Trenton FFA placed fourth out of 347 chapters in the state, earning a Top Chapter Award at the 91st Missouri FFA Convention. Only 10 percent of state chapters receive a top chapter designation each year.
The National Chapter Award Program is designed to recognize FFA chapters that actively implement the mission and strategies of the organization. These chapters improve chapter operations using the National Quality Chapter Standards and a Program of Activities that emphasize growing leaders, building communities and strengthening agriculture. Chapters are rewarded for providing educational experiences for the entire membership. This award is sponsored by FCS Financial. The Trenton FFA advisors are Kabel Oaks and Brook Kreatz.
The Trenton FFA growing leaders activities included College Bound, a program that provides members with the opportunity to visit and tour post-secondary institutions that offer agricultural programs. Students were able to visit State Technical College, Linn; North Central Missouri College-Barton Farm Campus, Trenton; and were able to visit with representatives from Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville.
Chapter activities in the strengthening agriculture category included a Thank-a-Farmer program. The program began as a collaborative project with the local newspaper, which was looking to start a six-part “Thank-a-Farmer” series in the paper. A group of FFA members wrote articles to educate the public on facts and statistics about Missouri and American agriculture.
Building communities activities included volunteering at the Missouri Days Festival. To support local tourism, Trenton FFA helped the Trenton Area Chamber of Commerce at the Missouri Days Festival. Members prepared facilities, entered a float in the parade, organized a petting zoo and provided a concession stand. In addition, members participated in Operation Clean Streets, an annual spring activity assigns FFA members to an area of town to help clean up trash and improve overall aesthetic value.
The top chapters compete for the National FFA Chapter Award. Winners will be announced this fall at the 92nd National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The Missouri FFA has 25,375 members representing 347 chapters. The national organization has more than 669,000 members representing 8,630 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The 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.
