North Star FFA founder April Fix (front center) with some of her chapter members.
For many homeschool students, finding leadership and agricultural opportunities can be a challenge. In 2022, one idea helped change this for families and students in a North Carolina community. Founded in 2023, North Star FFA, a local homeschool FFA chapter, started this change for the better.
The Vision Behind North Star FFA
According to the chapter’s founder, April Fix, the idea began in 2022 while she was homeschooling her own children. She was a part of FFA herself and wanted her children to experience the same leadership and hands-on agricultural opportunities she did. After speaking with other families in the community to gauge interest, a group began meeting monthly to work on making this idea a reality.
After a year of planning, the homeschool FFA chapter was officially chartered. The chapter is open to students in sixth through 12th grade and is only the second of its kind in North Carolina!
A Flexible Chapter Structure
Although the chapter meets all National FFA requirements, its structure is different than a traditional school-based chapter. Members are enrolled in many programs across multiple school districts, so meetings are in the afternoons and on weekends to allow flexibility to families. Parent volunteers and approved advisors provide leadership and instruction, rather than school faculty members.
Fix says that family involvement plays a major role in the chapter. This helps support students with many different homeschooling plans while maintaining the same standards and opportunities as those offered by other FFA chapters.
North Star FFA members at a local farmer appreciation dinner.
Leadership Opportunities for Members
Leadership development is a main focus for the homeschool chapter. Members have opportunities to serve as chapter officers, committee leaders and mentors, often at a younger age than in larger chapters. Members also participate in Supervised Agricultural Experiences, career and leadership development events (CDEs and LDEs), and public speaking competitions. Parents, advisors and community members schedule and support CDE and LDE practices outside of the traditional school day. Fix says that members compete at the district, area and state levels and attend conventions as an officially chartered chapter.
North Star FFA members at the state envirothon competition.
Homeschool FFA Chapter Growth and Progress
Since being chartered, the chapter has grown in both membership and involvement. Members have earned degrees, competed in events and taken on leadership roles at the district and area levels. Coordinating schedules and logistics can be a challenge at times, but Fix says that strong communication and shared responsibility have helped the chapter succeed.
By providing flexible scheduling, strong family involvement and meaningful leadership opportunities, the North Star FFA Chapter is helping expand access to FFA while showing that homeschool students are just as engaged and committed to the organization as any other member.
