Cows. Pigs. Farmers.

Ask most high school students what the FFA program is all about, and their answers skew toward the old-school image of these future farmers.

Technology. Science. Agriculture.

These are the hallmarks of the modern FFA program.

And yes, pigs and cows as well.

“Out of all the pigs there, this pig just stared at me. It was like Charlotte’s Web,” junior Colbey Griffin recalled of trying to pick the perfect pig last year.

FFA students are easily spotted, with the blue and gold jackets that they wear to meetings, special events, and the Ag show in January.  The show is the main reason most people join FFA.

There, students are able to exhibit livestock that they have been raising over the year.

“My favorite part is at the end of the program, when you realize all your hard work paid off and you win Best in Show,” Griffin said.

The exhibitors choose from steers, lambs, pigs, turkeys, poultry (chicken), and rabbits early in the year, pay for their animal, and select them from the stock brought into Tomball on the pick day. 

The student then raises the animal until the show and keeps track of expenses in feed, vaccinations, hay and other various things, detailing when they were purchased.  Then, in official dress (white collar shirt, tie/scarf, blue corduroy jacket, black jeans, rodeo belt and black boots) shows their animal in hopes of winning it big and making thousands of dollars off their animal.  Even if the exhibitor does not win anything, most of the time they at least break even in hopes that they will try again next year.

“Travis Joslin even won $10,000 last year for judging wildlife at San Antonio Livestock Show and doing well. Morgan Breaux won over $70,000 for her grand champion steer at San Antonio and won $10,000 scholarship for her lamb there,” Ag teacher Jessica Reeves said.

But the show is not the only thing FFA offers.  There are many leadership, trivia and parliamentary procedure teams that compete and do very well.  Those are just to name a few.  When you do both raising animals and joining the teams it really benefits in a good way.  Many members also enjoy the social opportunities in FFA.

 “You meet new people and the teachers are amazing,” junior Hunter Rhone, a member of the Wildlife team, said.

Many people are in the group. In the previous school year there were 245 members total. Almost everyone knows somebody who is in FFA and everyone knows somebody who knows an Ag kid.  The group spans to so many types of students. Not every person in FFA wears cowboy boots and drives a super-duty. 

 “Don’t look at the cliché about boots, jeans, cows, and pigs,” Reeves said “there is so much more!” 

There’s something for everyone in FFA.

“There are many public speaking teams students can compete on – job interview,

radio broadcasting, parliamentary procedure, farm skills, creed speaking, public

relations, and many more,” said Mrs. Reeves.

Also, on top of the interesting teams, “they can raise livestock if they want to.”

The scholarship opportunities are incredible, diverse and well funded.  “Students can apply for national and state FFA scholarships,” Mrs. Reeves said, “They can apply for specialty scholarships for livestock and dairy cattle judging or wildlife. Showing at major shows can earn students scholarship money from that show.” 

There are even some very blessed scholarship recipients from the Tomball FFA program. 

There are many extraordinary things about FFA that exemplify its stature as a club of high standing in high schools all over the United States of America, focusing on the leadership development of the up and coming generations and keeping the strong agricultural background America has maintained since her birth in since 1776.

In 1928, FFA was established in Kansas City, Missouri, called the Future Farmers of America, and consisted of merely 33 members from only 18 states.  Now, there are 7,358 chapters of the FFA and more than 500,823 members nationwide.

When asked what the best thing about the FFA was for members wanting to join the Tomball chapter Mrs. Reeves said, “It’s diversity—there is something for everyone!  Everyone can be successful!”  

FFA is a respected organization in Tomball and nationwide.  People recognize the jacket of an FFA member and already have expectations of a courteous, kind, teenager who is responsible and eager to make a change in their community.  Being in FFA also looks good on college transcripts and job applications.

For any student that is interested in joining FFA, the commitment is not that huge and the club pays off—literally.  All that has to be done is maintain passing grades (which, hopefully, is already on the to-do list), and make at least two of the FFA meetings which are held, most often, in the LGI on Tuesday nights beginning at 7:00 pm to be able to show an animal in the livestock show.

 Reeves said interested students should “come talk to us” about joining a group she is very proud of.

“They are true, hardworking leaders in our community,” Reeves said.

Reeves and the other two Ag teachers, Sommer Thomas and Jimmy Vaculin, can be found outside in the Ag building, which is right behind the CATE building.