Greenhand Opportunity Extended to Area Students

FFA Circle Exercise at LCC

FFA at LCC Wellness Center

Southeast Colorado high school students, interested in the FFA, attended the BIG (Becoming Involved as a Greenhand) Conference hosted at the Lamar Community College Wellness Center Thursday, September 22. 

Students from Rocky Ford, Eads, Stratton, Pritchett, McClave, Springfield, Wiley, Las Animas and other schools attended the one day convention hosted by a team of FFA represtantatives who are touring the state and offering a basic introduction to the ways in which the FFA can  show students the benefits of an agriculture oriented education. 

Emily Rudder, FFA state officer and executive committee member, said there’s diversification within the FFA to offer studies ranging from computer technology in agriculture to performing arts.  As an example, Rudder said, John Deere offers some tractors with inboard computer diagnostic capabilities.  An operator can email and text a service department with problems they’ve encountered on the tractor and technicians can respond in the field for repairs within thirty minutes.  Speaking and musical education comes with performing arts with the FFA, either through delivering speeches or conducting workshops, or simply by joining a band or chorus. 

Two freshman student groups were taking part in a vocal exercise at the Wellness Center for a portion of the morning and broke for a pizza lunch from Little Caesar’s.  Rudder said the BIG worshops have been in Pueblo, Brush and Denver, as well as Lamar and will visit schools in Alamosa and Durango next week.

By Russ Baldwin