’t say, well I’ve got a non-productive piece of land, well you go to work, and you make it productive. I got that value of you take things and you work to make them how they’re supposed to be,” says former Barrow FFA member, Boyd McLoclin.

Looking through the pictures on display, you can tell that in its ninety years, the FFA in Barrow County has changed the lives of hundreds of students and continues to do so today. Changing the way they think about agriculture, and even so much as changing the course of their lives as they choose majors and careers.

“I’m hoping to start off at ABAC and get a two-year associates degree in agriculture education, and then I want to transfer into UGA Tifton, and get my full-on agriculture education degree from there and then I want to continue on and minor in international agriculture,” says Parr.

This celebration is just reassurance of how important the FFA organization is today as it was ninety years ago back in 1928.

“Ag education is still important. These young people are still learning about agriculture. Agriculture has changed, but they’re still learning about agriculture. Just like folks did 90 years ago,” says Lastly.

By: John Holcomb