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Page 2C — Wednesday, February 24, 2021, The True Citizen
[ NATIONAL
FFA WEEK
jjVAYNESBORQ.GA 30830,
L 706-55
: actory cab available
father can chan
orKlbac
Proud to stand with Burko County FFA
w Kubota
706 West 6th Street
Waynesboro
FAX: 706-554-5009
PHONE: 706-554-4448
burketractor.com
/ S-HuU
Truck & Tractor)
SINCE 1944
2020-2021 FFA officers
A word from FFA Sponsor
JOSEPH JONES
Proud Supporter of
BURKE COUNTY FFA
Learning To Do, Doing To Learn
Earning To Live, Living To Serve
The 2020-2021 FFA officers are, from left, Keshon Winns, Abby Joyner, Ryleigh Baker, Murray
Liz Flowers, Ashlyn Reddick, Karleigh Taylor and Seth Meador. These officers are doing a great
job navigating a strange school year.
Joseph Jones
This year has been a chal
lenging one for Burke County
FFA. Like many others, we
have had to navigate the cir
cumstances that COVID-19
has placed before us. We start
ed the year not knowing what
we would be allowed to do. So
far, that has become a short list.
We were able to elect officers
while out of school during the
shutdown last year via Zoom,
and that helped us feel like we
may have some ground beneath
our feet. With a hybrid model
both Fall and Spring semesters,
it was and has been a struggle
getting our students motivated
to compete at the level we
would like in CDEs. Usually a
CDE is a fun after-school trip,
going to a new school, meeting
new people and demonstrat
ing your skills. Sometimes, it
even involves a good meal at
a new restaurant afterwards.
However, this year is much
different. Our CDEs this year
have consisted of sitting in
a desk in the ag classroom
here on campus, and taking
an online quiz. It doesn't take
much to realize that there is
not a lot of motivation for new
agriculture students to want to
try their hand at a new compe
tition when this is how we are
conducting them.
Good news may be on the
horizon though, as they have
pushed many of the CDEs
later into the spring, in hopes
that students will be able to
meet face to face and compete.
Trent Reddick is scheduled to
compete in the Tractor Op
erations CDE in early March,
where he will demonstrate his
knowledge of Tractor Mainte
nance and Operation through a
general knowledge exam, and
then he will drive a course to
show off his skills. That's what
we love about CDEs, but that
has not been a possibility for us
this year. I'm very thankful for
the parameters laid out for our
safety, as I would much rather
see my students in good health.
We have hopes that there may
be a possibility to attend an
in person State FFA Conven
tion. Georgia FFA is working
tirelessly to give our students
every opportunity they can.
A wonderful opportunity for
some of our students this year
has been the livestock shows.
Thankfully, those have gone
on as close to normal as you
can get in 2021. Three of our
FFA members have spent their
Fall and Winter competing all
around the state with Dairy
Cattle, Pigs and Lambs. You
will see some of these moments
highlighted in this article. Our
students have been able to meet
with their friends, socially
distanced of course, show their
animals and hold on to those
experiences that are so dear to
them. I can only imagine what
it must feel like to be a senior
in high school in the year 2021,
but I know that the powers at
hand have done everything
they can to provide every op
portunity they can, safely.
I hope that Spring semester
2022 looks a lot different than
now, but until then we can only
keep doing our best, and trying
to navigate the complicated
world of COVID-19. Wish us
luck. When you are reading
this, we will have already come
and gone from the Georgia
Junior National Livestock
Show in Perry, where two of
our seniors, Trent Reddick and
Keshon Winns, will walk their
livestock projects through the
ring one last time. Let's all be
thankful that they have the op
portunity.
Thank you all for your sup
port, and if you see a student,
tell them about your experi
ences in FFA. Urge them to
take an ag class! We have a
wonderful program that will
truly give a student personal
growth, premier leadership and
career success. Once again, we
appreciate all of the support
that you all show us.
www.maryyeltonrealty.com
706-554-0340
Bonnie Taylor 706-551-3992
bonniektoylor551@gmail.com
We support
our
FARM
BUREAU
Always the home team,
STACEY HERRMANN*
AGENCY MANAGER f/l
, . '720W*6THST. v -liMl
Maty Mon Really