Photo by Al Stover Jaedan Fisher, a member of the Medical Lake Future Farmers of America's (FFA) agriculture issues team, gives some tips to first-year members participating in the novice parliamentary procedure competition.
Several members of Medical Lake High School's Future Farmers of America's (FFA) sales team take notes as a representative from Fogle Pump and Supply in Airway Heights explains the inner workings of water pump systems.
The sales team is one of several groups of the FFA club that are getting ready for various competitions this month.
The sales team is preparing for a March 18 district sales competition, at Medical Lake High School, where they have to sell a systematic sprinkler system for irrigation to the judges. If Medical Lake finishes in the top three, they advance to state competition.
In the past, the sales team has sold John Deere tractors and Lan Mar Farms and Milling horse feed.
"I traditionally have all girls come out for this competition and they've learned a lot in the last 2-3 years," club adviser Jennie Wagner said. "Horse feed wasn't so tough because a lot of them had horses. This year's product threw us all for a loop because I don't know much about irrigation."
Wagner called Fogle Pump and they were willing to help the sales team prepare for the contest.
Down the hallway, in another classroom, several first-year club members are preparing for the novice parliamentary procedure competition at sub-districts, March 11 at Liberty High School in Spangle.
The top three teams from sub-districts will advance to districts, March 25 at Liberty High School. Like the sales competition, the top three in each category advances to state.
Six students will participate in novice parliamentary procedure and the group has to perform to debate a topic and perform opening and closing ceremonies.
Wagner explained that students have to follow a definite pattern as they perform the novice parliamentary procedure.
"They do opening ceremonies and they are given a problem and there are 10 motions they have to do," Wagner said. "They have 15 minutes total to do opening ceremonies, their motions, debate and do their closing ceremonies."
Palladin Goldberg, one of the club members, said this competition has helped the "group work together as a team and how to solve a problem."
Wagner also has students participating in the FFA creed memorization, prepared and extemporaneous public speaking competitions at sub-districts.
Students in the extemporaneous public speaking have to draw from three topics relating to the agriculture industry. They select their one topic from the three and have 30 minutes to prepare a speech on it.
The club's agriculture issues team, who finished third at districts this winter, is presenting their topic to five groups before their state competition. Jaedan Fisher, who is a part of the agriculture issues team, explained that her group's topic is debating the pros and cons of how social media affects top commodity sales in Washington state.
"I enjoy it because it's a good way to be creative but also still compete, still get out and learn more about Washington agriculture," Fisher said.
In addition to sub-districts, the club is getting ready for the Spokane Junior Livestock Show, May 5-9.
"That's the thing about this club, it's truly student-driven," Wagner said.
Wagner explained that FFA is more than just an after school farming club. She said she tries to teach her students that agriculture is a large part of the United States' economy.
"They're probably not going to own a farm but there are a lot of careers out there like sprinkler sales, seed and fertilizer (manufacturing)," Wagner said. "The world is wide open if you're willing to go to college."
Al Stover can be reached at al@cheneyfreepress.com.
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