GROW is the 2013 theme for the National FFA Organization. At Eastside High School, we take this theme seriously and hope to GROW our FFA chapter and the students’ involvement at the school, county, region, state and national level.

Eastside High School FFA has taken this theme and included I GROW in such areas as leadership, community, and agriculture. Our students have been very busy this year and it does not look like we are slowing down anytime soon. Students have participated in different Career Development Events in areas such as Floral Design, Tractor Driving, Meats Judging, FFA Quiz, Creed Speaking Competition, Poultry, Wildlife, Livestock and Equine Judging. We have had several “Top 10” finishes and are proud of all of our contestants.

Students from the chapter have also participated in several leadership activities, starting in July with the Chapter Officer Leadership Training.

The students planned a Program of Activities for the year. The Program of Activities encompasses leadership, community service, fundraising, and agricultural awareness activities for the year. The POA is turned into the Georgia FFA Organization at the beginning of the year and the activities are followed by the chapter to improve community relations, leadership skills and raise awareness of FFA and agricultural activities in Newton County and beyond.

In April, the Eastside FFA chapter will be attending the Georgia State Convention held in Macon. Our chapter will be spending several hours during the convention to help with boxing up canned and boxed goods for distribution to local food banks in the Macon area.

Prior to the convention, chapter members are encouraged to bring in canned and boxed goods for this community service project.

Recently, we were privileged to be able to donate some fresh fall vegetables from our greenhouse and garden to the Rainbow House. The Rainbow House is a homeless shelter that helps people in Newton County. The chapter donated turnip greens, collards, beets and radishes to the food kitchen.

We hope to be able to raise some summer vegetables in our garden to donate in the Newton County area this spring. These will include tomatoes and peppers.

We continue to GROW in our community and hopefully in Newton County residents minds.