FFA week celebrates accomplishments of agriculture students
FFA Members cook Polish dogs to sell to students and staff during FFA week
Farmers feed the world, and week of Feb. 22 to Feb. 29 was the time to celebrate National FFA Week. Future Farmers of America, or FFA, is a youth organization that promotes and supports agricultural education. To be a member in the Atascadero chapter, students must take an ag class with one of the advisors. The classes include Basic Agricultural Mechanics, Agricultural Welding, Agricultural Maintenance, Agricultural Construction, Sustainable Agricultural, Agriculture and Soil Science, and Agriscience Systems Management.
Students celebrated National FFA with a BBQ and recognition for the members in good standing, in addition to providing the entire AHS staff to a pizza lunch. Each year, FFA chapters around the country celebrate National FFA Week to share what FFA is and the impact it has on members every day.
Members are now preparing for Salinas Valley Fair, which will start on May 14. The members participating in the California Midstate Fair in June are receiving their animals and starting their still exhibits.
At the beginning of the year, 50 students attended the Sectional Opening and Closing Competition on Oct. 1. The novice team won third in their division; the advanced teams won first and fifth place, and the officer team received fourth in their division. Sophomore Kenna Montgomery, freshman Ruby Muniz, freshman Jewels Ryan, and sophomore Renee Rivas were honored with an Outstanding Award for their position in the category in which they competed.
Early in the school year, eight AHS students also attended the Cow Palace Livestock Judging Competition on Oct. 13 to keep their skills fresh before the competitive season began. Senior Brodie Story won sixth place overall in reasons and high individual for the goat sub category and junior Mikenna Hove won sixth in that cattle sub category. Students also competed in the West Coast Elite on Nov. 14 and Cattle Championships on Nov. 15 in Davis and Chico. Senior Justin Zack finished fifth overall in the Elite Contest.