The team spirit is high at Aquafest.
Recruitment is a key component to building a successful chapter. Three years ago, an idea for a new recruitment event was created. It would involve water-based games, color teams and free food. This idea would come to be known as “Aquafest.”
The event has been a huge success for the Bourbon County FFA Chapter in Kentucky. Every year, more than 40 current and prospective members attend to participate in water-filled fun. This event is entirely student-led, with the executive team members brainstorming game ideas, providing supplies and, most importantly, bringing the team spirit.
The current and past officer teams worked on the event. They created a well-designed flyer to hand out in agriculture classes and spent an afternoon filming and editing a promotional video to go out on social media platforms.
This year, the teams decided to do a skit describing Aquafest, how to get involved and what to bring. This video brought more attention to the event and allowed the new members to become familiar with the team leaders before they got to the event, which ultimately helped the new members feel more comfortable.
The cast and crew of the Bourbon County FFA Aquafest promotional video.
The main event of Aquafest is the games. From water balloon dodgeball and a frozen T-shirt contest to hay roll parkour and tug of war, members of all grade levels work together to gain points for their team and win the coveted spirit points. The games vary in difficulty and point value, allowing each team to strategize and choose the best team members for each competition. The more games a team wins, the more likely they are to win overall.
However, teams can win points not only by winning games but also by showing their team spirit. This is not just based on showing up and wearing your team’s color but also on sportsmanship. Although the main objective of Aquafest is to compete against other teams and gain the most points, support for one’s team and other teams is highly valued.
When rating team spirit, teams that are too competitive can be knocked down the list, almost like a leaderboard. Team leaders are in charge of keeping up with game results, but nobody knows who won the sprint points until the results are announced. This helps keep the teams excited and engaged with what is going on.
There have been times when two teams have won the most spirit and game points. However, this year, the pink team, led by chapter chaplain Ally Easley, had a clean sweep and won both the most game points and the spirit points.
The Pink Team, led by chapter chaplain Ally Easley, celebrates their victory.
After all the hard work involved in competing in the games, members are going to be hungry. Bourbon County Farm Bureau lets the chapter borrow their grill to make hamburgers and hot dogs. Chips, popsicles and drinks are also provided. The free food convinces even the most hesitant members to come and check out the event. The chapter also has a local inflatables business that provides a water slide, which is a huge hit among all the members.
After the 2019-20 school year, Bourbon County FFA saw a decline in membership. However, the new recruitment event, Aquafest, has helped them increase their membership and overall participation.
