This year, the chapter kicked off its drive early, running from Feb. 10-21, to maximize donations. In addition to food, the drive accepted toiletry items. All collected items were donated to the Ryder/Makoti and Max pantries.

To encourage participation, the chapter tracked donations by class, tallying items daily. The top three contributing classes received prizes: first place, root beer floats; second place, ice cream; and third place, candy. Following are the results of the food drive, which took in 860 pounds of items.

– Elementary: first place, first grade with 302 items; second place, second grade with 279 items; third place, fifth grade, with 268 items. Collections by other grades were: pre-school, 136 items; kindergarten, 100 items; third grade, 134 items; and fourth grade, 52 items.

– Junior/High School: first place, eighth grade, 484 items; second place, 11th grade, 237 items; third place, ninth grade, 155 items. Collections by other grades were: sixth grade, 86 items; seventh grade, 44 items; 10th grade, 20 items; and 12th grade, 77 items.

Submitted Photo South Prairie FFA members provided insights into food identification, seed and plant identification and small animal recognition at an education event during its Ag Day. Members are, from left to right: top, Breana Mindt, Miley Nelson, Joshua Lindbo, Layne Korgel, Maddie Hogue, Miranda Novodorsky, Andrew Nuemiller, Jack Reyes; bottom, Natalee Becker, Brylee Beeter, Gracie Rauschenberger, and Amber Braasch. In front is Roy.

On Feb. 19, the chapter hosted Caroline Groth, the East Region vice president of the National FFA. Originally from Lexington, Kentucky, Groth met with 18 chapter members, engaging in meaningful discussions. During her visit, she introduced the concept of “Pivot Point,” emphasizing how challenges in life require adaptability and new perspectives to find solutions.

One activity involved selecting colored cards without knowing their significance. Members then had to determine their meaning and rank their choices, pivoting three times to find the best strategy. This hands-on exercise helped illustrate the importance of adaptability and perseverance.

On Feb. 20, the chapter hosted its annual Staff and Alumni Breakfast, a long-standing tradition that shows appreciation for school staff and alumni. Students in the ag processing class prepared a meal that included homemade sausage, pancakes, fruit and orange juice.

As part of the festivities, attendees participated in a quiz titled “Are You Smarter Than an FFA Member?” This fun, 18-question, multiple-choice challenge tested knowledge of FFA contests and history, adding an engaging and educational element to the morning.

For the past four years, the chapter has hosted Ag Day, an interactive event featuring guest speakers covering various agricultural topics. This year, members organized four educational stations for 41 fourth graders:

– FFA Education. Led by Natalee Becker and Gracie Rauschenberger, this station introduced students to FFA and its many contests, including Food Science, Agronomy and Small Animal Care. They provided insights into food identification without taste, recognizing different aromas, seed and plant identification, and small animal recognition.

– Butchering. Presented by Brylee Beeter and Layne Korgel, this station covered the butchering process, including the tools used, carcass safety and hygiene, meat cuts, and how meat is processed and prepared for consumption.

– Taxidermy. Hosted by French Taxidermy, this session explained the art of taxidermy, detailing how it works, the preservation process and what happens to different parts of the animal.

– Farming. Led by Derek Sys, this station provided insight into his family’s farming operations. He discussed crop harvesting, the post-harvest process, and even brought in his tractor, allowing kids to explore and learn about its functions firsthand.

As part of an event recap, the chapter gathered reflections from educators on the impact of Ag Day.

“I enjoy the day that the FFA students put on. I feel that it shows them what our community is about, “ said Kristin Korgel, a fourth grade teacher at South Prairie. “It gives exposure to all different jobs. I really liked that there was a taxidermist there this year. I think it is all great, and the students enjoyed going to all the different stations. I heard a lot about the food as they liked taste-testing and also the tractor.”

The chapter determined its National FFA Week events were a resounding success, fostering community engagement and agricultural education while celebrating the values of leadership, service and innovation.