The National FFA Organization is dedicated to creating positive change in the lives of students by developing their potential for superior leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. I would like to commend you and your staff on the new look and format for FFA New Horizons. I attended the National College and University Conference at Purdue University at the time your National FFA Convention was held in Indianapolis.
I'm really enjoying the new magazine and love the cover - just two FFA regulars "doing their thing." I am a member of Greenhand and am looking forward to going to the National FFA Convention this year. Attendees of the 79th National FFA Convention helped Indianapolis artists create a mural commemorating the event's first year in Indy.
Definitely Can She Can
Kathleen first learned about the company's products—canned fruit, preserves and preserves—while participating in an agricultural sales contest with her local FFA chapter in Dayton. My FFA advisor's wife is a manager at Dundee Fruit Co., and we used produce from the cannery to 'sell' at the contest. We also competed in the food science and technology career development event and my team went to nationals.
CAREER NETWORKS This connection to the fruit company paid off again when the company hired Kathleen, then a sophomore in high school. Mitch Coleman, her FFA advisor and agriculture teacher at Dayton High School, had noticed Kathleen's diligence in the classroom and suggested that his wife Ann offer her a job. My wife is always looking for good kids to work, and it's a great opportunity for them because most canneries don't hire high school graduates.
Story by Jessica Mozo Photography by
Brian McCord
K athlete Braithwait of Dayton, Ore., is still a junior in college, but she's already off to a fast start in her career. We can also grow blackberries, boysenberries, pears, peaches and cherries, and make jam and salsa. In the busy summer months, she has had to work up to 16 hours a day.
You work 100 percent for so many hours and you get frustrated, but you have to keep everyone optimistic so they're there. One of Kathleen's tasks is to collect pots on the production line, then sort them and pack them into boxes. Although Kathleen does not know whether she will make a career working for Dundee Fruit Co. to work, she is grateful to have this experience.
FFA teaches young people to work alone and as a team to achieve a goal, and it helps them learn how to succeed in the job market,” he says. Kathleen has learned a lot and she has become an amazing person because of all the skills she has acquired. Go places, gain experience, get to know people and do as much as you can while you're young.
Even traveling to nationals is good because you can meet people from other places and see what they do.”.
The ABCs Story by Kim Newsom
But for many non-members or people not associated with the FFA program, the endless supply of abbreviations can be frustrating.
AAAE
BLAST Off
EDGE
ILSSO
NAAE
NLCSO
NYFEA
ARE THERE MORE?
Word UP!
BLAST OFF CDE
EDGE FFA
MAD OVAE
OVAE
PALS
USDA
USDE
Always
The Grass Is
Story by Kevin Litwin
But that's not the case for the head custodian at a professional baseball stadium or the superintendent at a top golf course. It's more likely that when I graduate from NC State, I'll be an assistant course supervisor somewhere and stay there for a year or two. Then, if all goes well, I'd like to become a supervisor at a prestigious course – ideally in my home state of North Carolina.”
Matthew, a four-year member of the North Lenoir FFA Chapter in La Grange, N.C., is now enrolled in the two-year agricultural institute at North Carolina State, where he is earning a degree in turfgrass management. "Managing an outstanding golf course is definitely not just about sowing and cutting the grass," he says. I learn about pesticide use and safety, landscape design, irrigation installation, which grasses are best for which soils, grasses that grow in the shade and much more.
Robert Young is the current superintendent at Carolina Country Club, and Matthew credits him with helping to inspire his own strong work ethic. Bob Young has the most turf intelligence of anyone I know, and I learn so much just being part of his staff," says Matthew. A skilled superintendent works some brutal hours, but that's what it takes to to be at the top in this industry.
Matthew's love of greens was perhaps first nurtured in 2000, when at the age of 14 he became a batboy in his own.
The Right Course
Matthew, after serving as a batboy during games, would then enjoy helping the field team clean up the field after games, and Tommy noticed his enthusiasm,” says David Mooring, Matthew's father and North Lenoir High School agriculture teacher. When Matthew turned 16, Tommy hired him to work on the garden staff for the summer season. My son worked at that job for three summers, helping to prepare the pitches before games and repairing them after the games were over."
His duties included smoothing the sand on the field, chalking the foul lines and batting boxes, pouring lime on the grass, and replenishing the clay on the pitcher's mound so that the top of the mound conformed to regulations. of the competition was 25 centimeters high. But that was all part of keeping Grainger Stadium one of the finest fields in minor league baseball. It's true that we made the stadium look attractive, but an equally important goal was to make it safe for the ball players.
