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Virtual FFA club opens in Wabash County Club is second in the nation By Joseph Slacian jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com With today’s technology, many things are readily available online. One can shop, play games, visit with family members far away and more. As of last fall, students at the Indiana Digital Learning School can belong to a virtual FFA chapter based in Wabash County. The chapter, it is believed, is the second virtual FFA chapter in the nation. The Indiana Digital Learning School is a fully accredited, public K-12 school in Indiana. Now in its third year, the 2019-20 school year is the first it has offered ag education. “Part of ag education is FFA in most traditional schools,” ag instructor Amber Lewis told The Paper of Wabash County in an interview at her office in the Bowman Agri Corporation facility in rural LaFontaine. “When I was approached with teaching the ag classes, they also approached me about starting FFA for our students. “Our students are all throughout Indiana, all 92 counties, and they attend all of their classes virtually online.” The FFA is the premier youth organization preparing members for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture. “When I was approached about starting the FFA chapter, it was going to have to fit the needs of our students,” Lewis said. “Since our students attend all their classes on line, our meetings would have to be on line also, as well. But, before we could get to that point, we needed to be approved by the state to be an official FFA chapter.” Once approval was received from the state, the national FFA organization also had to approve. “We started the process back in September, just filling out the traditional application, submitting all of our paperwork to the state,” Lewis said. “Of course, the state was curious as to how we were going to pull it off. I had numerous conversations with the director of our state
February 19, 2020
FFA board. He was gracious enough to spend a lot of time, sitting down with us to make sure their FFA goals and expectations lined up with what we saw and where we were headed with ours.” Amber Lewis, adviser to the second virtual FFA Club in the nation, prepares to work on the Indiana The chapter received Digital Learaning School’s FFA webpage. Photo by Joseph Slacian its official approval in “Our chapter would compete locally grades. January. However, the group has been The online meetings are conducted in the ninth district,” Lewis explained. having meetings since October. The just like regular FFA meetings. “And so, with our kids, we’re going to chapter also had some students who “We go through the same procedure have that challenge to overcome, once were able to attend the FFA National that they do in a brick and mortar we get involved Convention in Indianapolis last fall, school,” Lewis in competition, even though the group’s charter had said. “We go to get our kids not been formally approved. all together “I had a great interest from students, through the officers’ duties, the because we are and some of my members have prior Officers of the Indiana opening and spread out FFA experience from their brick and Digital Learning School’s around the mortar schools,” Lewis said. “I’ve got a closing ceremonies. We talk state. great set of students coming in that FFA Chapter are: can serve as mentors for those who are about the same “We’ve been type of business new to FFA and get everyone ready to very fortunate President: Mariah Rice, Elkhart that brick and roll.: that the memVice President: Emily Starr, Dunkirk mortar FFA There are now 40 members in the bers do have a does, like Secretary: Elizabeth Aldrich, Garrett chapter, ranging from sevlot of backing upcoming enth to 12th Treasurer: Rachel Marsh, Paoli with their famievents, what ly and support Reporter: Angela Drabenstott, North we foresee behind their Webster planning, talkparticipation. Sentinel: Mollie Jones, Spencer ing about our That does play a fundraiser big part in their events. We have FFA week coming up ability to get out and participate in the at the end of February, so we have difcompetition.” ferent events planned every day for The chapter is kicking off its first that. fundraiser on Feb. 24 during FFA “We just don’t get to sit like this.” week. The chapter meets on line once per “It’s a completely online fundraiser,” month. However, Lewis said she Lewis said. “It’s fully virtual, and stumeets with her officers and comdents will get to share out with friends mittees more frequently, generand family the link for our fundraiser ally every other week if not page. We’re not selling any products. more often. It’s strictly, ‘Hey, can you come and “We’re getting into support us?’” fundraising now that we’re A sister school to the Indiana Digital official, so we have to work Learning School in Arkansas is to get the logistics laid out believed to be the first virtual FFA for that,” she said. club in the United States. Part of the fundraising “It helped our case when we went to is geared to allow memour state board, because they were bers to attend various judging events. able to talk with the Arkansas and talk “Because we don’t come to their FFA state board about the out of a central school, we process they went through with,” she can’t all get on an activity said. “We are the first fully virtual bus and go together,” Lewis school in Indiana to have an FFA chapsaid. “Our kids are going to ter offered through their ag program.” have additional travel expensThe local chapter also is now workes.” ing with a school in Oklahoma looking Indiana Digital Learning School to create a chapter. is based out of the Union School “We’re just very excited,” Lewis Corporation in Modoc, which is in the said. “These kids are ready and geared FFA’s ninth district. up to get out there and be involved.”
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