Celebrate FFA Week, Feb. 21-28

Today, in a special insert, we salute the young men and women, their parents and those school officials who work so tirelessly to further the goals and objectives of the FFA.

Previously known as the Future Farmers of America, the National FFA Organization was founded in 1928 as a way for students, teachers and agribusiness to solidly support agricultural education, according to the organization's national Web site www.ffa.org.

Thirty-three farmboys gathered at the Baltimore Hotel in Kansas City, Mo., to chart a course for the future, the official history states. In 1950, the U.S. Congress granted FFA a federal charter making it an integral, intracurricular part of public agricultural instruction under the National Vocational Education Acts. However, FFA receives no federal funding.

Since 1928, millions of agricultural students - male and female, rich and poor, urban and rural and everything in between, minority, handicapped, developmentally challenged - all have donned the official FFA jacket and championed the FFA creed.

Today, the organization has 507,763 members between the ages of 12-21 active in 7,439 chapters in all 50 states as well as in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Locally, FFA chapters are active in most north state high schools. The South County boasts two very active FFA chapters, one each at West Valley High School and Anderson Union High School.

Frequently, I have had the pleasure to work alongside George Wold, advisor for the Anderson Union High School FFA chapter, and several of his young charges. Their seemingly ubiquitous presence at all community functions, high school football games, fundraisers and special events - usually serving barbecued beef tri tip sandwiches and cold sodas - keep them constantly busy and earning money for their various projects.

I would especially be remiss if I did not personally thank Jessica Street, the Anderson Union High School FFA club Reporter, for all her help in writing or gathering all of the many reports and photographs that make up the editorial content of our special FFA section inserted in today's newspaper.

Miss Street made several trips to the newspaper last week to ensure that subjects in all photographs were properly identified and that the articles and photographs of events appeared in close proximity to each other. She did this while juggling a full academic load, working as a physical therapist's assistant, taking part in FFA competitions and participating in an active household.

Thank you, Jessica. It was certainly my honor to work beside you this week.

Anderson Union High School, which this coming summer will celebrate its centennial year, has had a long history with promoting agriculture. In 1910, after the high school's first year of operation, the Anderson Chamber of Commerce petitioned the high school's board of trustees to establish an agricultural component within the school's educational framework.

In those days, few boys continued in school past the eighth grade due to the pressures to earn a living and start helping out on the family's ranch or farm.

Anderson Union High School's FFA club was officially chartered in 1933, just five years after the national organization started. In 2008, Anderson's FFA chapter celebrated its 75th year of active participation in the national organization. It has a long and proud history and many fine members.

I encourage each of you to look through the special insert and take note of the many activities in which the Anderson FFA chapter has a hand. And when you see the young men and women sporting their blue and gold jackets, stop and chat awhile, learn what fine individuals this group turns out, and support them in their endeavors.

I will leave you with the FFA Motto, which is:

Learning to Do,

Doing to Learn,

Earning to Live,

Living to Serve