Troup students celebrating FFA week, preparing for events
Houston Livestock Show March 2-22

Pictured above are Troup FFA officers (back) Curt Lindsey (president), Chance Steele (vice president), Valerie York (secretary), Laci Finley (advisor), Casey Sanford, (front) Ethan Huckaby (sentinel), Heather Floyd(reporter), Emily Renfroe(treasurer) and Carolanne Martin (historian). Pictured at right are members of the Leadership Team: Andre 'de Soler, Angela Frieda, Jake Woodall and Taylor Duggan.

Troup FFA is celebrating National FFA week through Feb. 23. Students are encouraged to show their FFA spirit by wearing national blue and corn gold on Friday, according to Renee Williams, FFA instructor.

The students have also been working hard to prepare for state and local shows. The Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show is March 2-22, and several students from Troup will be competing.

The shop project category is first, set for March 2-4.

"They have already put in many long hours and continue to forgo their Saturdays to finish their projects on time," said Williams. Caleb Turner, Brendon Weeks and Rory Bowman are building a set of livestock scales. Shawn Beard, JD Weems and Brandon Chrisman are working on a bumper-pull utility trailer.

Market Steers and Commercial Steers - March 10-14

"We have several students showing steers at Houston this year as well," said Williams. "They have been working with their projects since early June and are hoping to make the sale with their projects." Curt Lindsey, Ethan Isaacks, Jared Underwood and Shay Wimberly all have market steers for the show. Chance Steele and Drew Tarver are each exhibiting a pen of commercial steers. The commercial steers require detailed record books of finances, weights, vaccinations and other important information collected throughout the course of the project.

Junior Heifer Show - March 17-22

The students showing heifers have been anxiously awaiting their biggest show of the year. Casey Sanford, Amanda Sanford, and Kody Welch are participating in this years heifer show.

Junior Market Barrow Show - 18-20

Emily Renfroe, a sophomore, will be exhibiting a market hog at this year's show. She has been working extremely hard all year to get ready for Houston.

Show competition is just one feature of FFA, which strives to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

Any student in grades 7-12 who is enrolled in an agricultural course at a public school may join FFA. A student can maintain membership up to three years after graduating from high school, or until they are 21 years of age.

With 7,358 chapters and 500,823 members nationwide, FFA is found in urban, suburban and rural schools. More than 73 percent of members are from rural non-farm areas and urban and suburban areas, with the remaining from farming communities.

More information on FFA can be found at www.ffa.org or www.texasffa.org.

Members of the Troup FFA program work to complete their various shop projects. The students will be competing in the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show, with project competition March 2-4. Other categories will follow, including market and commercial steers, heifers and market barrows. Shop students pictured are (clockwise from top left) J.D. Weems, Shawn Beard, Caleb Turner and Brendon Weeks, and Brandon Chrisman.