Madison County High School FFA Newsletter Volume 3, Issue 5
January 24th, 2012
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Community Service Projects Underway in 2012 Special points of interest:
State Degree Workshop January 26th Pork Loins On Sell from February 1st March 9th ONLY $20 Students Get Involved with a CDE!! Club Day in February on the 8th Proficiency DUE February 15th Leadership Conference forms DUE Jan. 30th
Inside this issue: CDEs—Wiring, Creed, Upcoming
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Leadership Confer- 3 ences State Convention
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GHP - Two Aggies Interviewing
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January Student Spotlight - Levi Simmons
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Through the first semester munity. The MCHS FFA the Madison County High Chapter is also collected School FFA collected over 200 toys for tots plastic bottle caps for a through the month of Depatient going through the cember for Christmas and procedures of dialyses. The bottle caps help offset the cost of the medical procedures. FFA member Jessica Baxter started the collection and other students and FFA members took off with the collection. For every thousand Above some of the FFA members collected one treatthat donated over 12,000 bottle ment is paid for by the caps. recycling of the caps. The chapter collected over 12,000 plastic bottle these toys were donated to caps from, drink bottles, local children. The chapfood lids and cleaning ter is currently collecting supplies lids. This is just can tabs throughout the one way the FFA mementire school year for bers give back to the com- Ronald McDonald House,
for those children with cancer and will be making and packaging boxes for the soldiers and sending the care packages overseas. Some of the items include hygiene items, small games, hard candy, beef jerky, socks, shorts, under shirts, batteries, stationary, band aids and Tylenol. If you would like to donate your time, money or items to the committee service projects please feel free to call the school or contact Trisha Lastly, Josh White, Kay Farmer or Cindy Jones the High School FFA Advisors. Student being involved with community service projects looks great on a résumé!
Cody Seagraves Speaks to Agriculture Classes Recently former Madison County High School FFA member, Cody Seagraves visited Mrs. Lastly’s basic agriculture classes and Ms, Farmer’s wildlife classes to talk about the forestry and wildlife industry and answer any questions that student had about going
to college. He started his lesson by giving students a quick introduction about himself and how he was involved it the FFA in high school. Cody discussed how being involved helped him in the years after high school to being successful and finding his true passion – wildlife. Another part of Cody’s lesson was when he talked to the students about each individual common wildlife animal. He taught student
about how to identify animal through means of fur, skulls and scat. Seagraves also taught Ms. Farmer’s wildlife class about making and setting traps for wildlife as well as hunting and fishing licenses. The students in both classes truly enjoyed the lessons taught by Cody. A ‘Thank You’ goes out to Cody from the students and FFA members for taking a day out of UGA classes to teach the students about wildlife.
Madison County High School FFA Newsletter
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Kevin Jones receives 2nd in STATE Wiring Career Development Event
Recently Kevin Jones traveled to the Area II Wiring CDE where he placed 2nd and earned the right to travel to the STATE Wiring CDE held at Covington, GA at the FFA/FCCLA Camp. Kevin Jones had to read and understand what type of wiring was needed for the situation given day
of the contest then wire a five box problem in under 60 minutes. Jones then had to correctly answer a problem solving test full of mathematic and agriculture mechanic problems. He also had to give a speech on how to wire the problem he just wired and how to be safe while wiring. Kevin was one of 12 students at the state contest and earned 2nd
place in the state. Kevin will receive a plaque on stage at the State FFA Convention in April in front of more than 3,000 students, teachers and guests. Kevin will also receive 1,050 dollars in scholarship month for the Jackson EMC for placing 2nd in the state and 50 dollars for the area II achievement of 2nd. Congratulations Kevin!
Creed Speaking Area II CDE—Hayden Bailey Places 5th Hayden Bailey of Madison County High School FFA Chapter was announced as the 5th place winner of the Northeast Georgia Creed Speaking Career Development Event (CDE) on December 7, 2011 after the Area II competition. The top two individuals have earned the opportunity to Above Hayden Bailey with Mrs. Lastly at advance on to State Compethe Area II Career Development Event tition in Macon Georgia at held at Franklin County High School. the annual FFA Convention Hayden placed 5th and received a Gold Emblem for his work. held in April. Judges for the event included Agribusi-
ness woman, Cyndi Ball of Lazy B Farm, Lynn Reece of UGA Veterinarian School, Mrs. Alicia Thonlinson owner and business women of One Less Thing School supplies, Dr. Lynn Johns Career Technology Director for Clarke County, and Sarah Kane from the University of Georgia Agriculture Education program. The Creed Speaking CDE is designed to recognize outstanding FFA members for their ability to present the
National FFA Creed in a competitive setting. Members deliver the Creed from memory and respond to three questions. The event gives FFA members the opportunity to develop their ability to communicate in a powerful, organized and professional manner. The event, hosted at the University of Georgia, is one of many educational activities in which FFA members practice the lessons taught in agricultural education classes.
