BY JORDAN TROUTMAN jtroutman@cherryroad.com
Summertime is a time to leave the classroom and enjoy the outdoors, but Cassville FFA students were already planning a summer full of activities before school let out for the summer.
Jordan Ellis, Cassville agricultural teacher and FFA advisor, said during the spring many of the local FFA students worked hard to prepare their animals for the summer show season, and this summer they showed that their hard work and dedication to their animals has paid off.
“Show season kicked off at Lawrence County Fair on June 5,” he said. “Purdy Fair was after that on June 18, then straight to their last single day fair at the Barry County Fair the next weekend on June 25.
“Kicking off the July season was Newton County Fair on the July 6 through July 9.”
Ellis said the Cassville FFA showmen had a short break before going to the McDonald County Fair on July 21 through July 23 which was one of their last shows before heading up to Sedalia in August for the Missouri State Fair.
“All of our students have had many successes in every show ring they’ve entered,” he said. “Some of their accomplishments include:
• Tierany Sloan with the Grand Champion Market Hog and the Supreme Champion Gilt • Jaret Hinson with the Reserve Grand Champion Market Hog, Champion Poland, and Reserve Supreme Breeding Gilt
• Peter Littlefield with the Grand Champion Market Lamb, Supreme Ewe, and the Grand Champion Limousin Heifer
• Dakota Bowen with the Reserve Grand Champion Market Lamb, Champion Ram, and the Champion Dorper Ram
• Langston Mitchell with the Grand Champion Steer
• Rylee Yerge with her Reserve Grand Champion Holstein Heifer
• Landen Smith with the Best of Breed Fancy Fowl
• Andrew Gray with his Best of Breed Fancy Fowl
• Hailey Bowen with her Supreme Bull and Champion Beefmaster Heifer
• Timothy Hudson with his Champion Crossbred Boar
• Elizabeth Ray with the Champion Spot Boar and the Champion Spot Gilt
• Caleb Leach with the Best of Show Rabbit “We have several great showmen in our chapter and lots of younger kids that are already making us proud.”
Ellis said he would like to congratulate all future, present, and past members of the Cassville FFA chapter for their continuous hard work and success at all the fairs this summer.
“I have taught Ag and been an FFA advisor for 14 years,” Ellis said. “Mr. [Jimmy] Hinson has been teaching for 19 years, and Mrs. [Hannah] Denief has been teaching for 2 years.
“The most important part of student involvement in FFA is that we offer something for every student. Most think we are just agriculture, however agriculture is our basis, but we teach leadership, public speaking, responsibility, work ethic, self motivation, problem solving, among other things as well.”
Ellis said he grew up in Cassville and was an FFA member himself, and so was Mr. Hinson. “Both of us were past chapter presidents of the Cassville FFA, so we both have a special bond with this chapter and want to see it continue to grow and succeed,” he said. “When I encourage students to join FFA I tell them that if they want new and exciting opportunities to learn, grow, and diversify themselves in many ways this is the organization for them.
“We get to travel across the nation and sometimes overseas meeting other FFA members and learning new culture. The FFA offers something for everyone, whether they are directly interested in agriculture or not.”
Ellis said FFA is the largest youth organization in the world with over 735,000 members.
“We are very excited for the upcoming school year to introduce our third teacher, Hannah Denief, who will be teaching both in the High School and the Middle School,” he said. “Also, we will be taking our students out to our new school farm ‘Wild C Research Farm’ to learn diverse agriculture techniques and practices.”
