Tuesday, February 19, 2013 —
Danny Blake is an instructor in the Agriculture Department at North Stanly High School (NSHS), and he’s also the supervisor for the school’s FFA club.
FFA stands for the Future Farmers of America, but they changed the name to the National FFA Organization in 1989.
“They changed the name because they didn’t want to discourage students who didn’t want to become farmers,” Blake said.
To be in the club, aside from paying state and national dues, students must be enrolled in an agriculture class. This year there are more than 19,000 members statewide, according to Blake.
There has been an FFA club at NSHS since the school began 50 years ago, Blake said.
“We have 60 in FFA, now. The club is for students to participate in agricultural activities outside of school time,” Blake said.
In other words, for the students who can’t get enough of the hands-on activities involved in landscaping or horticulture, they can come participate in FFA after school.
Blake said he took about 35 students to the state fair in Raleigh.
“We had two students showing lambs, four showing cows and we had two students in the Federation Truck and Tractor Driving competition.
“It’s an honor to get there,” Blake said about the truck and tractor competition.
“The students came in 17th and 19th places. It’s a good honor to compete. To even go to the state competition you have to win locally. Our local federation is Mecklenburg, Cabarrus and Stanly county. They won locally first.”
Students involved with FFA are interested in horticulture, landscaping, agricultural production, animal science and agricultural mechanics.
“I love it,” said Joey Chavis, a senior member of FFA.
“It gives us more of a hands-on approach, something I find useful. We learn more than we do in class.”
“The club is really an extension of the Ag classes. It’s another tool for classroom education,” Blake said.
FFA members participate in a number of competitions, including plant identification, nursery landscaping, tools and agricultural sales practice.
“I have four students participating in the agricultural product sales competition. For the Ag sales competitions, students will pick an agricultural product and try and sell it to the judges,” Blake said.
FFA meets once a month, but the individual teams that go to competitions meet with Blake more frequently to practice and prepare.
This week is FFA Week and NSHS FFA will have special activities planned for each day: candy bags, chicken stew, doughnuts and a camouflage day.
For more info on NSHS or the FFA program, visit nshs.stanlycountyschools.org.
To submit story ideas, contact Ian Faulkner at ian@stanlynewspress.com or (704) 982-2121 ext. 21.
Homepage
Related Photos
-
NSHS FFA seniors Joey Chavis and Johnathon Chandler recently installed a muffler on this tractor. Photo by IAN FAULKNER/staff
Discussion
North Stanly High School agriculture class teaches more than farming careers
- Homepage
-
-
Study confirms PCBs in Falls Reservoir, Lake Tillery
A study released Monday confirms PCB contamination of fish at three separate testing sites along the Yadkin River, according to Sandy Mort, a public health assessor with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS).
- Forum allows talk on workforce
- Red Cross reviews proposed budget, transportation plans
- Stanly County Sheriff's Office releases name of Groves Street victim
- Man fatally hit in Albemarle
-
Study confirms PCBs in Falls Reservoir, Lake Tillery
- Local News
-
-
GHA Autism Supports offers community supported agriculture program
On June 2, 2003, GHA Autism Supports began construction on Carolina Farms, an innovative program in the Millingport area designed to enable individuals from the autistic population to realize a dream of living and working in a farming environment in Stanly County.
- Building a Movement for Play: Non-Profit Organization KaBOOM! Names Albemarle Among 217 “Playful City USA” Communities
- Community joins for Day of Prayer
-
GHA Autism Supports offers community supported agriculture program
- Around Stanly County
-
-
Stanly County Senior Center has many activities
The following is activity information from the Stanly County Senior Center 283 N. Third St., Albemarle.
- SCC Chorus to perform free concert
- Locust to observe National Day of Prayer
-
Stanly County Senior Center has many activities
- Sports
-
-
Stanly County Baseball / Softball Update
In local playoff games on Friday, South Stanly hosted Albemarle in a third-round 1A baseball playoff matchup, while West Stanly hosted Piedmont in the 2A softball third-round and Gray Stone traveled to Chatham Central for a 1A third-round softball game.
- Stanly County Baseball / Softball Playoff Update
- Stanly County Baseball Playoff Notebook
-
Stanly County Baseball / Softball Update
- Letters to the Editor
-
-
We are not the bad guy
This letter is for staff writer Ian Faulkner. You do not seem to think the threat from North Korea is serious. Read your history of war. I’m glad that our country takes it serious.
- Citizens need to participate in health assessment
- New bill would help business
-
We are not the bad guy
- Opinion
-
-
Google shuts down SMS search, angers people who had forgotten it existed
Instead of texting back search results, Google responds with a short message noting that the service "has been shutdown" (sic) and that you can continue to search the Web by visiting google.com (duh).
- Walking by Faith
- Jettie Parker
-
- Lifestyles
-
-
Baird-Poplin
Scott and Sonya Baird of Georgetown, S.C. announce the engagement of their daughter, Katherine Elaine Baird of Greensboro to Matthew Ryan Poplin of Greensboro, son of Louis and Julia Poplin of Norwood.
- Presson-Luther
- Britt-Morton
-
- Features
-
-
How to get the most out of your air conditioner this summer
Experts say preventative maintenance on your air conditioner can save you hundreds of dollars.
- Slate: New "Facebook phone" is now selling for 99 cents
- Mitsubishi crossover gets new styling
-
- Regional
-
-
Pirate Excavation Education Launches QAR Shipwreck Expedition
BEAUFORT -- North Carolina students in the 4th through 8th grades can free their imaginations and ask questions about Blackbeard and the wreck of his flagship, Queen Anne's Revenge (QAR), during a live online stream from the Watercraft Center at the N.C. Maritime Museum in Beaufort on Friday, May 31, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. They'll learn how researchers retrieve artifacts from the ocean floor or clean crusty cannon balls after nearly 300 years with project archaeologists and conservators.
- Penick host Senior Speakers Expo “How to Be a Smarter Health Care Consumer” with Rose Young
- Battleship NORTH CAROLINA Announces First in Flight License Plate
-
Pirate Excavation Education Launches QAR Shipwreck Expedition