Upcoming Career Development Events that are for YOU! “The best thing about the FFA is the CDEs! Everyone should compete! IT’S FUN!” - Jordan Collins
There are many upcoming CDE that YOU as an FFA member need to be involved in this semester! Even if you do not know anything about the area you can still learn from the advisor couching that CDE and compete! Meats Judging - Jan. 31st Ms. Farmer Poultry Judging - Feb. 7th Mrs. Lastly
Discussion Meet - Feb. 7th Mrs. Lastly Wildlife Judging - Feb. 7th Mr. White and Ms. Farmer Parliamentary Procedure Feb. 16th - Mrs. Lastly Nursery Landscape - March 6th - Mrs. Lastly Lawnmower Driving - March 6th - Mr. White Junior Public Speaking (9th Graders) - March 13th - Ms.
Farmer Senior Public Speaking March 13th - Mr. White Dairy Judging - April 6th Mrs. Lastly Wood Working - April 1st Mr. White Forestry - April 19th - Mr. White Horse Judging - May 2nd Ms. Farmer
Volume 3, Issue 5
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Leadership Conferences for ALL Grade Levels Each year the State FFA Association puts together two conferences for high school students. One is specially for ninth grade students called the Greenhand Jamboree. This two day conference teaches students how to communicate with others, be a better leader and get involved with the FFA on the Local, State and National Levels. Only ninth grade students attend this conference and it is held at our State FFA/FCCLA Camp in Covington, GA. The cost is 50 dollars which includes the students food, t-shirt, conference materials and bus trip
there and back. The Success Conference is a conference for 10th, 11th and 12th grade students. This conference not only teaches students to be a better leader but also communication skills, resume skills, addresses the topics of what to do after high school and how to stand up for yourself. The Success Conference is held in conjunction with the Greenhand Jamboree also at the FFA/FCCLA Camp in Covington, GA. The cost is the same. The conference cost is 50 dollars which includes the student’s food, games, t-shirt
and bus ride there and back! Hope to see you at the Conferences!
“State FFA
State FFA Convention Coming SOON!!!
I BELIEVE the theme for this year’s State FFA Convention. Our chapter can take any FFA member that is passing their classes. The cost for the trip has not been determined but start saving around 100.00 dollars! Convention
is a great time learn new skills, see FFA members from all over the state and be recognized for the accomplishments of the chapter on the state level from all year long. You could compete in an Agri-science fair project at the State FFA Convention. The categories include: Agricultural Mechanics, Wildlife and Environmental, Horticulture and Animal Science.
Convention is a great experience to not only compete in CDEs but to cheer on your friends that are on stage!” - Olivia Minish
Two Agriculture Students Interviewing for GHP This year for the first time in more than six years that the Madison County Agriculture Department is sending, not just one but two, students/FFA members to interview for the Governor's Honor’s Program. The GHP is a program for rising sophomores and juniors that are enrolled in an agriculture
class and have been for their high school career. They have to be nominated by their agricultural teachers and have been successful in not only their agriculture classes but in their academics as well. This year Jessica Baxter, a junior, and Samantha Cofer, a sophomore, were both nominated and made it
through the local interviewing process. Their state interviews are on February 11th at the University of Georgia. If chosen they will travel down to Valdosta, GA and spend four weeks with other agriculture students learning about agriculture in a more hands-on way. Good Luck Girls!
Jessica Baxter and Samantha Cofer interviewing in February for the Governor's Honors Program during the 2012 Summer.
e ! Lik k o o b ce ! on Fa FFA!! e r a y t We un on Co Madis
Madison County High School FFA 600 Madison Street Danielsville, GA 30633
FFA Mission
Phone: 706795-2110 Josh White - jwhite@madison.k12.ga.us Trisha Lastly tlastly@madison.k12.ga.us Kay Farmer kfarmer@madison.k12.ga.us Cindy Jones cjones@madison.k12.ga.us Please Contact ANY of the Agriculture Teachers with any questions!
FFA’s mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
January Student Spotlight Levi Simmons
Written By Olivia Minish - MCHS FFA Reporter
Above is Levi Simmons with his Grand Champion Market Goat at the Local Madison County Show. He helps on his family farm with poultry and beef cattle as well.
Levi Simmons is a freshman at Madison County High School and is the Sentinel on the Madison County Freshman FFA officer team. His Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) is working in his family’s 12 chicken houses and raising and showing market goats. Levi’s family not only owns poultry houses but also has a cattle farm here in Madison County. So far this year the two
CDEs he has competed in are Livestock Judging and ENR (Environmental Natural Resources) which he has really enjoyed. CDE teach students how to be more competitive in the career path of their choice and I really enjoyed ENR because I like hunting, fishing and wildlife. His favorite part about being in FFA is the conventions that members have the opportunity to attend. Levi has been able to not only attend the State FFA Convention down in Macon, Georgia but has also, this past October, been able to attend for the first time, the National FFA Convention.
Levi was able to attend leadership sessions, workshops and attend the career show. Levi has been in the FFA for three years now starting in Middle School and plans to continue taking agriculture classes and joining FFA every year. Levi enjoys taking agriculture classes because he enjoys learning more about agriculture because he plans on having a job in the agricultural field after college. His plans for after high school are to attend ABAC and get a degree in an agriculture related field. Levi’s parents are Candace and Nathan Simmons.