Bowling Green FFA kicked-off the new year with a variety of different events.
The officer team started off the year organizing FFA Families, which are groups of FFA members each led by one of the officers. Families are meant to create stronger bonds among the FFA members as well as encourage underclassmen to feel comfortable getting more involved in the organization.
These families will also help to facilitate healthy competition among the members at various events throughout the year. The families were kicked off with a donut meet and greet. Members were invited to receive their family welcome letter, meet their officer, and enjoy a donut while doing so.
Members also volunteered their time at the Wood County Ag Venture, a self-driving farm tour. Fourteen members helped with parking and pumpkin painting at Buckeye Seafood Company on Sept. 17. Members enjoyed interacting with the general public to help educate them about agriculture.
Another volunteer opportunity that the members took part in was the Children’s Tent at the Bowling Green Farmers Market. Members conducted activities such as butter making, making seed necklaces and coloring with kids attending the market.
The start of the school year also means the start of CDEs, or career development events. The first CDE of the year was Soil Judging. The chapter took 11 of their members to District Ag and Urban Soil Judging in Defiance County.
Members included Eddie Eschedor, Emma Ferguson, Audrina Layfield, Addie Naus, Easton Schick, Hunter Sockman, Cole Brokaw, Madison Carrillo, Drew Thomas, Ethan Helvoigt, Audrey Geyman and Kaylee Bishop. The Ag team placed 7th in the district and the Urban team placed 12th. Eddie Eschedor placed 4th in the district and qualified for the State Soil Judging contest where he placed 28th.
The officer team was also able to hold a Greenhand welcome day in their classes. Officers planned activities to interact with the new members. This was another initiative to try and help the first year members get more comfortable in FFA and in high school. By building strong relationships between the members and giving them a taste of the FFA, the officer team hopes to see more involvement throughout the year from these members.
Bowling Green FFA ended the month with the induction of the Greenhand members into the National FFA Organization. The ceremony was the first official meeting of the year for the members. BG FFA welcomed 66 new members. After the meeting, the members and their families were invited down to the Ag Department for an open house where they were able to enjoy cake and refreshments, as well as show their parents around and introduce them to some of the opportunities and activities BG FFA has to offer.
The Bowling Green Agricultural Education Department is a satellite program of Penta Career Center.
