The Mariposa County High School FFA chapter will celebrate National FFA Week March 22 through 26, and it certainly won’t be doing it quietly. “Lead Out Loud” is the theme this year as members pledge to show off what makes them premier leaders in their schools and communities.

“Mariposa FFA members are the leaders of tomorrow and dedicated to community service activities,” said Mariposa FFA President Richard Ballinger. “Whether it’s working with elementary school students or serving as a chapter officer, FFA members make a positive difference on those around them.”

Ballinger continued, “They are success-oriented students who are driven to achieve their goals. FFA builds leaders, and leaders impact the future.”

The focus of National FFA Week is to tell the community and country about the great opportunities available through the organization. The National FFA Organization today reaches out to all 50 states. FFA is committed to developing character and leadership skills, as well as preparing members for a lifetime of civic leadership and career success.

The chapter is prepared for a busy five days next week. On Monday, there will be a tractor exposition at MCHS, courtesy of N&S Tractor in Merced. On Tuesday morning, the chapter treats the staff to breakfast. On Wednesday, the show goes on the road with the ag expo at Mariposa Middle School. On Thursday, the animal exposition takes place at Mariposa Elementary School.

On Friday, the week concludes with the hilarious donkey basketball game. The FFA alumni take on current chapter members in a game that takes place entirely on donkey-back. Tickets for the game are $5 each and can be purchased from any FFA member. Tickets will be available at the door, but may be limited. Early purchase is encouraged. Game time is 6:30 p.m.

Through classroom instruction and hands-on learning, agricultural education and FFA are making a positive difference for members every day. FFA members have opportunities to attend national leadership conferences, develop a supervised agriculture experience project and serve their communities.

Locally, the Mariposa FFA has been busy doing just that all year long. Students in agriculture and welding classes have been exposed to special events like a ropes course and a job fair that actually places some in real jobs, right now. The ROP welding program takes advantages of visiting Yosemite National Park so students can learn about potential careers there.

FFA members can be found at any number of community service events throughout the year, from the Farm Bureau’s dinner to the Lions’ Club crab feed.

Members also have the opportunity to participate on a variety of teams from forestry to parliamentary procedure. Last fall, the chapter’s natural resources team placed 10th in the entire country after winning California’s finals the previous spring.

Some people think FFA means only livestock, which means only the time around the fair is busy. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

FFA competitions like those mentioned above are job interview, extemporaneous speaking, and prepared speaking continue all year long. This year, the chapter has a Best Informed Greenhand team, as well.

The year begins with the fair in late summer, but gains steam from there. Local members attend National Convention in October, and in December the competition circuit begins. In January, the speaking competitions begin, followed by regional meetings and finals in February.

By the time parliamentary procedure and forestry teams are spending every weekend at field days, students in the shop are really cranking out work on projects for the annual FFA dinner dance in late April. The week before that, members and their advisors, Buz Arnold, Wayne Forsythe and Patrick Smith, head for the state convention in Fresno.