Alaska FFA convention set in Palmer
April 14, 2017
Some 150 FFA members will gather in Palmer April 18-21 for the Alaska FFA State Convention.
The 41st annual event will take place at the Matanuska Experiment Farm and at Mat-Su
College. Middle and high school students will compete in a series of activities aimed
at improving their career and leadership skills. Topics will include public speaking,
job interviews, marine technology, agricultural mechanics, parliamentary procedure,
floriculture, environmental and natural resources, veterinary medicine and agricultural
issues.
FFA state advisor Kevin Fochs said, “Hopefully students are learning life skills that
prepare them for future careers in agriculture.”
Participants will also tour the Plant Materials Center near Palmer and two area farms,
VanderWeele Farm and Havemeister Dairy, and work on several community service projects.
Guest speakers will include Bernie Karl, the owner of Chena Hot Springs Resort, and
former state Sen. Bill Stoltze.
The National FFA Organization, formerly called Future Farmers of America, has broadened
its mission to reflect new opportunities in agriculture. The youth organization has
a growing presence in Alaska, with 280 members in 15 chapters in Fairbanks, North
Pole, Delta Junction, Palmer, Anchorage, Ninilchik, Hope, Soldotna, Kenai, Kake and
Kodiak, and several groups of homeschooled students.
Fochs joined the Alaska FFA organization in 2014 after 32 years as a high school agriculture
teacher in Montana. Since then, the number of chapters has grown from six to 15. FFA
is affiliated with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service.
For more information, contact Fochs at kfochs@alaska.edu or at 907-746-9499.
ON THE WEB: https://alaskaffaassociation.com/events/