National FFA Week With Salinas FFA
Every year the Salinas FFA Chapter in California hosts a week of activities and dress-up days for chapter members to celebrate National FFA Week.
This year, the chapter celebrated February 17-20, and began the festivities on Tuesday, the 17th, with a camo-themed dress-up day and a trivia/crafts activity during lunch. The trivia event was similar to a “Best Informed Greenhand” event, as FFA members answered questions about FFA history, chapter officers and emblem details. This allowed members to test their FFA knowledge and learn facts about the organization they may not have known before. For crafts, members made friendship bracelets using beads, colorful string, and charms. This allowed students to express themselves through a creative activity.
Salinas FFA members made bracelets at the National FFA Week Breakfast event.
On Wednesday, the 18th, FFA members gathered in the ag classroom before school to enjoy breakfast pastries, bagels, and hot cocoa. Members also completed a variety of activities during their breakfast, including coloring FFA coloring sheets, completing an agricultural wordsearch, and making bracelets. The dress-up theme was “Stationed by the Flag”, and members dressed up in red, white, and blue to show their patriotism for the USA and FFA.
When asked her favorite part of the Wednesday breakfast, Sophomore Laney (above, left) said “catching up with friends, and finding new people in FFA that enjoy the same things I do”.
On Thursday, members dressed in college gear to show their interest in continuing their ag education, and after school, attended a meeting in the gym to play gaga ball. Many Cal Poly, UC Davis, and Chico State hoodies were proudly worn by members. Gaga ball is similar to dodgeball, where if you get hit by a ball, you’re out of the round. Playing gaga ball allowed students to relieve stress after a long day of school in a healthy and physical way.
Salians FFA member Colton (left), participating in the “Pie and Officer” event by pie-ing the Salinas FFA Chapter Sentinel.
On Friday, members dressed in their pajamas for a cozy end to the week and, during lunch, participated in a “Pie An Officer” event. The “Pie An Officer” event started last year, and is an event where chapter officers wear goggles and sit on chairs while members “pie” them with whipped cream. The event allows students to purchase a pie and throw it at an officer as part of a chapter fundraiser, and all proceeds go to the chapter to support future events and competitions.
When asked about the event, Sophomore Colton responded, “I love Salinas High FFA”.
National FFA Week was a great experience for Salinas FFA members and advisors alike. Salinas FFA Advisor Mr. Clement-Rhodes, who teaches Ag Mechanics and Ag Chemistry, is in his first year of teaching.
He shares that “As an FFA member, it’s one thing to participate in National FFA Week and celebrate— but it’s a completely different experience to be the advisor behind it all. Being in my first year of teaching, my first year as an advisor, and my first year with Salinas FFA, this was an incredible opportunity to see how our chapter celebrates National FFA Week. From having to shift our first activity due to weather, to hosting trivia and arts and crafts, organizing our morning breakfast social, watching students fully engage in gaga ball, and ending the week with ‘Pie an Officer’ and even getting the advisors involved, it was a memorable and rewarding experience. It was truly a great first FFA Week with this chapter, and I’m hopeful for many more fun and successful years ahead”.
Clement-Rhodes also shares how running National FFA Week can be a challenge: “From an advisor’s perspective, there is a lot happening behind the scenes. Ensuring everything is organized, prepared, and runs smoothly is important because how these events unfold shapes how our school and community perceive our chapter. There is a strong sense of responsibility to ensure we represent Salinas FFA well. Overall, it was a meaningful first experience as an advisor—one that challenged me, stretched me, and reminded me why I love being part of agricultural education and FFA”.
Thank you to Laney, Colton, Mr. Clement-Rhodes, and the Salinas FFA Chapter for their contributions to this article.
