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Idaho Enterprise

FFA Outlook for 2023

Jan 20, 2023 11:57AM ● By Anna Pro

Makayla Marshall, Addison Waldron, Alivia Waldron, Trevor Mills, Sheridan Brown, Maisey Potter and Lexie Evans

Lexie Evans, Ag Instructor and FFA Advisor at Malad High School, shares what the program has in store for this year. Both the local FFA chapter, as well as the Ag offerings at MHS, are important resources for those in the community who plan to pursue work in the ag industry in the future.  The recent affiliation of Malad FFA with the national organization, which allows for more opportunities for sponsorships, scholarships, and internships.  As the programs available to MHS students continue to expand, dual credit classes and exposure to national programs will continue to be a benefit to local students.

Lexie Evans:

This year in FFA, our officer team came up with the chapter theme "Keep America on the GROW". We have incorporated that into our activities, classroom learning, and field trips by exploring many areas of agriculture. Students wanted to focus on growing not only the program at our school but in our community. Students have been given the opportunity to attend many different leadership conferences, college tours, career development events, and leadership development events (Competitions) as well as the largest agricultural trade shows in the world.

This February, a group of students will be traveling to Tulare California for the World Ag Expo. This expo consists of over 1,200 exhibits on 2.6 million square feet of space. This expo will give students the chance to explore many different careers, discover new technology in the agriculture industry as well as allow them to learn more about American agriculture. As we travel to the expo, we will be visiting a variety of farms related to plant and animal production, we will be visiting many historical sites, and networking with other FFA chapters from Idaho and other

areas of the United States.

This year students were given the opportunity to take a Plant Sciences and Greenhouse

Management course in conjugation with the CSI Dual Credit program. In this class, we explore

many areas of horticulture such as plant production, classification, anatomy, physiology, plant

identification, soil science, and much more. Students get hands-on learning opportunities in the greenhouse through planting, arranging, propagating, and watering. We plan to produce many different bedding plants, succulents, vegetables, and hanging baskets this spring. Students will not only get high school credit but will also receive college credit through CSI. Those credits can be transferred to any accredited college.

Malad FFA will be hosting an "Ag Expo" for elementary school students to explore many areas of agriculture. This event is facilitated by the students themselves and is a hands-on experience for all students. We are reintroducing this event this spring with the help of the local extension office and soil and water conservation district making it bigger than before and inviting the community members to participate. We are still in the planning phase of this event but hope to have more information out by the end of February, the event will be in late April or early May.

We have also partnered with the Idaho Fish and Game to begin the "Trout in the Classroom" program. This program allows us to raise awareness about Idahos's aquatic resources by providing hands-on learning for our students. We participated in the growth, observation, care, and release of the trout. We have a 30-gallon tank in the classroom where we will hatch 25 trout eggs. This program also provides students will the knowledge and skill to become educated fishermen. Once the trout have grown to the desired size, the fish and game work with us to release them into the wild.

We have seen great growth in our FFA chapter and in our Agriculture education program. This year Malad FFA became an affiliated chapter. This allows students enrolled in an ag class at Malad High school to be eligible for the benefits and opportunities from the FFA. Students are all enrolled as members of our chapter and encouraged to participate in developing skills in leadership, employability, and more. There is something in agriculture education and the FFA for EVERYONE!

For more information, and updates on FFA activities and classroom learning you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram: Malad FFA Chapter The Malad FFA Alumni and Supporters is a great way to get involved with our program. You can follow them on Facebook and Instagram: Malad FFA alumni and supporters.