Stock show competitions for Future Farmers of America (FFA) students in GCISD’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) program recently concluded and five earned Sale, Reserve Grand Champion or Grand Champion honors, considered to be the most notable recognitions.
Congratulations to:
Maddy Ames, GHS sophomore, Honor: Reserve Grand Champion, Market Swine, Tarrant County Junior Livestock Show
Carter Johnson, GHS senior, Honor: Sale, Houston Stock Show
Priscilla Roberts, CHHS senior, Honor: Sale and 10th place, Fort Worth Stock Show
Alexys Whitley, GHS senior, Honor: Grand Champion, Market Steer, Tarrant County Junior Livestock Show
Dakota Wright, GHS senior, Honor: Reserve Grand Champion, Market Heifer, Tarrant County Junior Livestock Show
“Our students dedicate themselves to advancing their skills as well as knowledge, and finishing at the top of Texas competitions is a testament to how their work has paid off,” GCISD CTE Director Stephanie Speaks stated. “We are so proud of their achievements.”
Texas is home to the nation's largest state FFA association with more than 155,000 members. To be eligible for active membership in a chartered FFA chapter in Texas, a student must be enrolled in a secondary agricultural education program. GCISD’s CTE program offers Agricultural, Technology and Mechanical Systems as a program of study. According to the Texas organization, FFA activities are an outgrowth of the classroom and projects.
The letters “FFA” stand for Future Farmers of America and are part of the organization’s history and heritage, however agriculture is much broader than farming and ranching. Members study horticulture, aquaculture, food sciences, accounting, business, wildlife management, mechanics and engineering, which lead to a broad range of career pathways.