Schools should get more FFA and 4H activities for younger ages. When you think of small schools in a county like ours, what would be the first thing you think about? FFA and 4H is the first thing that comes to mind. Our school has a lot of activities for older kids involving FFA and 4H but not for the younger.  

In our elementary, we have a 4H camp that all the elementary kids can do and some older 4Hers help run it. That was one of the only things you could do involving 4H in elementary.  I have seen a few kids join livestock judging from the fifth grade, but they have an older sibling in it or a parent working in highschool.  If we have more 4H and FFA related activities in elementary, our already big groups of FFA and 4h members would double.  I asked Hope Rush what she thought about this topic she said, “Yes, kids should get introduced earlier so they have more responsibility and leadership skills.” 

In middle school, as soon as you come, you can do some 4H and FFA  related things. When you first come into middle school, you might not know what all FFA and 4H is. So, the first couple of years in middle school we don’t have many 4h and FFA activities that are big enough to compete or even just have a class. In fact in our school, we cannot join the official FFA until ninth grade. We do have some competitions for the normal Ag class, but that’s only if your class is good and big enough and if kids are willing to take the time to do it.

In conclusion schools should offer more 4h and FFA related activities in younger grades. This would help our county fair out because we are losing members because kids are not getting involved in younger ages and a lot of kids are graduating. It would  also help our FFA get more money to improve the school and be able to keep FFA a thing for years to come.