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South Dearborn FFA is alive again after a long absence.

January 2, 2020

3 Min Read
Shanna Tschaenn and Melissa Andrew
FFA RETURNS: Melissa Andrew, South Dearborn FFA advisor, poses with Shanna Tschaenn, one of the new FFA chapter’s current officers.

FFA membership is on the rise again in Indiana. Lisa Chaudion, Indiana FFA Foundation executive director, recently told a gathering of retired ag teachers and former FFA advisors that enrollment for 2020 in Indiana tops 12,500. Until just the past few years, it was stagnant at or just under 10,000 members.

One reason for increased membership is that more schools are offering agriculture education classes, either for the first time or for the first time in decades. A state focus in vocational education is helping the push. If schools add ag classes, they also form an FFA chapter so students can get the full experience of ag education.

South Dearborn, located near Aurora, brought back ag education and FFA for the 2019-20 school year, after a long absence. The school had offered such classes as welding and mechanics, but not through an ag education curriculum. Melissa Andrew, who taught science at South Dearborn Middle School a year ago, accepted the challenge to restart the program.

“There is support here, and many of the parents are excited, especially about FFA,” Andrew says. “We offered ag mechanics and an introduction to agriculture class this year, while I also teach other classes. The goal is to add more classes next year so that we have a full offering of agriculture education classes.”

Meet the challenge

South Dearborn FFA elected its first set of officers for the 2019-20 school year, and several members attended the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis in the fall. The chapter is relatively small, but Andrew sees room for growth.

“Many of the students in my agriculture classes are just now learning what agriculture is about and what you can do with an agriculture career,” she says. “Until now, many didn’t have a clue what agriculture was really all about.”

Besides exposing them to different types of subject matter, Andrew also brings in guest speakers who are heavily involved in agriculture. “I want students to get a feel for just how big the agriculture industry is, and for what they could do if they become more involved in ag and FFA,” she says.

Andrew’s husband, Mike, an Ohio County no-till farmer, attended South Dearborn High School. “I know the parents of several of Melissa’s students,” he says. “They were involved in FFA when the school offered it before and are excited to see it back.”

Melissa Andrew is no stranger to teaching vocational agriculture and serving as an FFA advisor. She previously served as an FFA advisor at high schools in Franklin, Tecumseh, Milan and Switzerland County. Originally from Shelby County, she’s excited to have the opportunity to build an ag and FFA program again.

Since the shop needs refurbishing with more modern equipment to teach ag mechanics techniques properly, Andrew is busy filling out grants, seeking financial help from foundations and other organizations. Some local businesses and individuals have already pitched in financially, helping bolster both the teaching environment and the FFA.

“It’s going to take time to develop the program, but it’s exciting to have the opportunity,” Andrew says.  

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