A Decade of Service and Scholarship
DT FFA Continues a Legacy of Success
By: Xander Foster and Harrison Winfield
The DT FFA program is celebrating its 10th year, and over the past decade, the FFA chapter has worked tirelessly to provide students who are interested in agriculture with opportunities to get out and do what they love in the agricultural field, and the group plans to continue its efforts for years to come.
“Our plans for the future of FFA, as a chapter, we would like to grow our active participants. Our mission is to give students career opportunities and chances to grow themselves as leaders’’ said FFA Advisor Mr. Kelly.
Students in FFA are able to choose their area of focus; members can specialize in leadership development (LDE), such as public speaking, or career development (CDE), such as welding, food science, or horticulture, and supervised agriculture experiences (SAE) that encourage students to follow their passion outside of the school. FFA also competes against other FFA chapters in LDEs, CDE, and range, livestock, and land judging.
Students can join the group as early as 7th grade, and the program continues even past graduation. Members who wish to level up in the program can work to earn their Greenhand, Chapter, State, and American degrees. Students aren’t eligible to earn their American degree until two years after they graduate from high school.
FFA members who have earned their chapter degree are eligible to serve as an officer. DT maintains eight officer positions; students who serve as officers are able to make choices that determine what kinds of activities the chapter does and build connections with people in ag fields from around the nation.
“My favorite part of being in FFA is making connections with people along the way. I’ve been able to make connections with industry professionals and national officers,” said FFA officer Turner Happold. “I’ve also had the opportunity to meet people from all over Nebraska who share my interest in ag and form friendships with them.”
Most people don’t know that FFA isn’t just for future farmers. The program offers members opportunities to participate in public speaking, floriculture, forestry, and landscaping, just to name a few. It teaches employment skills, mechanical skills, parliamentary procedures, and about ag scales.
“FFA is so diverse. There’s something for everyone,” said FFA officer Taylor McDole. “I participate in floraculture projects. Through my involvement in FFA, I’ve learned how to arrange a beautiful bouquet of flowers and developed leadership skills that will help me for the rest of my life.”
Being part of Doniphan-Trumbull isn’t just about learning in class—it’s about helping others, building new skills, and growing through real experiences.
Senior officer Rylen Soundy said, “FFA has helped me learn responsibility, teamwork, and leadership in a way that feels meaningful.”
Giving back to the community is also something the DT FFA strives for through different events and fundraisers.
“We do fruit sales and food drives, which help raise money for our program and support local families,” said Happold. “These activities give us chances to build communication skills, work with the public, and make a positive impact outside the school.”