In Georgetown, Del., the Sussex Central FFA Chapter has grown significantly in recent years to accommodate a growing and diverse student population.
According to Brandon McCabe, the chapter’s advisor and agricultural educator at Sussex Central High School, although the area is home to grain and poultry farms, the region’s proximity to the beach also means a significant number of acres are now in suburban areas. Therefore, the school’s enrollment is nearly 2,100, with nearly 1,500 students taking at least one agricultural education class this year, and the chapter fluctuates between 75-100 members per year.
Read on to learn about this unique chapter and how it prepares students for success in FFA and their future endeavors.
A Storied History
Choose Your Path
All agricultural education students and Sussex Central FFA members can choose from five educational pathways.
These pathways, which include plant science, animal science, agricultural structures and engineering, agricultural power and engineering and national resources, are designed to reflect diverse educational paths that are tailored to each student’s background and interests.
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A Place to Succeed
Many of the families in the area have lived there for many generations, while others are recent arrivals who need assistance in their educational endeavors. The Sussex Central FFA Chapter understands these differences and caters its programs to reach all of its members.
“This diversity allows [everyone] to learn about other cultures and backgrounds while working together,” McCabe says.
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Learning Through Food
“We all have to eat” is a motto that’s not lost on this chapter. By learning about how it’s grown, prepared and enjoyed, Sussex Central FFA members get to experience different cultures and heritages through food.
For example, David Rowe (left) and Andy Orth (right) worked together to win the chapter’s most recent chili and wing cook-off challenge.
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A Changing Rural Landscape
When McCabe graduated from Sussex Central High School in 2001, he estimates half the FFA membership at the time came from a farming background. Today, he estimates only a handful of his members can say that.
With the area becoming more suburban and members not having as many “on farm” experiences, McCabe’s chapter has embraced its diversity to continue attracting and recruiting members through outreach opportunities.
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Learning Avenues for All
To give students with special needs opportunities to learn about agriculture, the Sussex Central FFA Chapter partners with the Howard T. Ennis Special Education School, which is located across the street from the high school.
“We have a satellite program where we work with some of these students to help them obtain employment skills,” McCabe says. “Upon their graduation, they’re active FFA members. In the past two years, we’ve given Greenhand Degrees to a number of these students, and you can tell it means a lot to them.”
