As we round out the week, here at CSB, we wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the fact that February 17th– February 24th was recognized as National FFA Week all across America. Schools participated in fun dress up days, agriculture related activities, and some even took advantage of the nice weather and hosted a ‘drive your tractor to school’ day. No need to worry about plugging the tractors in on these North-Western Illinois 50-degree days in February!
The Impact of an Organization
FFA used to stand for ‘Future Farmers of America,’ until 1988 when the foundation officially changed to the National FFA Organization to encompass a larger group of students and embrace the direction and growth of the agriculture industry. This change brought the addition of topics such as advances in technology focused around agriculture, the exploration of different career paths related to the industry, and advancements to the networking and social activities of the organization.
With chapters all across America ranging in age from middle school to the collegiate level, the opportunities that the FFA provides is limitless. Students learn how to work within a team, communicate, develop interpersonal skills, and build character through dedicating their time and effort to their FFA projects, events, and teams.
Leadership positions are voted on and elected each year at the chapter, section, and state levels where students learn to take on responsibilities of running meetings, organizing events, and ultimately representing their level of the organization. Many of our staff here at CSB participated in their local FFA chapters, and several even held leadership roles. From treasurers, to secretaries, and even chapter presidents, we experience the foundational skills they learned at a young age throughout their careers today. Several of these staff members have returned to their FFA chapters as alumni to help support and encourage the next generation of FFA in our area.
Supporting Our Youth
Outside of being active alumni members, our employees also look to support our local FFA chapters and agriculture programs in many ways. Arguably, our Ag Team’s favorite time of year is fair season where we get to witness the hard work and dedication of those students with livestock projects in action.
Even though county and state fairs are the most common way to show your support for these students and all of their efforts, CSB would also like to encourage you to look into the events that your local FFA chapters host throughout the rest of the year. From pancake breakfasts to plant sales, and even fruit fundraisers, there are many different ways to support these students and their dedication to the organization.
The simplest way to show support for your local FFA programs?
Join your CSB location tomorrow, Friday, February 23rd, 2024 in wearing blue to honor National FFA Week!
