Special to the News-Sun
SEBRING - The seven FFA chapters in Highlands County celebrated National FFA Week in a variety of ways Feb. 16-23. This year's theme is Grow, and it celebrates more than 80 years of FFA traditions while eagerly anticipating the organization's future.
More than 550,000 members nationwide participated in National FFA Week activities at local, state and national levels. These members came from rural, suburban and urban environments and are interested in the diversity of careers within agriculture.
FFA members are the innovators and leaders of tomorrow. Through agricultural education and hands?on learning, they are preparing for the more than 300 career opportunities in the food, fiber and natural resources industry.
National FFA Week is sponsored by Tractor Supply Company as a special project of the National FFA Foundation and annually encompasses Feb. 22, George Washington's birthday.
FFA members celebrated National FFA Week by participating in the following activities at schools around the county including:
- Students guessing amount of FFA mints in a container during lunches
- FFA Facts on morning announcements everyday
- Teacher Kiss-A-Donkey Contest
- Teacher Appreciation Breakfast
- Attending the Sebring Chamber Luncheon
Students have some activities that they would like the whole school to participate in. They also wanted to do one charity event. In spirit of all the teachers dropping weight the students held a clothes drive. The goal was to collect 1,000 pounds of clothes. The top three participants received a Walmart gift card.
For each day of the week they chose Feb. 18 as twin day, Feb. 19 as spirit day or FFA colors, Feb. 20 as FFA official dress day, Feb. 21 as Western Wear day and Feb. 22 as FFA T-shirt day. Also on FEb. 21 was hat day for $1 so the students could raise money for state convention.
The students also made a video about FFA to show to the school and hosted a teacher appreciation breakfast on Friday. They cut public service announcements to run throughout the week. Two students appeared on Barry Foster's talk radio program. And helping make the week complete, Sebring Mayor George Hensley proclaimed FFA Week at the Feb. 19 city council meeting.
Sunday, February 24, 2013 - www.newssun.com/022413-County-FFA