PAGE B6 www.thermopir.

com February 16, 2017

SHOUT OUT TO OUR

Thermopolis FFA

Chapter members front row, left to right: Barbara Kissel, Jessie Pennoyer, Dreama Thorpe, Lauren Reed and Taylor Nuttall.
Middle row: Chandler Maddock, Jeffery Van Antwerp, Koy Myers, Strite Daniels, Ryan Bleak, Eric Bleak,

Tran
Blake Williams, Maggie Jones, Hannah Hurley, Tyne Vialpando and Kaitlyn Schmuck. Back row: Colton Dobbins,
Dusty Barnes, Keegan Robbins, Logan Bartholomew, Kolby George, Riley Shaffer, Logan Shumway,
Rafael Chiavas, Hunter Bartholomew and Britton Van Heule. Not pictured: Audrey Axtel,
Spencer Axtel, Jason Clouse, Aiden Ozman, Mary Ryan, Josie Thurgood
and Ames Tschiffely.

Pu
rpo
se to
sform
Action

Students celebrate FFA week

by Mark Dykes
The National FFA Organiza-
tion has its roots in Virginia.
It was founded by agriculture
teachers Henry C. Groseclose,
Walter Newman, Edmund Ma-
gill and Harry Sanders in 1925
at the Virginia Polytechnic In-
stitute, as Future Farmers of
Virginia.
In 1928, it became the or-
ganization known as Future
Farmers of America, estab-
lished by 33 students from 18
states. In 1988 the name un-
derwent another transition
and became the National FFA
Organization, or simply FFA.
Today, it is among the larg-
est youth organizations in
the United States, with near-
ly 630,000 members in 7,757
chapters across all 50 states,
Puerto Rico and the Virgin Is-
lands.
FFA chapters across the
country celebrate FFA week
every year, with a changing
theme each year. This year,
the celebration is designated
for the week of Feb. 18-25,
with the theme of Transform,
and a tag line of Purpose to
Action.
The local chapter has plenty
of activities at the high school
next week to celebrate, begin-
ning on Tuesday with a teach-
er breakfast. On Wednesday,
some of those teachers might
see a few copies of themselves
in the halls during Dress
Like an Ag Teacher. Also on
Wednesday, expect some cam-
pus critters during the petting
zoo, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Ag
building. On Friday, chapter
members will likely be easily
recognized with their jackets
for Blue and Gold Day.
There is no Monday activity
planned, as there is no school
for Presidents Day.
But its not just during this
one week when FFA students
are busy; the entire year sees
them working on projects at the
local, county and state levels.
State convention this year is
scheduled for April 5-8.
FFA Advisor Britton Van
Heule, who is in his 14th year
of teaching the students, stat-
ed, I am really excited about
the group of young people that
are in the FFA program right
now. There are lots of younger
members that are really excit-
ed about all that the program
has to offer. We have a very
good ofcer team that always
gets the job done, and is work-
ing really hard to recruit mem-
bers and make the activities
fun for the other members.

Ofcers, front row, left to right: Barbara Kissel, Dreama Thorpe, and Taylor
Nuttall; back row: Britton Van Heule, Jessie Pennoyer, Maggie Jones and Kaitlyn
Schmuck.

Big Horn Federal Las Fuentes Road Runner Service

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