The Northwestern High School’s 115 member FFA chapter was recently awarded a $2,500 donation from Clark County grain farmer, Ms. Susan Storck, as part of America’s Farmers Grow Communities project sponsored by the philanthropic Monsanto Fund.
The America’s Farmers Grow Communities project partners with farmers to support local nonprofit initiatives that positively impact American farming communities. Over the past six years, the program has worked with farmers in donating over $22 million to more than 8,000 community organizations across rural America. Like Storck, farmers who win grant money use the awards to support organizations whose work includes fighting rural hunger, purchasing life-saving fire and EMS equipment, sponsoring agricultural youth leadership programs, and creating other programs that help rural families.
According to the Northwestern FFA chapter’s advisor, Ms. Erica Hillard, Storck’s donation will help send nearly 20 Northwestern FFA members to the 2016 Ohio FFA State Convention held May 5-6 in Columbus. Two chapter members are being honored at this year’s convention. Member Hannah Wildman (Chapter FFA Degree) will be receiving her State FFA Degree as well as a Certificate honoring her for earning a Gold rated Secretary’s book; Lindsay Fries (State FFA Degree) is an Ag-science fair candidate.
Storck’s donation will also be used to purchase much-needed Agricultural Education curriculum materials for the classroom and assist in sending chapter members to summer FFA camp at Camp Muskingum in Carroll County, Ohio. “This donation means a lot to our chapter. It will allow members to attend FFA leadership field trips they would not be able to afford on their own,” says Hillard.
America’s Farmers Grow Communities is only one program in the Monsanto Fund’s America’s Farmers community outreach effort. Other programs include the America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders initiative, which encourages rural youth to remain in agriculture and provides $1,500 college scholarships to high school and college students pursuing ag-related degrees; and the America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education program that partners with farmers to nominate rural school districts to compete for $10,000 and $25,000 math and science grants.
Community members wishing to support the Northwestern FFA chapter can attend the FFA Booster meeting on April 14th at 7 p.m. in Northwestern High School’s Ag room. They can also donate door prizes for the chapter’s FFA Banquet in May or help chapter members prepare for Farm Day held May 10 at Northwestern Elementary from 9am to 2pm. FFA members use the annual Farm Day as a way to educate students Pre-K through 2nd grade about agriculture. The chapter can also use help in preparing for the State FFA Convention.
For more information on how to support the Northwestern FFA chapter, visit the FFA Booster website at nwffaboosters.com, or e-mail Ms. Hillard at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To learn more about Monsanto’s America’s Farmer’s Grow Communities initiative, visit www.AmericasFarmers.com. Information about the non-profit Monsanto Fund can be found at www.monsantofund.org.
