Last week Greeley Wests’ FFA program celebrated the annual FFA week. It is celebrated with Presidents’ Day week and has done so for nearly 90 years. FFA week is meant to acknowledge the young leaders, the students, and the organization itself.
Greeley West participates in the celebration of FFA week for many reasons. One reason being that they are the largest chapter in Colorado, with the most diverse membership of the 125 chapters in the state.
Every year the FFA officers decide what they want to do that week to celebrate, always including community service. Some of the major things they did this year was the change drive, the Farm-to-Table, and participated in the Farm Show.
Greeley Wests’ Farm-to-Table is FFA’s biggest fundraiser of the year. The shop class builds auction items, such as chairs, tables, etc, to raise money for the chapter. The student hand-made items are placed in a silent auction where companies and others from the community can bid. This community wide event is not usually the same week as FFA week, however FFA advisor Kelly Longacre said, “We decided to switch it up.”
The change drive is a part of the pet drive that FFA began a couple weeks ago. They set out empty water jugs in front of classrooms, collecting money from students and staff. The owner of the jug with the most money has to kiss a pig at Greeley Wests’ spring assembly. The winner/loser of that is Principle Jeffery Cranson.
At the Farm Show the Greeley West FFA chapter gets to sit at the welcome table and speak to people in the community about FFA and their newsletters for next year.
Senior FFA vice president Hailee Taylor participated in every activity during the week. Her favorite was the Farm Show because she was able to talk to companies, families, and others in the community about FFA. “I believe that everyone should be involved in FFA in some way and learn how agriculture is used in our everyday lives,” Taylor said.
