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PAGE 6C — THE MADISON COUNTY (GAi JOURNAL. THURSDAY. MARCH 19. 2009
The ABC’s of Agriculture
Celebrating ag education in Madison County— National Ag Week, March 15-21
Ag instruction is
By Trisha Lastly
Freshman Academy
Ag Instructor
M y ninth grade year
of high school I
walked into my
first agriculture education class
a little scared of what the year
might hold.
I wanted to do really well
in high school. So, I decided
that I would give every class
my best effort. My agriculture
teacher was a first year teacher
by the name of Beth Linder,
who is still teaching agricul
ture in the Tift County School
system. When I met her, I
saw all the things I could do in
agriculture.
I was very interested in not
only the class but in the FFA.
Ms. Linder took me to every
Career Development Event
that year and every leadership
conference and activity. I was
hooked! Agriculture was for
me!
Growing up in south Georgia
with an elementary school
teacher as a mother and a row
crop farmer as a father and
agriculture as my new favorite
class, I knew and told everyone
I met that I was going to teach
agriculture when I grew up.
Now, teaching agriculture in
my third year, all three here at
Madison County, I have loved
every minute of my ninth grade
decision. The students I teach
lift my spirits, and to be hon
est, teach me something new
every day.
The agriculture department
has undergone many changes,
most of which I was not present
for. However, the new Freshman
Academy FFA Chapter I see
and work with first hand.
The students at the Freshman
Academy walk through my ag
room doors every day want
ing to learn about agriculture.
In basic agriculture, the intro
ductory class to all other agri
culture courses, students learn
leadership skills such as public
speaking, time management
and efficient communication.
We also cover horticulture
where students learn over 50
different plants, build a ter
rarium to witness the water
cycle, propagate many variet
ies of plants, know and under
stand photosynthesis, as well as
parts of the plants structure both
inside and out.
Forestry and wildlife are
taught as well as natural
resources. Agriculture mechan
ic skills are also a part of our
23 standards that must be met
in a semester's time. During the
agriculture mechanic unit Basic
Agriculture students learn safe
ty skills for the shop and farm.
They also learn tractor driving
skills, welding and wiring skills
as well as working skills.
But the classroom is not
the only part of our program.
The two other parts include
Supervised Agriculture
Experience (SAE) and FFA.
Our Freshman Academy FFA
Alex McLaughlin is pictured at a local swine show.
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a fulfilling career
Students that travled to National FFA Convention in Indianapolis were (back row, L-R) Josh
Dooley, Andrew Ayers, Chris Bruce and Garrett (front) Alex McLaughlin and Jade Andrews.
chapter has a total of 88 mem
bers. FFA members must be
enrolled in an agriculture class.
We hold chapter morning meet
ings once a month as well as
after school meetings once a
month.
Our officers ran the meetings
and deliver a message or leader
ship activity to the FFA members
in attendance. Our new chapter
has also participated in many
CDEs or Career Development
Events throughout this school
year so far such as: meats evalu
ation, creed speaking, livestock
judging, poultry judging, land
judging, prepared public speak
ing, farm business management,
agriculture communication, flo
riculture and nursery landscap
ing just to name a few.
We as a team have been
able to stay in the top 10 rank
ing all year based on partic
ipation in CDEs, edging out
many high schools FFA chap
ters that have more than just
9th grade students! Students
from the Freshman Academy
FFA Chapter have also trav
eled to Greenhand Jamboree
Leadership Conference, Region
Rally, State and National
Convention and BASIC
Training.
Our students also have vari
ous SAEs to fit their interest in
agriculture. These SAEs consist
of anything from swine produc
tion to landscaping and from
poultry production to vet sci
ence. Our program, while it
may be small in numbers, is a
positive organization for stu
dents to get involved with that
will make them better leaders
for our community.
When I was in high school I
always dreamed of becoming
an agriculture teacher and I was
told that being an ag teacher
was like being a missionary;
you have to be called to serve.
Well, I got my calling in the
ninth grade and am serving in
one of the greatest agriculture
counties that you can find in the
state of Georgia.
The support we have for our
agriculture programs and stu
dent in them is phenomenal!
Thank you to everyone who
supports agriculture and a spe
cial thank you to the commu
nity members who have taken
me in and treated me like fam
ily. I hope to stay here for many
years to come thanks to you!
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