Freshmen at both Spanish Fork and Diamond Fork Jr. Highs got their first taste of FFA. Students truly got to learn from the best. Officers from both Spanish Fork High and Maple Mountain High put on the annual Freshman Retreat at Diamond Fork Jr. High yesterday, September eighth. Officers stressed the importance of never quitting, friendship, team work, as well as letting the newest members know of the myriad of opportunities that they can take advantage of. The National FFA Organization is definitely more than just the farmer club. In fact, it is by far the biggest club at Spanish Fork High. FFA offers something for everybody, no matter your background or interests.
Officers taught workshops to their fellow members, informing them about all that FFA offers and means including leadership opportunities, scholarships, team work, and how they can find their own little niche in the world of agriculture whether they live on a farm or not. Tyler Galt (Spanish Fork’s President) said, “We (the officers) all know how much fun FFA can be, and we want to make sure that all of the freshmen get involved.” Officers went out of their way to get to know the freshmen as they taught them, as well as had fun with them. Kassie Smith, Spanish Fork’s advisor said, “ Our chapter is getting bigger and bigger each year; in fact, we have around four hundred members this year and that means that our officers really have to bring their A-game in order to make sure everything runs smoothly.” Officers like Kayden Worthington (Spanish Fork’s Vice President) who taught about his state winning SAE program in Swine Production, and Kinsey Williams (Maple Mountain’s President) who taught about leadership opportunities really went out of their way to make sure the freshmen knew what a great opportunity FFA was.
Freshman Retreat was more than just telling the freshmen how awesome FFA is; it was truly an opportunity to make new friends. Officers from both high schools exemplified servant leadership. Freshmen learned that along with all of the official stuff that goes along with FFA, perhaps the most important is the friendships and trust that they can build with one another. FFA officers are truly there for their fellow members when they need help. Whether it is concerning official FFA business or just life, FFA officers showed that they are there to help. Mariah Dawe (Spanish Fork’s Vice President) said afterwards, “I love FFA! I live nowhere near a farm, but the experiences that I have had and the lessons I’ve learned through FFA will help me for the rest of my life. That’s why FFA is so awesome!” FFA’s newest members should definitely be excited about the upcoming year. Everything from leadership, scholarships, fun activities, awards, and new friends lie ahead. If they really want it, all they have to do is look to the FFA.
Attributions
Tyler Galt