The FFA - It's About More Than Just Farming

This week I had the opportunity to interview a few current and former members of the local Midd-West FFA chapter. The FFA, dedicated to the education of agriscience and the betterment of rural communities, is an organization that has done a lot for my local community and the towns near where I live here in Pennsylvania. Because of the popularity of the FFA in my area I decided to use it as my topic for a "history in a box" project I'm working on for my student teaching placement. To provide me with some first hand experience of what it is, and was, like to be in the FFA, I had some help from members of a local family. Chuck, Adam, and Caroline Zerby all sat down this week with me and chatted about their experiences in the local Midd-West FFA chapter, and what it means to them to be part of the organization. Here are some short highlights of what they had to say:​

Chuck Zerby
Chuck reflects on his time in the FFA. He remembers fondly the many skills competitions he participated in through the FFA, and still carries with him today and appreciation for the vast amount of practical life skills he learned as an FFA member.

Adam Zerby
Adam remembers always having a great time as an FFA member. He is grateful for the memories he made as a member, as well as for the independence and self-reliance he gained.

Caroline Zerby
Caroline is a current member of the local Midd-West FFA chapter. She is greatly involved with community projects through the chapter, and is passionate about what she has learned, and continues to learn, as an FFA member. 

My biggest takeaway from my conversations with the Zerby family? FFA leaves a lasting impression, providing a lifetime of practical know-hows to its members. FFA helps its members learn how to be self-reliant, independent leaders and to understand the importance of service to our local communities.

To learn more about the FFA, check out these resources:

• Short Timeline of Important Events in the national FFA and the Midd-West Chapter
• "Coming of age: Young women and the FFA" Peter Liebhold
• Information on the FFA Creed.
• Midd-West FFA Chapter Facebook Page
• FFA National Homepage
• National FFA Celebrates 50 Years of Women in the FFA