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On Thursday, Oct. 3, the Snowflake Future Farmers of America (FFA) of Snowflake High School met at the Lobos Auditorium for their Greenhand Initiation. First year agriculture students are awarded a degree if they meet the requirements set by the constitution of the FFA.
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The first order of business at the Greenhand Initiation was a creed competition where contestants recited the FFA Creed by E.M. Tiffany, either by memory or reading, and then were asked three questions regarding how they would apply the knowledge that they gain from being a part of the FFA to their future careers and community. First place in the competition was Selena Campos and second place went to Kelton Chairez. As a result, they both received FFA jackets with their names embroidered on them.
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The second order of business was the FFA information contest where three contestants who entered were asked questions about the organization. First place in the competition was Cosette Allen and second place was Selena.
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Forty-two first year agriculture students received the FFA degree and were welcomed into the chapter compared to last year’s 33. In order to receive their degree, high school students had to have a satisfactory plan for programs of supervised agricultural experiences and meet the minimum qualifications outlined in the constitution of the FFA and in the FFA Creed. Candidates for the degree are students who expect to enter a career in agriculture.
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After meeting the qualifications, candidates are given a bronze pin and have their hands dyed green, the traditional way to symbolize the new Greenhand’s commitment to agriculture as a career and to the FFA.
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Jack Babb, a sponsor for the chapter had this to say about the importance of the FFA and agricultural education, “At one point, we had three active members of the Snowflake FFA and very little participation and Heather Scott (Snowflake FFA’s current advisor) took the program and rebuilt it with new information in both the agriculture department and the FFA to where we are now with 42 Greenhand candidates who received their Greenhand degree this last week.”
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According to Babb, the agriculture program includes animal science, plant science, technology-based needs, and agricultural mechanics which involves welding, electrical needs, plumbing needs and some carpentry. “Having grown up in the industry, we built fences, ran power out to the barns, we’d make sure water was available to livestock and we did all of this. We were called cowboys or farmers, but we did it all because we had to. So, agricultural mechanics are a very big part of the current agricultural program,” said Babb.
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Those inducted included Cosette Allen, Hyrum Baker, Selena Campos, Kelton Chairez, Katie Ciminski, Kaylanna Dedman, Clareth Echavarria-Delgado, Traegen Flake, Victoria Gibson, Amber Herzmann, Brendan Herzmann, Brandee Hess, Jeremiah Hess, Devin Hillier, Rayne Jones, Garrett Johnston, Dylan Kuhn, Josh Lee, Oliver Livingstone, Amelya Marsh, Mitchell McGoldrick, Mason Mortenson, Kamryn Mulder, Epic Palmer, Trista Palmer, Haidon Pittman, Hattie Pryor, Ashley Riddle, Shayne Rollins, Jessie Routhier, Madalyn Rushing, Chloe Russell, Rebecca Scott, Hailey Skinner, Aylie Shumway, Michel Smith, Calla Tatman, Maddie Ward, BriAnna White, McKayle Williams, Connor Wilson and John Wilson.
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