Cambridge FFA members smile with elementary students who participated in the Spanish learning program. Each team read a storybook they created, brought a piñata and taught a lesson related to an agriculture topic. Photo courtesy of Trenton Taber.
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, we’ll spotlight Cambridge FFA in Illinois, which received top honors in the Growing Leaders category during the 97th National FFA Convention & Expo.
Taking a fresh look at annual events can often make them better — and sometimes pay off in big ways.
Cambridge FFA in Illinois, for example, held an agricultural literacy day at the elementary school for many years. In 2024, the chapter worked with its high school Spanish teacher and transformed it into a “Dia de la Agricultura” (Agriculture Day) program that promoted both agriculture and Spanish.
According to advisor Trenton Taber, who works alongside co-advisor Haley Gruber, boosting cultural awareness was a goal of the rural FFA chapter, and this program fit into that nicely. It also served as a tool for encouraging more students to sign up for Spanish classes in high school.
FFA members came up with the idea for the program during the annual officer retreat, then the Growing Leaders committee met regularly to plan and set due dates for various tasks involved in the project. Working in teams, members produced books written in Spanish to read to the elementary students. They also made piñatas that complemented the books’ themes and came up with lessons to share with students.
Cambridge FFA members hold piñatas for elementary students to break as part of the “Dia de la Agricultura” program. Photo courtesy of Trenton Taber.
In total, 24 FFA members helped plan and implement the program, and Taber and Gruber encouraged them to let their interests guide the books and lesson plans.
“One of our student leaders plays on our softball team, so she wrote about all of the agricultural things that go into making softballs,” Taber says. “She was paired with a junior student who made a softball piñata, and their lesson involved the animal byproducts that go into making a softball.”
Student-Led Success
During the 97th National FFA Convention & Expo last fall, Cambridge FFA was selected as the 2024 National FFA Premier Chapter in the Growing Leaders category. In addition to being nationally recognized in this awards program, sponsored by corporate partners John Deere and New Holland, the chapter gained high praise from the elementary students who attended the event held in February during National FFA Week.
“The elementary students loved it,” Taber says. “They look forward to agricultural literacy day every year, but this gave it an interesting twist.”
As for the members, they learned new Spanish vocabulary and developed skills that will serve them well in whatever career they choose. “They gain professionalism, which is extremely valuable,” Taber adds. “It also teaches them how to plan events, which is going to be very beneficial in the future.”
Prioritize Your POA
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.
