Did you know that FFA, doesn’t actually stand for anything? It used to stand for Future Farmers of America, but in 1989 the delegates in charge realized that the FFA has international effects and can no longer be limited to agriculture in America, and changed the name to the National FFA Organization.
The term FFA may not stand for anything, but in Middletown the FFA stands for spirit, community and leadership. The Middletown chapter of the FFA does so much more than “Camo” day and muddiest truck day; the chapter volunteers in the community and also ranks highly among other FFA chapters in competitions.
MHS agriculture teacher and FFA advisor Sarah Shriner is proud to mention that the Middletown Chapter was ranked the No. 1 agriculture program in the state of Maryland last year, and won second place for a Horticulture Team at the national level.
This year Middletown High School sent teams to compete in dairy foods, vet science, dairy judging, and a prepared speech participant to the national competition. MHS also sent horticulture and horse judging teams to the Big “E”, or the Eastern States Exposition, to compete with others from across the east coast this past fall.
MHS’s chapter is currently preparing for state competition in June by having practices after school.
Another frequently ignored factor of the chapter is the amount of work it puts into helping the Middletown-Myersville community.
The Middletown members have participated in Adopt-a-Family and have held a food drive for the Middletown Valley Food Bank. They have also volunteered at the Bethel Farm, a local organization that grows vegetables and fruits for families in need. The food grown is currently helping support 20 local families.
Shriner said, “Our chapter was given a Food for All Grant this year as a part of Grow FFA.”
With this money, the FFA students have built a new chicken coop and will raise chickens to lay eggs that will be distributed to local families. The FFA may be forgettable to some MHS students, but to the Middletown community it is a helpful supporter of families in need.
The FFA is an important part of the community and should be recognized at MHS. During the FFA spirit week that was Feb. 16-23, students were encouraged to participate in various spirit activities in the hopes of educating students and recruiting possible members.
At MHS, the FFA held spirit week and promoted wearing FFA colors blue and gold, their favorite camo attire and driving to school with the muddiest truck.
FFA member David Lynn, sophomore took first with his dirt-covered Dodge Ram. Members Justin Reed, junior and John Yeager, senior won second and third, respectively.
MHS junior and FFA member Kiley Slimmer said, “They (students) also had opportunities to go to after school events such as ice cream making, laser tag, log sawing and the IBR national finals rodeo.”
The week was full of fun for students and FFA members, and even included several staff members wearing “I support FFA” buttons provided by the National FFA Organization.
Slimmer says that “FFA teaches youth across the nation about all types of agricultural fields and gives them the opportunity to get hands on experience; one of the main focuses of FFA is to learn leadership skills to help you in any future, speech, (or) career.”
