Students at Northwest High School in Hughesville concluded National FFA Week in a fun way by hosting an Ag Olympics in the gym Friday afternoon.
“It’s the same week all across the country so chapters nationwide are celebrating this week and it’s just kind of a celebration of the awesome traditions FFA has and the bright future it holds for its members and participants,” Tiffany Dugan, agriculture teacher and FFA adviser at Northwest, told the Democrat after the Ag Olympics. “A week to show the community this is FFA.”
Northwest had a full schedule of events for National FFA Week. Last Saturday, Northwest FFA members hosted a Community Appreciation Breakfast and on Sunday, members and their families attended church together at Hope Well Baptist.
Each day of the week was also a spirit day: FFA members wore their official uniform Monday, Tuesday was Muddy Truck and Camo Day, students had the opportunity to drive their farm equipment to school Wednesday, Thursday was Career Day, and Friday was Blue and Gold Day.
During Friday’s Ag Olympics, each grade level was represented by a two-person team that had to complete an agriculture-themed relay race. One teammate had to use their face to find “earthworms” in a tray of whipped cream, then the pair sorted through 12 (plastic) eggs to find a paper slip with a question on it. The team then spelled out the answer using “firewood,” also known as wooden craft sticks. Using only one hand at a time, the teams searched through the corn bin (kiddie swimming pool) to find the answer to the next question. The teammate not covered in whipped cream then went bobbing for apples. Finally, the team rode small toy tractors across half the gym, finishing in a partner wheelbarrow.
The eighth grade team, comprised of Mason Locke and Aubrey Smith, came out on top in Ag Olympics 2017.
Northwest has about 40 students in FFA and agriculture classes, Dugan said, with several serving as chapter officers.
“There’s so many opportunities,” Dugan said of FFA. “Since it’s such a huge national organization, networking alone is a great opportunity within the organization. It’s a college and career readiness pathway where we’re getting them ready if they want to go to college. It’s very science-based, all agriculture is, so it can help prepare them for any kind of field that has to do with that. As well as, agriculture is everywhere — if you eat, you wear clothes, you’re involved in agriculture.”
Dugan, senior Kinley Shane, who serves as the chapter’s sentinel, and junior Ashlynn Liebl, who serves as the chapter’s vice president, all offered several skills learned through FFA, such as leadership, public speaking, communicating, work ethic and organization.
“I wanted to be involved and be a leader and learn responsibility skills,” Shane said of why she joined FFA. “I’ve learned a lot from this FFA chapter.”
“I wanted to be in FFA because I heard about all the leadership opportunities and great experiences that come with it,” Liebl said.
