FFA in action: This is National FFA Week

By MANDY JOHN | Central Texas Edition

John Coke, right, helps Midway senior Tristian Sherrill with a project the metal fabrication techniques class is working on at Midway High School. Coke is one of the instructors that teaches various FFA classes offered at the school, located in Hewitt. -- Photo by Mandy John

February 20, 2003 -- The Midway FFA, lo-cated in Hewitt, Texas has been in existence since 1948 and during that time the FFA program has gone through various changes. The same values taught to the kids however remain the same - hard-work and dedication. Gary Lucas and John Coke are the two instructors at Midway that teach the various FFA classes.

"We offer a variety of programs that meet the needs of our kids. We know that their needs are ever-changing and so we try to adjust our programs to accommodate them.

"We also try to teach them lifetime skills. Coke and I are the instructors for these programs, which are categorized as the agriculture and science technology courses in the Career and Technology Education (CATE) program of Midway High School."

The aim of CATE classes, according to the Midway High School course catalog, is to equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to enter and make progress in the world of work. The curriculum encompasses a diverse range of classes with various career objectives in mind.

The classes that Coke and Lucas teach apply to agricultural science, ag mechanics, and horticulture. Lucas stated, "We specialize in these different working fields by teaching the kids about plants, metal fabrication, forming show teams, and having both an ag farm and a greenhouse. They are learning the importance of the FFA program on the local, state, and national level."

FFA classes offered at Midway include:

• Introduction to world agriculture science and technology;

• Introduction to ag mechanics;

• Metal fabrication techniques;

• Home maintenance and improvement;

• Structures technology;

• Animal science;

• Power technology;

• Plant production; and

• Ornamental horticulture.

To learn more about the FFA programs in your town, contact your local schools.