This is FFA country

The FFA. Those three letters symbolize so much for those living, working  and attending school in the Harlem Valley.

The FFA has been able to flourish and make a real imprint here on students, from grade school through high school, drawing them closer to the ever-vital field of agriculture and its many offshoots. Pine Plains Central School District especially has been steadfast in making this a priority, and its FFA program has offered some amazing opportunities to its students.

This weekend that program culminated with the annual FFA Fall Festival, including a parade and two days of the FFA fair, with animal showings and judgings, horse and tractor pulls, barbecues, fundraisers and more. It presented students with an opportunity to show their stuff, so to speak, and they did so gloriously. Much praise should be given to FFA Advisor Chris Mac Neil, who has worked tirelessly for the group over the years and done much to teach her students about the role of agriculture in our lives. No wonder the school district speaks of the FFA with such pride. And it’s no great mystery why other school districts look to Pine Plains as an example to follow when setting up their own FFA program.

Case in point, Webutuck.

The Webutuck Board of Education recently spoke about its desire to improve its FFA program. Just the fact that it has been able to hold onto its FFA program is in itself something we should be thankful for, as few school districts do. But the BOE is correct; the FFA there is not strong enough and does not offer students all that it could. That’s why bringing in new ag teacher and FFA Advisor Anna Duffy could be just what is needed. Duffy, along with Webutuck High School Principal Drew Hopkins, made a presentation to the school board on Oct. 5, sharing some of their ideas about how to reinvigorate the FFA program in the district.

They stressed hands-on learning (always a winning approach for young students), the addition of more agricultural-related courses, offering the choice of different levels of courses, setting the goal of sending Webutuck’s FFA members to the annual national convention in Indianapolis and all the while working closely with the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Millbrook for extra support. Webutuck High School’s FFA has also been in close contact with the FFA from both Stissing Mountain Middle/High School and Housatonic Valley Regional High School in Connecticut, seeking guidance and direction while reshaping its own program.

The Webutuck School District is on the right track. Its FFA can be a valuable resource to both students and the entire community, just as the Stissing Mountain FFA is. The FFA teaches so much — the ins and outs of agriculture, for one, and the importance of agriculture in society today, in addition to leadership skills, public speaking, self confidence, how to function in a group setting, etc. Those who participate in the FFA clearly benefit from the experience.

That two of our school districts are so actively involved in the FFA is indeed fortunate for our students, because without the FFA they may never have learned how vital agriculture is to our communities, our lives and our world. Here’s to the FFA, may it continue to grow and prosper in our region and impact as many people as possible, for there are valuable lessons to be learned. Put simply, let’s all cheer – FFA, all the way!