Emerson Hubbard has been very busy this year. A few activities that we have participated in include: Million Can Challenge, Land Evaluation, Leadership Skills Events, Livestock Evaluation, FFA Week and many more in between. Million Can Challenge - This is a national challenge from the FFA Alumni and Toyota Trucks. This year, PADA (Pirates Against Drugs and Alcohol) did a food drive in the school and FFA had collection bins throughout the community. Together, both organizations raised about 800 items of non-perishable food items. The food drives took place around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Part of the food got taken to the Wakefield food bank and the rest got delivered in Emerson and Hubbard.

Leadership Skills Events were held in Wisner in November. We had individuals in Natural Resources (Shelby Strivens-Water Rights), Creed Speaking (Justine Sebade), Junior Public Speaking (Elizabeth Starzl-Showing Cattle), Job Interview (Eddie Rhode), and Ag Demonstration (Travis Albrecht, Chase Miller, Adrienne White and Justin Hogan-Pulling a Calf). Everyone did very well, most receiving blue ribbons.

Livestock Evaluation in Norfolk was also a successful trip for the Emerson Hubbard FFA Chapter. Three individuals placed: Justine Sebade – 3rd, Chase Miller – 7th, and Eddie Rhode – 9th. One of the junior teams also qualified to compete at the state convention.

National FFA Week was very busy here in Emerson! Before the week even got started we challenged the elementary students to a coloring contest. Then, we started out the week by all wearing our FFA t-shirts to school. In addition, three of our members went to the nursing home and gave the speeches that they presented at the district contest in November. This was to help them celebrate FFA Week and give our students more practice public speaking. Throughout the week FFA and Nebraska agricultural trivia questions were posted at the high school. For instance: What was the capacity of ethanol production in Nebraska in 2007?

 

If you guessed anywhere near 1.3 billion gallons of ethanol, you would receive a prize! Tuesday we dressed in camo. Wednesday eight chapter members went to the elementary school for an activity. We had four different stations that we rotated the 50 second, third, and fourth graders around. Most of the activities were based of the “Learning Barn” which we got from the Dixion County Farm Bureau. The stations included a video and word search about agriculture, a farm bingo game, learning about bunnies and goats and then getting to pet them, and learning about farm machinery and playing with the variety of toys and puzzles.

 

Thursday was Drive Farm Machinery to School Day. We saw a Caterpillar, Japanese truck and John Deere in the parking lot. Friday was our Agricultural Appreciation Breakfast for community members. The purpose of this breakfast is to show community members and local farmers that we appreciate what they do for our community and for our chapter, so it was provided free of charge.

 

Including FFA members, we fed around 75 people. Because of local donations of eggs, sausage, juice, milk, plates, napkins, and cups (Rod and Linda Rhode, Gaylen and Cindy Hingst, First National Bank, and Michael Foods) the chapter’s costs were minimal and we are very thankful for that. We had a great turn out and look forward to it again next year.