Pictured attending the 2009 FFA National Convention are: kneeling) Josh Dobbs, Greg Callaway, (back) Tony White, Hollie Huffman, Liz Kitchens, Haley Long, Emily Tanner, Gabe Strother, Paige McAvoy, Seth Canterbury, Lauren Chafin, and Nathan Heaton. The National FFA Organization is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. The FFA motto gives members twelve short words to live by as they experience the opportunities in the organization. The FFA’s motto is: Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve. The National FFA is made up of 506,199 students. The Georgia Association has over 26,000 members, making it third in the nation behind California and Texas.

At Washington-Wilkes Comprehensive High School, the FFA has done many great things throughout the year. In the Washington-Wilkes Chapter there are 115 members and the chapter advisors are Mr. Heaton and Mr. White. Like other CTSOs offered at W-WCHS, we have officers who run the monthly chapter meetings, we enter and win numerous contests, and we always strive to give back to our community.

Greg Callaway works at clipping his heifer at Perry. Throughout the year, members show their dedication through the time and effort they spend preparing for different events. There have been over 100 participations in the different activities this year so far. Many activities are based on curriculum taught in the classroom and are called Career Development Events or CDEs. Washington-Wilkes is involved in the following CDEs: land judging, creed speaking, livestock judging, electrical wiring, lawn mower maintenance and operation, wildlife management, tractor maintenance and operation, poultry judging, ag mechanics, prepared public speaking, FFA Quiz, and Forestry Field Day.

Jacob Eskew shows off his skills driving a tractor. Other fun activities members can and do participate in are skeet shooting, archery, program of activities development, Adopt-a-Highway, Angel Tree gift donations and delivery, the spring fishing tournament, volleyball, State FFA Leadership Camp, and State and National FFA Conventions.

FFA has been involved in many different events this year. Ten members and advisors attended the National Convention held in Indianapolis, Indiana, earlier this year. Twenty-one students, parents, advisors, and an administrator will be attending the State Convention in Macon, Georgia, in April. Three students will be receiving their Georgia FFA Degrees based on their SAE Proficiency application. Those students are Gabe Strother (Ag Mechanics Repair and Maintenance), Greg Callaway (Beef Production), and Liz Kitchens (Equine Science). Members have also competed and been successful in many different livestock shows (beef, dairy, and swine) this year. These shows include the Georgia Junior Beef Futurity, Georgia Young Farmer’s Association Show, Gwinnett County Fair, Georgia National Fair, AgGeorgia Farm Credit Heifer Show, Elbert County Steer and Heifer Show, and Georgia State Junior Livestock Show. So far this spring, 12 new students have expressed a desire to exhibit beef cattle, market goats, market hogs, and poultry.

Gabe Strother is shown fitting a heifer at the Washington Area Steer and Heifer Show. FFA is a teaching organization which prepares students to go into many careers, both agricultural and non-agricultural. FFA helps support the nation’s largest employer, agriculture. Agriculture employs 20% of the nation’s workforce (221 million Americans). The Washington-Wilkes Chapter has been blessed with support from many individuals, farm businesses, and non-agricultural businesses in Wilkes County who see the value of these learning opportunities. In fact, both locally and nationally, FFA has been supported by scholarships for our students through Washington Ford, Tena’s Jewelry, and AgGeorgia Farm Credit.
Jesse Callaway fine tunes his maneuvers.
Haley Long gives back to the community by working on the Adopt-a-Highway project.