A Summer of Fun
by Doug Zillinger
August 13, 2008
The Northern Valley FFA chapter has had a busy summer. Several students attended the state convention in early June. There were two highlights for those attending. Stanton Nelson was in the state band for the second year in a row and was featured with a solo on the trombone. Our chapter received one of the 10 Farm Bureau grants awarded at the convention. The grant will be shared with the Norton FFA chapter to provide an agriculture awareness program to grade school students in Norton and Phillips counties along with the local Farm Bureau associations.
Community service was a large part of the summer for our students. The students enjoyed serving the SPPA breakfasts in June. They also had a float in the parade along with the FFA alumni and sold shirts at the activity to showcase our ag-FFA program. We also partnered with the Norton FFA chapter and alumni to serve the 4-H food stand one evening of the Norton County Fair. Our other activity was to operate a carnival game at the Norton County Fair. August 18th will find the FFA members serving the Norton County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting with the Norton FFA chapter.
Jacob Gallentine was a winner of the Challenge of Champions competition at the Fair for the second year in a row. He had to compete in the agronomy and livestock contests and take a test over agricultural information to win. He will represent Norton County at the State Fair in September.
Four members of our officer team attended State Camp for Chapter Leaders. Kayla Field, Matt Dole, Caleb Bach, and Michael Callaway learned how to create a vision for our chapter and get the members of the chapter to become a part of that vision. Their motto for the year is "Quality not Quantity" as they work to develop their chapter actiivities. Kayla, Matt, Jacob Gallentine, Zach Vincent, and Ethan Gallentine also attended the local Officer Retreat at Sebelius Reservoir in early August to put in place the talents needed to relate their camp experiences to the local chapter.
