FFA has started its year off with many events like their new members’ meeting and presentations at DuQuoin State Fair. However, they are still going strong with many more upcoming events. 

Ms. Cherie Rogier, CTE/ AG Department said ¨We have done our New Member night which is for new AG students, we´ve gone to FarmYard Follies, we´ve had our first FFA meeting of the school year, and are getting ready for some leadership building events with SIUC.¨  

One of FFA´s most important events is their new officer voting, held on May 7.

Rogier stated ¨It’s fun. It’s always fun to see what they want to do with their office. You´re always going to have some that need extra encouragement maybe it’s their first time on an officer team or it’s a different office from last year and it’s making them step out of their comfort zone but I look forward to giving them the tools they need to succeed.¨ 

However, while there is excitement with the position there also comes the nervousness. 

New FFA President Elias Mulnax stated ¨It doesn’t really feel like a weight but there is definitely. I can feel a responsibility to it because both as a senior and as our president like I have the younger classes looking up to me. I have especially a lot of like freshmen looking up to me and other seniors.¨

The events they were currently preparing for are STAR and COLT with both at SIUC on September 10, 2024.

Mulnax stated ¨It’s called STAR conference which is a leadership training thing for our section officers and then we also have the COLT conference which is also tomorrow and that is leadership training for our chapter officers.¨

FFA is also having its Task visits to grade schools on September 13 2024. 

Elizabeth Zirkelbach mentioned ¨We go to a grade school and we teach them about different safety measures that involve AG such as heavy machinery, water safety, things of that nature for the safety day camp.¨