FFA students competed at their district competition at Rouse High School on Nov. 9. Freshman Caroline Lilly won first in creed speaking where she recited the FFA creed from memory.

“I was very happy because I’m going to get to regionals,” Lilly said.  “I get to go to region on Wednesday Nov. 16, and I’m really excited.”

In Lilly’s first competition, she earned 11th out of 12 places. However, she went to her second competition and got fourth out of the same group of competitors. In Lilly’s third competition she got fifth out of 44 other competitors.

“I’ve been doing FFA because that’s what I want to in the future,” Lilly said. “I want to be involved in agriculture life and hopefully own a ranch someday. Also, I want to be involved in the agricultural marketing business.”

In FFA, a student can raise pigs, lambs, sheep, goats and chickens and other poultry. Students can also choose from a plethora of options within the animals. The more money a student spends, the higher the chances are of raising a prize-winning animal. Freshman Kaley Alford will raise rabbits, while Lilly will raise a pig. Alford will spend $160 on her rabbits and will take care of them at the FFA barn every morning and afternoon.

“I joined FFA because both of my parents did FFA,”  Alford said. “It has always been a big part of my life. My aunt has a rabbit farm. My mom raised turkeys, and that was a big thing. She also raised suffolk sheep. It was just a really big part of their lives. It was how my mom was raised. It’s something that I’ve been always been interested in.”
There are 30 students in FFA, and each student get their own animals. There are students from all grade levels, boys and girls, who come together at the FFA barn to connect with their animals, along with making new friendships.

“FFA is just such a community thing,” Alford said . “It’s just really a great opportunity to make friends, everybody is so nice, and they are just really inviting. It’s such a good thing because it’s just like one big family.”

After the shows are over, most of the animals are sold. Some animals who don’t sell go to sanctuaries.

“ I know it’s going to be hard [losing the animals,] but this is also agricultural life,” Alford said. “This is the way life is going to work through agriculture. So I guess it’s something that I am going to have to accept and know that this for a good thing.”

Lilly and Alford will keep their animal for six to eight weeks depending on the animal. Since Lilly is raising a pig she will need to exercise her pig every once in awhile. Students aren’t allowed to join FFA for the rest of the year, but the club opens up new spots at the end of every year.

“I would encourage new members by telling them about how much FFA  means to me and how much it will help me through school,” . There is so many scholarships and so many things you can do that just gets you really involved,” Alford said.