The Florida FFA (Future Farmers of America) Association, an agricultural education program that provides a well-rounded, practical approach to learning, has announced the finalists and rankings in the 2024 National Chapter Award Program. A hometown school is at the top of that ladder.
Bok Academy South, led by agricultural instructor, Emilyn Sharpless, has earned Premier Status for their chapter, an achievement at a national level of competition.
The FFA educates students through three components: classroom education, hands-on supervised agricultural career experiences, and FFA, which provides leadership opportunities and tests students’ agricultural skills, as is noted on the FFA website.
The National Chapter Award program is designed to award FFA chapters that actively implement the mission and strategies of the organization. Sharpless explains what it takes to have gotten this far.
“So to apply for national chapter we had to complete 15 different community service projects through the year in three different categories, five for each category,” says Sharpless.
“They are building communities, growing leaders and strengthening agriculture. Then with in each category we have to list the five we completed and select three from each section to go into detail.”
Sharpless credits the efforts of her team with the high honor bestowed on Bok’s chapter.
“My members worked hard this year putting together those service projects and events and helping with the process. We then have to enter all the information in the application which is 24 pages long. Then it goes to Florida FFA to be judged to see if it will move on to National FFA. So we really have to work hard to explain all our goals, accomplishments and projects well with in this application because it’s what they see.
“At the FFA State Convention in June 2024 we were recognized as Premier chapter, along with Florida Finest status. That was the indicator that our application would be pushed on to National FFA.”
“On Friday, we got the results and we are a three star gold chapter, which is the highest you can get within the star ranking, and then we were premier within the building leadership portion of the national chapter application so we are ranked in the top 10 in the US for our chapter. The next step in the process is our officers will be doing an interview via Zoom with national FFA judges to see where we fall within the top 10 and we will find out those results at national convention in October. So we’re really excited!”
According to Sharpless, “Our Chapter’s next step will be getting students to National Convention. Last year, our officer team set out to complete the National Chapter Award. After 20+ community service projects, 24 pages and many edits, we were named one of Florida’s finest chapters and started setting our next goal for Nationals. (Friday), we were named Premier Chapter, which means our chapter is ranked in the Top 10 with National FFA. We are the first Lake Wales Charter School chapter to earn this honor.
“Now, we are looking for community sponsorship and help to get us to Indianapolis, Indiana for the National Convention. We have a few fundraisers planned in the months ahead. If you would like to help, please let me know. Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the years and helped our program grow!”
Bok Academy South’s principal, April Barnhardt, expresses great pride in the agricultural program at the school, as well as the accomplishments achieved.
“I’m so very proud of the direction this agricultural program has takes,” says Barnhardt. “The student’s dedication to the program has been exemplary and I’m proud of our agricultural family.”
Sharpless expresses great pride and gratitude for what her Chapter members have helped to accomplish.
“I’m so proud of that because it’s from the support of my students, my FFA members, administration, fellow staff, parents, community members, and our Lake Wales FFA alumni that have given us support through this whole journey for us to be where we are today. I’m so thankful for everyone who has poured into my life for me to be where I am today. My ag teachers, my parents and everyone within the Lake Wales community and also those who have put so much into the chapter and my members because they see what we can be and what we are becoming, and it’s amazing to me to know that I have that kind of support.
“I became an ag teacher because I had two amazing ag teachers who pushed me more than ever required of them. It made such a big impact on me. I wanted to give back to my students they way they did for me and hopefully spread the love of agriculture and FFA to the next generation.”
