During my senior year of high school there are many annual activities, events, and competitions I look forward to. Of my high school career I have been involved in FFA during all four years. So, it makes sense that one of my favorite times of the school year is FFA week. Of the roughly 9,000 FFA chapters across the nation, Lewis Cass is one of many chapters that celebrates FFA week in numerous ways. 

     Kicking off FFA week for Lewis Cass consists of going to church with our President every year. Right after church, members go home to get all their stuff prepared for the ski trip that the Lewis Cass FFA chapter has gone on for many years. This year, Cass took 23 kids to Bittersweet Ski Resort in Otsego, Michigan. Mrs. Smith and Mr. Appleton both drove a mini bus the whole approximately three and a half hour bus ride each way. While there have been a few years in the past that Cass hasn’t been on the trip, last year resumed the annual tradition of the ski trip for Cass. The chapter took as many FFA officers that wanted to go, as well as other highly involved FFA members here at Lewis Cass. 

     Returning home from the ski trip late at night causes students to want to sleep in a little bit since we don’t attend school on Presidents’ Day. However, the FFA officers didn’t get much sleep in, because the Monday morning of FFA week is spent at Sam’s Club, a couple other stores, and shopping for many things for the chapter. All the shopping is for the pork chop dinner, teacher breakfast, and many other events and needs for the Cass chapter. This year was one of the fastest years Cass has ever completed the shopping trip, returning to Cass, and having all the groceries and supplies off the mini bus, by 2pm.

     The next day at school for Lewis Cass is the annual “Truck Tuesday.” Usually, a couple dozen students at Cass participate by driving in their trucks parking in a row with all the other students who drove their trucks on Tuesday. This year, Cass had roughly 25 trucks parked on the west side of the parking lot. The trucks get judged by teachers yearly for certain aspects such as redneckest, dirtiest, cleanest, oldest looking, biggest, and smallest.

      The next day, Wednesday, holds two events for Lewis Cass. Wednesday morning, even though it isn’t an official day for the chapter, students at Lewis Cass drive their tractors to school. 14 kids this year participated in the event, even though it was pouring down rain the morning of. Then, FFA members cook pork chops all morning in the shop for students and staff at Lewis Cass to buy during their lunch for $2 each. Pork chop day is always a favorite for many students at Lewis Cass. 

     The Thursday of FFA week for Lewis Cass is a very early morning for the members. This year, I got up at 4:45 to get to the school by 5:45 to start preparing breakfast for the high school faculty. Once I got to school, I was informed that we had a 2 hour delay, so we got to play Euchre for about an hour and a half before we started. Thursday is followed up by Friday, which is a day of playing cards and getting stuff prepared for the pork chop dinner on Saturday.

     FFA week here at Cass is concluded on Saturday with a pork chop dinner here at the school. The pork chop dinner is one of the biggest fundraisers for the FFA at Lewis Cass. This year, the chapter is cooking 1250 pork chops in total. We buy some of the chops from Royal Center Meat Locker and get some donated from Tyson Foods.