SSAUK SA AUK UK R RAPIDS APIDS AP IDS HERALD ID HEERA H ER RA ALLD D & BENTON BEN ENTTO ON COUNTY CO COUN OUN UNTY T Y NEWS NEEW WS | SATURDAY, SA SA ATU TURD TU RDAY RDAY AY, FEB. AY, FFEEB. B. 15, 15, 5, 2 2020 020 | Pa 02 020 P Page age ge 1 1B B
National FFA Week F E B R U A R Y
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PHOTO BY NATASHA BARBER
Sarah Ransom (front, from left) and Stacie Morris; (middle, from left) Anna Lyon, Amy Robak-Bruce, Josie Corrigan, Lailah Corrigan, Joan Brauen, Nicole Corrigan and Al Stemper; (back, from left) Scott Morris and Dan Martens gather at Foley High School in Foley Feb. 9 with items for the silent auction that will be featured at the sixth annual FFA Week Breakfast Event. The breakfast takes place from 9 a.m. to noon at Henry’s Event Center in Foley.
Alumni support area FFA chapter
Group assists in fundraising, aiding advisor BY NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER
FOLEY – Youth are the center point of FFA chapters across the state of Minnesota, but it is the alumni who are the backbone of such an organization. Foley Area FFA Alumni chapter was established during the 2013-14 school year. Twelve active members are led by president Ashley Willenbring and vice president Amy Robak-Bruce. The group formed in order to aid Foley High School FFA and help ensure continuity of community events. “The main thing was many other school districts that have chapters as large as Foley’s have more than one advisor,” Sarah Ransom said.
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“If you look at Howard LakeWaverly-Winsted, or even Milaca that has a chapter much smaller than Foley’s, they have more than one ag advisor in their FFA. At that time, Foley had one of the largest chapters in the state and all we had was Al (Stemper).” Ransom is the secretary of Foley’s alumni chapter and a former FFA member. She said the group knew FFA advisor Al Stemper had a family of his own and they wanted to assist him in his duties as advisor. In 1928, Future Farmers of America was established in Kansas City, Missouri. The first chapters in Minnesota were chartered two years later, and within four years, the state had enough chapters to divide into districts, confirming the establishment of agriculture and preservation of its education was important to the residents of the state. In 1971, the National FFA Alumni Association was
formed to support Future Farmers of America which officially became the National FFA Organization in 1988. Today, 63 alumni associations collaborate with local FFA chapters across Minnesota. Foley Area FFA Alumni is included in that number, as are alumni chapters supporting Sauk Rapids-Rice and Royalton public schools. As a national organization, the groups have the same mission: to secure the promise of FFA and agricultural education by creating an environment where people and communities can develop their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success. One way the alumni association aids the 90-student chapter is through fundraising. The group is hosting its sixth annual FFA Week Breakfast Event from 9 a.m. to noon Sunday, Feb. 23, at Henry’s Event Center, 6774 Highway 25, Foley. The French toast breakfast, silent auction and raffles that take place raise
FFA MISSION
FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
funds that are used to provide Foley FFA members with scholarships. “The main thing would be the scholarships, but we also look at ways we can support activities,” Ransom said. The alumni chapter has assisted with the FFA Barnyard at the Benton County Fair and the petting zoo at Foley Fun Days family night. They support leadership and judging events and offer constructive criticism to FFA members as participants prepare for contests. In addition, the alumni organization affords opportunities for alumni members to accompany FFA students to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. Despite the key word, members of the Foley Area FFA Alumni chapter do not have to be former Foley High School students or FFA members to join. The group accepts any people who are interested in helping provide
agriculture education. “We’re always looking for more people,” member Joan Brauen said. Braun joined the alumni group after seeing the impact FFA had on her daughters – one of which was Ransom herself. “I just saw what an amazing organization it was,” Brauen said. “It helped them in so many ways. It developed leadership in the kids and responsibility. It gave them life skills. For Sarah, getting comfortable with talking in front of people and organizing has benefited her in her job, in college, in everything.” Ransom, a nurse practitioner, agreed. She said there is more to FFA than farming, and earning accolades like American FFA and State FFA degrees can be a great sense of accomplishment for all students.
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accomplishment for all students. “There are times when FFA gets a stigma of being farm kids,” Ransom said. “Where it is maybe not looked at as an academic achievement type of organization. But there is a lot you can learn whether you go
into agriculture or not outside of high school. … It can be beneficial no matter what path you’re going down.” Stemper has been an ag advisor for 34 years and said as the community changes so does the chapter. He said Foley FFA is a mix of 50% rural and 50% urban students which translates to the activities they choose to participate in within the program.
Although dairy, horse and general livestock judging and mechanics continue to interest students, non-traditional areas such as forestry, horticulture, small animals and soils also draw interest. Whatever the topic, alumni members can aid FFA students in their area of study whether through verbal support, fundraising or activities.
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