Oregon FFA Chapter
School Name: Oregon High School
City and State: Oregon, Ill.

Chapter Charter: The chapter was chartered in 1937. In the 1970’s Mt. Morris High School five miles down the road closed their agriculture department and FFA chapter. Students from that community wanting to take agriculture or join the FFA were transported to Oregon. In 1992, Mt. Morris High School closed and merged with Oregon High School.

Membership: We have 98 students enrolled in an agriculture class.
Course offerings: We offer the following agricultural classes at our school: Agricultural Mechanics, Biological Science Application in Agriculture, Introduction to Agriculture, Horticulture Science, Greenhouse and Floral Design, Agricultural Business Management, and Environmental Science.

Chapter Contest Participation: Our chapter participates in many contests such as Land Use, Horse Judging, Meat Evaluation, Agronomy, Envirothon, Dairy Products, Livestock Judging, Agricultural Sales, Parliamentary Procedure, Public Speaking, Horticulture and Mechanics.

Highest Chapter Award: In 2009, our chapter achieved a Two-Star Gold National Chapter Rating. 

Ag Plot: Our chapter has a 10-acre farm plot. We grow about an acre of sweet corn that we sell to the community throughout the summer and the rest is planted into field corn.

Fundraisers: Oregon FFA’s biggest fundraiser is the money we receive for baling and storing a 20-acre hay crop for Pegasus, a therapeutic horse riding facility. The chapter also sells fruit and sausage before the holiday season, beef jerky and bottled water all year at school and pizzas in the spring for our chapter’s Relay for Life Team. 

Chapter Strength: The chapter’s commitment to community service is our strength. Projects include helping with riding lessons at Pegasus Therapeutic Horse Riding Facility, collecting and recycling Christmas trees, making and delivering food baskets to families over the holiday season, collecting canned food items for the local food pantries, raking leaves for elderly community members, Rock River Clean Up and helping the park district decorate the hanging baskets that hang downtown. 

Alumni Association: We have numerous people that have helped us become a successful FFA Chapter. Many of these people belong to the Oregon – Mt. Morris FFA Alumni Chapter. This group of volunteers helps to serve as judges for proficiency contests, chaperone trips, raise money for scholarships, and so much more.
What else? We recently completed construction of a greenhouse, which has expanded our course offerings and opportunities. Students grow and sell poinsettias, annual plants, perennials, and hanging baskets. The project was partially funded by a dinner fundraiser at our high school that was headlined by Orion Samuelson.