page 188 2015 LOGAN COUNTY FAIR LINCOLN DAILY NEWS.com August 2-9, 2015
did well. At the Geneseo FFA contest in February,
Noah Watts received the high individual award in the
junior swine division and Dustin Woolard received
third overall in the senior sheep division.
In April, the Hartem Livestock Judging Team won
the Section 14 contest. Meg Meeker placed 1st
overall and Dustin Woolard placed 6th overall. And
congratulations also go to Noah on receiving the high
individual award in the junior swine division and to
Dustin for receiving third overall in the senior sheep
division.
Many of the chapter’s members have also gone to
the Washington Leadership Conference, a weeklong
conference that helps students develop leadership skills
and do service projects.
Fanning explains that the 2015-2016 Officer Team has
set some goals for the chapter to be more community
oriented and help out with beautification and upkeep
of their towns. CDE’S are career development events.
We are planning on fixing the Hartsburg welcome sign,
planting flowers, and litter pick up.
The community oriented spirit is in line with what
the chapter has done over the years. Under Pech
FFA members were required to complete individual
community service projects -- one per month -- during
the school year. Another community project they have
done over the years is a food drive.
Hartem’s new principal John Leslie mentions on the
school’s website the strong focus on community.
The National FFA also has something of a focus on
helping communities. Via its website, “FFA members
amplify their voice when it comes to speaking about
agriculture and letting others know the importance of
agriculture in today’s world. This is the perfect time to
show your community how FFA members live the FFA
motto: Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to
Live, Living to Serve.”
And the Illinois FFA website notes, “The FFA mission
is to make a positive difference in the lives of students
by developing their potential for premier leadership,
personal growth and career success through
agricultural education.”
What students learn in FFA influences their future.
Several recent FFA alumni are currently studying
agriculture in college or involved in Agriculture related
careers. 2013 Hartem graduate Cole Baker is studying
agricultural business at Lincoln Land Community
College with plans to transfer to Illinois State
University and states that the FFA opened many doors
of opportunities for him. He explains, “I was very
involved in the Ag Issues contest, livestock judging,
and public speaking contest, all of which taught me
skills that I use every day in my life.” Baker also says,
“I was the chapter president and Section 14 president.
Holding those offices taught me about leadership,
communication, and many other different aspects of
agriculture. Everyday, I thank the FFA organization for
providing me with those great skills and opportunities.
Also I thank my agriculture teacher Mrs. Betsy Pech
for pushing me to pursue all that I did in FFA.”
Others, such as 2010 State FFA Award winner
Christopher Crane are now helping run their family
farms. Josh Clark, another 2010 award winner, is the
service coordinator/supervisor at Roland Machinery, a
supplier of heavy equipment. Also from that group was
Tommy Zinser, who now works at the grain elevator in
Emden.
With former FFA members taking what they have
learned and using it in their careers, this statement
from the National FFA - “Students whose lives are
impacted by FFA and agricultural education will
achieve academic and personal growth, strengthen
American agriculture and provide leadership to build
healthy local communities, a strong nation and a
sustainable world” - appears to ring true.
