The American Egg Board has named the Milan FFA Chapter in Michigan the grand-prize winner of its second annual Incredible! FFA Chapter Contest. The contest, a search for incredible FFA chapters, supports developing future leaders in the agriculture industry by encouraging FFA members to nominate local chapters for a chance to win one of four grants — one for $2,000 and three for $1,500 — to continue their eggcellent work.
“This year, the Incredible! FFA Chapter Contest generated so many amazing entries that it was difficult to select the winners, but we landed on several excellent choices,” shared Anne L. Alonzo, President and CEO of the American Egg Board. “Each entry featured an inspiring story of leadership, enthusiasm for enriching their community, and a passion for agriculture. We’re excited to once again provide grant support to chapters that embody the mission and values of FFA”
This year’s recipients of the Incredible! FFA Chapter Contest grants are:
Grand Prize Winner: Milan FFA (Michigan)
Milan FFA is the oldest continuously running chapter in Michigan and is focused on year-round community service. They begin each school year with a hog roast tailgate, celebrate the holiday season by making blankets for the children’s cancer wing at St Joe’s Hospital in Ann Arbor and adopt a family for whom they’ll purchase gifts. In the spring, Milan FFA focuses on food safety with an “Omelet Day” for classes and a Teachers Appreciation Breakfast. They end each year by attending their county Rural Education Day to teach third-grade students about the wonders of agriculture.
Finalist #1: Blue River Valley FFA (Indiana)
Blue River Valley FFA stepped up in a crisis and showed resilience when their teacher’s house caught fire. The students in the chapter kept the program running while their teacher took time to heal and rebuild. Blue River Valley FFA students and their families cared for animals in the school barn, as well as their teacher’s farm animals at home. They did this all while keeping programming going, including hand-delivering eggs to teachers and local stores and increasing sales of eggs and meat to help provide for their chapter.
Finalist #2: Denton-Braswell FFA (Texas)
Denton-Braswell FFA was chartered in late 2017 and is already the largest chapter in the school district. Despite many obstacles, Denton-Braswell FFA, through their motivation and determination, has participated in multiple career and leadership development events. They’ve also built a community garden that will provide quality produce to less fortunate community members at no cost.
Finalist #3: Stanton FFA (Nebraska)
Stanton FFA is recognized for its diversity and community involvement. From tripling the number of members in just two years to rebuilding and reorganizing due to their quick growth, Stanton FFA is dedicated to spreading the word about FFA.
The AEB launched the Incredible! FFA Chapter Contest to celebrate the outstanding efforts of FFA Chapters around the country. As part of the nomination process, AEB asked chapter members to share what made their nominated chapters ‘incredible’ and how grant funds would be used to positively impact their chapter. Entrants were judged based on the chapter’s community impact and the uniqueness of programming advanced by that chapter.
