In Natrona County, three FFA chapters, Windy City FFA, Casper FFA, and CY Middle School, provide exceptional opportunities for students to be involved with serving their community, growing their leadership skills, and learning more about all aspects of the agriculture industry. Throughout the year, students work dedicatedly to excel as chapters, teams, and individuals with livestock evaluation competitions, individual competitions, and various other team and community service projects.
Casper FFA and Windy City FFA members joined NCSD Trustees during a recent meeting, where they shared chapter and team successes and their goals for the remainder of the school year.
The mission of the Casper FFA Chapter is Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve. Throughout the year, Casper FFA students participate and volunteer their time for numerous community service and leadership activities, including their annual Rake N Run Event, Can-O-Treat Food Drive, Blanket and Sock Drive, and many others. Working to give back to others in the community while encouraging school spirit, Casper FFA shared information on their planned “Kiss the Sheep” fundraising event where students can “vote” via a donation for a lucky NCHS staff member to “kiss” a sheep. A percentage of the proceeds raised will then be donated to Reach for a Star Riding Academy.
At the meeting, Casper FFA Secretary Garrett Burkett highlighted some recent chapter successes from National competition, “The Conduct of Chapter Meetings team qualified for the semi-finals and finished fifth overall. The Marketing Plan team also qualified for the semi-finals and ended up in the top twelve. The Livestock Judging team finished fourth in the nation and has even qualified for the Royal Highland Show in Scotland.” Casper FFA Historian, Madison Dickinson shared the excitement of Casper FFA teams as they prepare for upcoming competitions, “Our Horse Evaluation, Poultry Evaluation, Meats and Technology, Livestock Evaluation, Agriculture Technology and Mechanical Systems, Marketing Plan, Agriculture Sales, and Veterinary Science teams are preparing for State Convention. Creed Speaking, Prepared Speech, Extemporaneous Speaking, Employment Skills, Conduct of Chapter Meetings, and Parliamentary Procedure teams will be competing in Preliminary Rounds.”
Throughout the year, Windy City FFA Chapter is actively involved in many community service projects, including two recent opportunities where they had the chance to share their talents and knowledge with younger students. Windy City FFA chapter member Hunter, shared his appreciation for the educational opportunity events like the 30th Annual Ag Expo provide to the community, "It's important to teach younger students because a lot of kids don't know where their stuff comes from or really much about Ag or FFA in general, so day's like this are helpful to help us get more kids interested in everything it has to offer." Another recent highlight for the chapter members was when their Veterinary Science Team spent time teaching younger students about animal injections and veterinary science. The Windy City FFA Chapter is also collaborating with the Pathways Innovation Center automotive program on a suburban raffle. Funds raised will go to support both student groups, with twenty percent of the proceeds donated to Jason’s Friends Foundation.
Windy City Chapter Sentinel, Caitlynn Conley, shared in her chapter excitement as they prepare for upcoming competitions. “Our Freshman team will be competing at the District Creed Contest. Horse judging, Livestock judging, Environmental and Natural Resources, Veterinary Science, Ag Mechanics, and Meats judging teams will all be going to State Convention this year. We are also going to Border Wars this year with our Environmental and Natural Resources, Veterinary Science, and Horse judging teams.”
Windy City FFA is committed to students developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.
A highlight of the meeting, the NCSD Board of Trustees shared their appreciation for the leadership and success of the FFA students. "If you've ever been in FFA or had a child in FFA, you're familiar with their motto. 'Learning to do, doing to learn, earning to live, and living to serve.' Their four touchstones are the words do, learn, live, and serve, and they exemplify that motto and those touchstones incredibly well. We all saw how incredibly confident these young people were in their presentations this evening; what I can tell you is what you saw this evening pales in comparison with what they do in their opening and closing rituals in every meeting and in their many public speaking events,” shared Trustee Stedillie. “Our hats are off to them; they have earned our respect."
The official FFA motto, Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, and Living to Serve, is exemplified by these students daily.
Exceptional work, students!