FFA Greenhands Inducted

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One of 48 freshman in the February 15 ceremony at SHS, Sam Petrucci receives his FFA Greenhand Degree certificate from Chapter President Halie Shea. Sam’s goal, stated earlier in the ceremony, was “. . . to work or volunteer at an animal rescue facility as part of my S. A. E.” (Supervised Agricultural Experience).

Photo by Lester Smith

One of 48 freshman in the February 15 ceremony at SHS, Sam Petrucci receives his FFA Greenhand Degree certificate from Chapter President Halie Shea. Sam’s goal, stated earlier in the ceremony, was “. . . to work or volunteer at an animal rescue facility as part of my S. A. E.” (Supervised Agricultural Experience).

In a once-a-year ceremony, the freshmen in the Suffield Regional Agriscience program, having studied and been tested on their understanding of the FFA, are accepted as Greenhand members and receive their Greenhand degrees. The FFA, which is an independent national organization, functions as an integral part of the education program in the Suffield Regional Agriscience Center, adding a rich element of personal development to that program. Students can advance through two steps of the program in Suffield: the Greenhand Degree and the Chapter Degree. Many members continue after high school, proudly receiving their State and American Degrees.

On February 15 in the Suffield High School auditorium, a record 48 freshmen from ten towns received their Greenhand Degrees and 36 got their Chapter Degrees in the Suffield Regional Chapter. (Full disclosure: This reporter was surprised several years ago when he was called on stage to be granted an honorary Chapter degree, an award of which I am very proud.)

As is customary, the ceremony this year abounded with the traditional trappings of the FFA, a structure that supports the proud spirit of the organization, and the members all wore their FFA jackets. The officers each identified themselves, reciting the duties of their position.

Each of the Greenhand members gave a succinct statement of their program goals, which ranged from quite local to comprehensive life aspirations. “My goal is to earn a profit from my chickens.” “My goal is to complete my Supervised Agricultural Experience.” “My goal is to become a large animal veterinarian.” “My goal is to complete a job without my Dad’s help!” “My goal is to become a state [FFA] officer.” The statements were charmingly diverse, within the general framework of agricultural education.

The nature of agriscience in Suffield has changed considerably over the years, with a diminishing emphasis on the mechanics of farm equipment and methods and growing attention to animal care, floriculture, and business management. At one time all the teaching staff were men; now the staff consists of four women. Before 1969, girls were not allowed in FFA. Among the 48 Greenhands in the February 15 ceremony, only eight were male. Informal discussion among several members who had attended the national FFA convention in Indianapolis last year indicated that the gender trend was general nationwide.

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