FFA Members Show the Impact of Service Learning Projects
In June, FFA members from across the country gathered at the first ever National FFA Catalyst Conference to put the National FFA Organization’s Living to Serve initiative into action.
As part of the conference, held in Indianapolis, Ind., members gathered at Crown Hill Cemetery to assist in beautifying the cemetery’s existing flower beds.
While this was a one day service learning project, it helped set a foundation and inspire students to pursue their own service learning projects at home.
Some students have already started making an impact in their community.
“We teamed up [with a] local hospital and we made farmer safety videos, commercials on traffic, safety check engine lights and all that type of stuff,” says Carrollton Area Career Center FFA member Brody Swindler. ”We also made suicide prevention videos and different types of food kits for people [in the] community.”
National FFA follows a four-step approach when starting a service learning project: investigate, plan, serve and evaluate.
When it comes to service learning projects, the goal is to leave the community better than you found it.
“We like to reach out to different shelters in the area, whether it’s for homeless shelters or women shelters, even the animal shelters, and ask, what do you need? What can we do to help you?,” says Caitlin Reynolds, an advisor from the Flowing Wells FFA Chapter in Arizona.
Not only do these projects benefit the community, but the members gain valuable experiences.
“When they actually successfully pull off a project, it’s so exciting for them. And to see them grow in confidence and in the pride in their community,” says Melanie Block, an advisor at the Ravenna FFA Chapter in Michigan.
