(PRESS RELEASE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
FAIR OAKS TOUR … From left: Olivia Beck, Noelle Fox, Sophie Wilke, Courtney Wiemken, Genevieve Galvin, Natalia Alencastro, Ava Genter, Katie Moore, Jayden Bleikamp, Tobin King, and Kaleb Wyse toured Fair Oaks Farms in Fair Oaks, Indiana.
PETTISVILLE FFA … The Pettisville FFA sent 11 students to National FFA Convention this year in Indianapolis, Indiana. Attending the convention were (left to right): Olivia Beck, Courtney Wiemken, Sophie Wilke, Kaleb Wyse, Tobin King, Jayden Bleikamp, Katie Moore, Genevieve Galvin, Natalia Alencastro, Ava Genter and Noelle Fox.
By: Olivia Beck
PETTISVILLE FFA REPORTER
On October 23-25, 11 Pettisville FFA Members traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana for the 97th National FFA Convention and Expo. FFA advisors Megan Drake and Whitney Short accompanied them. During the trip students learned to grow leadership skills and be better people.
Members attended convention sessions and were able to watch national award winners, listen to motivational speakers, and hear about opportunities available through FFA. Sessions took place in Lucas Oil Stadium, and over 70,000 people attended.
The career show, expo, and leadership workshops were the other main events. Students had the opportunity to learn about different careers and work available in the agriculture field.
Pettisville FFA members went on two tours. The first tour was Fair Oaks Farms in Fair Oaks, Indiana. Members were taken by bus to the different farms.
The first farm they went to was the dairy cattle portion, they were brought to the different barns and were taught about the feed and cattle.
During the station, members were able to go and observe a rotary parlor to see the efficient process of milking thousands of cows per day.
The second stop was the swine farms, on this farm students were able to see different stages of pigs, from sows about to give birth to pigs growing up.
The second tour was organized by Luke Short, Pettisville FFA Alumni and Friends member who works at Cummins Columbus Engine Plant and Cummins Columbus Mid-Range Engine Plant.
Members were able to tour the plants and discover how many jobs were available in that industry. Tobin King, a senior, said, “I liked touring Cummins because I don’t know much about engines, but the things we saw were pretty crazy.”
Members attended many sessions learning how to better themselves and others from motivational speakers. Natalia Alencastro, a junior, said, “My favorite keynote speaker was Carter Howell’s and his retiring address.”
“I enjoyed how he talked about how we need to see the good in others and how we need to see the good in our difficult times. He also mentioned that we should see the good in ourselves and lead with love.”