As for his FFA experience at North Lenoir High School, Matthew says the lesson he values and appreciates the most is learning leadership skills. Before FFA, I usually didn't talk to people unless they talked to me first, and that's not going to be acceptable when I become a golf course superintendent or head custodian at a baseball stadium," FFA taught me how to get along with people, how being more open and how to start a conversation with anyone.
As a grounds crew member, Matthew's responsibilities at the baseball stadium included rolling up the tarp and watering the turf.
1 FYI
A GROWING FIELD
SINCE GOLFERS PLAY MOST OF THEIR SHOTS
MOWING IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO
GRASSES AND GRASS- LIKE PLANTS ARE
THIS SPORT’S TURF IS DESIGNED AS A
A TERM DESCRIBING THE DOWNWARD ENTRY OF
BERMUDA, ZOYSIA AND BAHIA – ALL COMMONLY
SOIL COMPACTION IS A COMMON PROBLEM
WHAT PROCESS HELPS COMBAT THIS PROBLEM?
GRASS SPECIES ARE PRIMARILY SELECTED
JAMIE’S FAVORITES
Cecil
Jamie
- GO CAMPING
- BE A LOCAL TOURIST
- VISIT PUBLIC PARKS
- PICK YOUR OWN PRODUCE
- PLAY SPIELBERG
- EAT SUMMER SWEETS
Check to see if local zoos or theme parks offer reduced or student rates on weekdays. Grab some friends and make banana splits, or create your own concoction by mixing ice cream with fruit or crumbled candy bars.
Find Fun for Free
ORGANIZE AN OLYMPICS
MAKE A SCRAPBOOK
HOST A MOVIE NIGHT
You've heard your mom nag you to wear sunscreen, but if you're like most teenagers, you'd rather soak up the sun's rays than block them. According to the Skin Cancer Awareness Foundation, melanoma is the most common cancer in people ages 25 to 29, and the number of skin cancer cases diagnosed annually is increasing. Skin cancer used to be more common in the 60-and-over age group, but it's becoming more common among younger people,” says Elaine Sherwood, CEO of the Skin Cancer Awareness Foundation and registered nurse.
There are three types of skin cancer - basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. These tanning beds are like a microwave oven for skin cancer – you're cooking your skin like a hot dog on a grill,” he says. People used to think that if we put on a little sunscreen, we've done our part, but we're finding that it's not enough,” says Sherwood.
And don't forget to apply sunscreen to your ears and the back of your neck.” Now is the time to protect yourself from the sun, because "skin cancer is the accumulation of sun damage over time." Many young people think that skin cancer cannot happen to them because they are young, but cancer does not matter whether you are young, old, rich or poor.
You can't go back and change things that have already happened, but you can do your part to prevent skin cancer and live a healthy, productive life."
BY THE NUMBERS
Sunbathing and outdoor activities are all the rage these days, but is our love for the sun actually a recipe for disaster? Anyone who works outdoors has a high risk of sun damage to their skin and should take extra care. The easiest way to protect yourself is to use at least SPF 15 sunscreen – and plenty of it.
Sunscreen
Slather on the
National FFA Center Expands
A T-shirt Made of … Corn?
Your Vote
Saving Our Barns
Show That
You Care
- IDENTIFY THE NEED
- COME UP WITH A PLAN
- SEEK APPROVAL
- GET OTHERS INVOLVED
- PROCEED WITH ACTION
- ENJOY YOUR EFFORTS
Carl's project to serve the community could not be completed without the help of the community itself. Thanks to the generosity of others, the garden was well on its way to becoming a reality. 200 left over – even after writing thank you letters to donors – which he gave to the hospice centre.
McDowell agrees, noting that the garden's peace and quiet make it a good place for reflection. But the best indicator of the difference Carl made is to remember what it looked like before.
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My job today couldn't be much closer to what I had dreamed of: working in communications for an exciting agricultural company. And as my interest in agriculture grew, so did my interest in telling the story of this industry. In fact, I served as an FFA reporter at the chapter, section, and state levels, and I was a national finalist in the FFA Agricultural Communications Proficiency.
Later, I was fortunate enough to serve as the 2001-2002 National FFA Secretary, and that experience furthered my interest in agricultural communications. When ABG decided to open up a new position focused on marketing our growing business, I got the job, in part because of my past experiences – especially my FFA. Although my skills and network have grown since my FFA membership, I likely would not be at ABG without these experiences and relationships.
Today, more than ever, I believe that FFA offers a platform for each of you to discover your own unique journey. And as you work diligently toward your goals, remember that your dream is most fulfilling when you make the most of every step along the way.
Robin
Niehaus
