Boyle FFA members honored by fiscal court
Published 7:17 pm Thursday, February 28, 2019
- Boyle County FFA members hold up the proclamation the Boyle Fiscal Court presented during the Feb. 12 meeting, and pose for a picture with Judge-Executive Howard Hunt, left, and Boyle County Clerk Trille Bottom, right. Photo by Bobbie Curd.
Boyle County FFA was recently honored by the fiscal court in observance of National FFA Week, which ran through Feb. 23. FFA stands for Future Farmers of America and is a student organization for those interested in agriculture and leadership, and is one of
Boyle County FFA members stand with their advisor in the Boyle County Courthouse hallway. They are, from left: front row, Kaylee Gilpin, Maddy Noel and advisor Matthew Whitaker; second row, Michaela Carpenter and Megan Johnston; and, back row, Taylor Sharp and Blake Carpenter. Photo by Bobbie Curd.
the three components of agricultural education.
During the Feb. 12 Boyle Fiscal Court meeting, Judge-Executive Howard Hunt presented Boyle FFA members present and their advisor with a proclamation declaring National FFA Week Feb. 16-23. Members there to accept were Taylor Sharp, Blake Carpenter, Michaela Carpenter, Megan Johnston, Kaylee Gilpin and Maddy Noel, with advisor Matthew Whitaker.
The students were also joined by Boyle County Clerk Trille Bottom, who posed with them holding the Kentucky Farm Tag, a vehicle licence tag that farmers or others actively engaged in farming operations may get.
“Since 2012, Kentucky farmers have the option to make a $10 voluntary donation when they purchase or renew their farm plates,” Bottom said. Proceeds from the fund are divided among 4-H, FFA and the Department of Agriculture’s youth development programs. Half of the 4-H and FFA funds are sent back to the county where the tag is purchased, she said.
The proclamation states FFA provides a strong foundation for the youth of America, and the future of the food, fiber and national resource systems. It also says the group promotes leadership, personal growth and career success, as well as “ensures a steady supply of young professionals to meet the growing needs in the science, business and technology of agriculture.”
The FFA motto is “Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve,” and the organization strives to promote citizenship, volunteerism, patriotism and cooperation.
Bottom said FFA and 4-H are very near and dear to her heart. She’s a Boyle County FFA alumni.
“I participated in 4-H projects while in high school …” she said, and went on to participate in numerous speaking contests through the organization, and was a member of the parliamentary team. She thinks FFA and 4-H lay the groundwork for leadership, discipline, time management …
“There are so many opportunities for students to learn about entrepreneurship, finance, ag-related business … by participating in contests locally, regionally and nationwide. I was fortunate to travel with my oldest son, his senior year, to Oklahoma for his land judging team’s contest,” Bottom said. “I still believe in the future of farming …”
