Grady FFA officers prepare for National FFA Week. From left to right: Keleigh Jones, Rawley Bone, Carisma Garcia, Noah Stanfield, Addelynn Quintana and Gavin West.
Grady FFA in New Mexico is encouraging schoolwide involvement through National FFA Week festivities. This year, chapter members planned dress-up spirit days and a teacher appreciation breakfast.
“My job is to create an agenda for an FFA spirit week, organize a breakfast and provide a welcoming environment for all students to participate in FFA,” says Carisma Garcia, the chapter’s president.
Garcia is excited to see how the school reacts to these plans. “I am looking forward to seeing everybody’s creativity,” she adds. “Everyone is different and may showcase their appreciation in different ways, which I would love to explore.”
Chapter officer Gavin West says that since his chapter is part of a preschool through 12th grade school, it hopes to involve everyone. “We are starting a tradition by doing a spirit week where each day has a new theme or way to dress up,” he says. “I like this idea and how it can get the whole school involved.”
According to another chapter officer, Keleigh Jones, this year, Grady FFA is giving both students and teachers a treat. “In the past, we have only done teachers,” she says. “I think this tradition will be good for our chapter because it shows we care for and appreciate our members just as much as we do our teachers.”
Additionally, Jones says her chapter’s goals for the week are “to raise awareness for this organization, awareness for agricultural education and showcase the impact agriculture and FFA have on everyone.”
Noah Stanfield, also serving as a chapter officer this year, says communication is necessary in planning National FFA Week activities. “Without communicating, chapters may not have much success with their celebrations,” he adds.
