ffa

Students prep for FFA National Convention

Students prep for FFA National Convention

Housatonic Valley FFA students prepare for the upcoming convention with teacher David Moran.

Kellie Eisermann

FALLS VILLAGE — Housatonic Valley FFA students are gearing up to head to the 98th annual National Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, Oct. 29 to Nov. 1.

This year, students are preparing to take on the landscape, horse judging, creed speaking and extemporaneous competitions.

Creed speaking involves memorizing and reciting all five paragraphs of the FFA Creed (by E.M. Tiffany).

Contestants are judged on how well and uniquely the creed is presented, and the judges question the speaker on aspects of the creed.

For extemporaneous speaking, the student is given a topic relating to agriculture and has 30 minutes to prepare before answering questions from the judges.

Riley Mahaffey will be taking on her third year of public speaking at the national level.

The landscape team consists of Madeline Collingwood, Michael Gawel, Hayden Bell and Byron Bell. The competition will include plant identification, a written exam, landscape practicums and a team event.

The equine judging team consists of Madison Melino, Darwin Wolfe, Hannah Johnson and Kellie Eisermann. The competitions will include a general knowledge test, judging horses in halter classes and under saddle, oral questions and a team event to wrap it all up.

Zayre Trail is advancing to the national level to represent the Housatonic Valley FFA chapter as the creed speaker.

Kellie Eisermann is the FFA Reporter this year She is a junior and lives in Lakeville and plans to go into the family business, Four Seasons Pool Service in Millerton.

ffa

Latest News

School lunch prices to rise at select District No. 1 schools

School lunch prices to rise at select District No. 1 schools

Housatonic Valley Regional High School, where the price of school lunch will increase to $4.00 beginning Jan. 5.

Nathan Miller

FALLS VILLAGE -- School lunch prices will increase at select schools in Regional School District No. 1 beginning Jan. 5, 2026, following a deficit in the district’s food service account and rising food costs tied to federal meal compliance requirements.

District officials announced the changes in a letter to families dated Monday, Dec. 15, signed by Superintendent Melony Brady-Shanley and Business Manager Samuel J. Herrick

Keep ReadingShow less

North Canaan Santa Chase 5K draws festive crowd

North Canaan Santa Chase 5K draws festive crowd

Runners line up at the starting line alongside Santa before the start of the 5th Annual North Canaan Santa Chase 5K on Saturday, Dec. 13.

By John Coston

NORTH CANAAN — Forty-eight runners braved frigid temperatures to participate in the 5th Annual North Canaan Santa Chase 5K Road Race on Saturday, Dec. 13.

Michael Mills, 45, of Goshen, led the pack with a time of 19 minutes, 15-seconds, averaging a 6:12-per-mile pace. Mills won the race for the third time and said he stays in shape by running with his daughter, a freshman at Lakeview High School in Litchfield.

Keep ReadingShow less

Regional trash authority awarded $350,000 grant to expand operations

Regional trash authority awarded $350,000 grant to expand operations

The Torrington Transfer Station, where the Northwest Resource Recovery Authority plans to expand operations using a $350,000 state grant.

By Riley Klein

TORRINGTON — The Northwest Resource Recovery Authority, a public entity formed this year to preserve municipal control over trash and recycling services in northwest Connecticut, has been awarded $350,000 in grant funds to develop and expand its operations.

The funding comes from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection via its Sustainable Materials Management grant program. It is intended to help the NRRA establish operations at the Torrington Transfer Station as well as support regional education, transportation, hauler registration and partnerships with other authorities.

Keep ReadingShow less

Ski jump camp for kids returns Dec. 27, 28

Ski jump camp for kids returns Dec. 27, 28
Ski jump camp for kids returns Dec. 27, 28
Photo provided

The Salisbury Winter Sports Association (SWSA) will host its annual Junior Jump Camp, a two-day introduction to ski jumping, on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 27 and 28, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Satre Hill in Salisbury.

The camp is open to children ages 7 and up and focuses on teaching the basics of ski jumping, with an emphasis on safety, balance and control, using SWSA’s smallest hill. No prior experience is required.

Keep ReadingShow less