GRANTS, NM – A National FFA Organization chapter was recently started at Grants High School. FFA is a youth leadership organization offered through secondary agricultural education courses and Grants High School is now offering these courses to students. Currently the FFA chapter is only available to students from ninth to twelfth grade, but according to FFA Advisor and Agricultural Teacher Amador Gonzales they are hoping to eventually branch out and allow seventh and eighth grade students to take these courses as well.
“Future Farmers of America” was founded by a group of young farmers in 1928. Their mission was to prepare future generations for the challenges of feeding a growing population. Today, there are 850,823 FFA members, aged 12 to 21, in 8,995 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Gonzales said, “FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students, by developing their potential for community leadership, personal growth, and career success…. We are providing students with opportunities to learn about the agriculture industry but also learn a little bit more about who they are as individuals and leaders and give them the tools they need to be successful once they leave the program.”
FFA was originally started at GHS in 2020 and the program is back up and running, with Gonzales coming to Grants in February, to be the advisor and agricultural teacher. There are currently 29 active members within the Grants FFA chapter. The program is trying to become more involved in the community, this year the program had their own float for the 4th of July parade. The students have also been involved in various events. The chapter Vice President Karyssa Cook was a member of the State officer committee and engaged in selecting the next year’s state FFA officers. The chapter President Brandon Small was elected to serve as a district officer. Four students were also able to attend an FFA leadership camp to gain leadership skills that aren’t learned in a traditional classroom setting.
FFA is important to the area because Grants is an agriculturally based community according to Gonzales. “Especially in our region with how the diverse the agriculture is and how diverse the population is, it’s really important to showcase not only what opportunities there are within agriculture, but what opportunities there are for community development.” The program looks towards how it can strengthen the community, how to strengthen agriculture in the region, and how to continue to get the next generation of students interested in agriculture and career development.
The FFA program follows a three-circle model which includes classroom instruction, the FFA and supervised agricultural experience. The classroom instruction circle is where students take classes that vary greatly from plant science to agricultural mechanics classes. These classes build the foundation for students in the program. The FFA circle is where students develop leadership skills as well as career development by competing in competitions, in New Mexico about 30 competitions are available with 19 being nationally based, as well as completing mock job interviews, working on resumes, public speaking and many others. The supervised agricultural experience is where students can have work-based experience such as being involved in the state fair. Students can also be placed in an agricultural business and apply what they have learned in that business.
For students that are interested in joining FFA but aren’t completely sure Gonzales said, “There is something for everyone in FFA and agriculture education… If you tell me what you’re interested in I could probably find a place for you within FFA.”
The FFA program also teaches life skills to students. This includes resume writing, cover letter writing and mock job interviews. They also teach business skills through their supervised agriculture experience where students learn how to manage a business such as how to keep accurate records and manage money. Public speaking is also an important skill that is highlighted throughout the program, and according to Gonzales they include public speaking in as many events as possible to build up that skill for students to be confident in communicating.
According to Gonzales, “FFA isn’t just cows, plows, and sows. There is something for everyone and we are always looking for ways to get involved in the community and give back to the area that has given us a platform to showcase our passions.” The chapter is in the stages of planning for the next school year which will be the first full year of operations for the FFA chapter. “We’re always open to any individual in the community that wants to help out or maybe contribute something to our program… We are young, we are new, but we have a lot of bright ideas and a good vision for our program that I’m really excited to see come to fruition.”