Prior to their chapter’s “Inflation Station” event, Beauregard FFA members Alleria Dupree, Brayan Mendoza, Hector Gonzalez and Miles Langley participate in a training on one of their personal vehicles. Photo courtesy of Jerad Dyess.
To engage FFA members and advisors as they create or refine their chapter’s Program of Activities (POA), this article is part of a three-part series that recognizes the 2024 National FFA Premier Chapters. This month spotlights Beauregard FFA in Alabama, which received top honors in the Strengthening Agriculture category during the 97th National FFA Convention & Expo.
When Beauregard FFA officers discussed skill development at their annual retreat, they realized most of them didn’t know how to properly maintain or change a tire. They returned home inspired to meet with members of their Alabama chapter’s safety committee and students in the school’s applied agriscience class. Conversations eventually led them to create “Inflation Station,” an event designed to teach drivers about tire pressure — an important way to prevent flat tires, especially when the weather changes.
“We pulled a group of 25 students [from the class],” says Jerad Dyess, who advises Beauregard FFA alongside his wife, Whitney Dyess. “They came up with a training program to teach the remaining 125 FFA members about how to check tire pressure, look up the correct tire pressure, put air in tires and double-check the pressure.”
Safety committee members spread the word to their community through flyers and social media posts, and 75 FFA members helped run the first event in February 2024.
The chapter set up stations in several parking lots around the school: one for students, one for faculty and staff and another for community members. Each parking lot included three groups of students; one checked tire pressure, the second added air to the tires and the third provided quality control by confirming the tire pressure was correct.
Beauregard FFA members Ava Barker (left) and Michael Pope (right) check the informational sticker on the door panel of a vehicle to find the recommended tire pressure. Photo courtesy of Jerad Dyess.
In total, members serviced 145 vehicles and, in turn, enjoyed serving and sharing their FFA experiences with their community.
Student-Led Effort
In addition to its success at the local level, the chapter also gained national acclaim when it was selected as the 2024 Premier Chapter: Strengthening Agriculture out of the 10 chapters selected as finalists in this National FFA award category, sponsored by John Deere and New Holland.
“My favorite part of the [event] is how it included nearly 100% of our members,” says Beauregard FFA Strengthening Agriculture Committee member Tanya Martinez. “I especially loved seeing students share their passion for mechanics with others.”
Beauregard FFA member Lilly Stallions (right) shares plans for the Inflation Station with Beauregard High School faculty and staff. Photo courtesy of Jerad Dyess.
Due to the Inflation Station’s initial success, a second event was held in November 2024. This time, the chapter upgraded to larger equipment borrowed from community members and involved more students on the day of the event.
“Going forward, we want to hold the event twice a year,” Dyess says. “The first when it starts to get cold, then a second when it starts to warm up.”
More to Explore
Finding success in the National Chapter Award Program starts with developing a strong POA. Bookmark this helpful infographic about all things POA for future reference.
