| Spotlight on Youth - April 14, 2010 |
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Parkway FFA students compete at sub-district
DELPOS, Ohio — The Parkway FFA Chapter on Tuesday, Feb 23, sent three students to compete in sub-districts at Delphos for the Public Speaking Contest. The three students who participated were Rachel Hesse, Corbin Hellwarth, and Caden Hellwarth.
Hesse participated in the Creed Speaking Contest, which is for Greenhand members only. They are required to say the FFA Creed from memory along with answering questions about the Creed itself. Hesse received a gold rating along with a second place finish.
Corbin and Caden Hellwarth both participated in the Extemporaneous Speaking Contest. This contest requires the student to draw a random Ag-related topic out of a hat. The students are given thirty minutes to research the topic and come up with a four to six minute speech. Corbin and Caden both received a gold rating. Corbin placed first and Caden placed second.
Corbin and Hesse both moved on to districts, held at Kalida on March 2.
4-Hers take the “plunge” to help fight childhood hunger
DUNMOR, Ky. — On a chilly, Saturday morning in mid-March, Muhlenberg County 4-H members jumped into the cold waters of Dogwood Lakes to raise money for a program that helps fight childhood hunger in their community.
The Penguin Plunge was the first event in a campaign 4-H Teen Council members started to raise money for the county’s Food For Kids Backpack Program after they learned the program would lose partial funding for the 2010-2011 school year.
The Backpack program provides food to children who may not otherwise have any during the weekend. A 4-H teen started the county’s program several years ago after he learned about it at a Kentucky 4-H Issues Conference, said Tommy Harrison, the county’s 4-H agent for youth development with the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. While that teen has long graduated 4-H, the program has continued through his mother and other 4-H Teen members.
In Muhlenberg County, the program provides food to 350 children from all grade levels each weekend during the school year. To continue the program at the current level, the 4-H’ers need to raise $28,000 by August.
It was an effort Connor Cooper, the 4-H Teen Club president, was happy to lead along with 4-H adult volunteers Donna Harrell and Roger Travis.
“If the community can get together and raise money for relief efforts to foreign countries, why can’t we do something for our own kids?” Cooper said.
The Penguin Plunge was modeled after a local radio station’s Polar Bear Plunge. Greenville Pharmacy, Piper’s Saw Shop and Dogwood Lakes joined the 4-H Teen Club as event sponsors.
The 4-Hers began raising money several months ago and promoted the event on local radio, television, billboards, newspapers and at school. The teens were able to get the county’s high school administration involved by holding a contest where students contributed money toward which administration member they would most like to see take the plunge.
Through the Penguin Plunge, the 4-Hers raised more than $10,000. They will continue to raise funds in the next several months.
National Trail celebrates FFA Week
NEW PARIS, Ohio — The National Trail FFA Chapter recently celebrated National FFA Week from Feb. 22-26, with a host of activities for students and faculty.
The chapter started the week off with a night of snow tubing at Valley’s Edge in New Paris on the 22nd. Trail members had a chance to socialize with FFA members from the Greenville FFA Chapter as they were also tubing at Valley’s Edge for FFA Week. On the 23rd, FFA members hosted a luncheon during school, so members would not have to miss classes, after missing so many for other activities.
Members brought a side dish to go along with the traditional pulled pork from Pork Chop Charlie’s. On Friday Feb. 26th, the chapter assistant and executive officer team, along with the public relations committee, and the help of a few additional members, hosted the annual FFA Faculty Breakfast. Members woke up early Friday morning to prepare pancakes and sausage for the staff and faculty at National Trail High School.
On the following Monday, March 1st, the Ohio State FFA President Jeremy Grove, was able to pay the chapter a visit. Grove took the agriculture education classes over that day and put on leadership activities and team building exercises. Grove also had lunch with the executive officer team and seniors in the National Trail agricultural education program. |
| 4/14/2010 |
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