Sweet Springs FFA receives Top Chapter Award

CONTACT INFORMATION

COLUMBIA, Mo., April 20, 2023 – The Missouri FFA Association awarded the Sweet Springs FFA Chapter a Gold Emblem, a Top Chapter Award. Sweet Springs placed eighth out of 355 chapters. Only 10 percent of state chapters receive a top chapter designation annually.

The National Chapter Award Program is designed to recognize FFA chapters that actively implement the mission and strategies of the organization. Chapters improve operations using the National Quality Chapter Standards and a Program of Activities that emphasize growing leaders, building communities, and strengthening agriculture. Chapters are rewarded for providing educational experiences for the entire membership. The award is sponsored by FCS Financial. The chapter advisors are Kristen Fenner and Brent Niemeyer.

The Sweet Springs FFA Chapter’s growing leaders activities included Dress for Success. Members learned how to successfully open, inform, and close a sale. Participants raised money through cookie dough sales to purchase FFA jackets and other official dress items.

Building community activities included Salsa on the Sidewalks. The chapter planted vegetables from their greenhouse to fill planters on downtown sidewalks. Once ripe, the community could take the vegetables home to make their own salsa. Vegetable options included tomatoes, peppers, and companion herbs.

Chapter activities in the strengthening agriculture category included Building with BBQ. The chapter kicked off the school year with fun activities and barbeque. Members answered questions about FFA involvement and broke out into buddy groups to facilitate fellowship.

The top chapters in Missouri will compete for the National FFA Chapter Award. Winners will be announced this fall at the 96th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis.

The Missouri FFA has 26,716 members representing 356 chapters. The national organization has more than 850,000 members representing 8,995 chapters in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

The FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

#  #  #

Click upper-right “Pop-out” icon to download full-sized photo