More than 40 TK board members, sponsors, community members, FFA advisory board members and FFA students gathered for the groundbreaking ceremony for the 40-by-60-foot barn Friday morning. They were there to celebrate the more than $150,000 in grants and donations raised for the barn, and what the barn means for students in the FFA program in the future.
TK FFA advisor and teacher Alyssa Hamlin addressed the crowd. “Not only will I be able to provide real life hands-on learning experiences for students, but it will also help solidify our agricultural presence within the district and community. I know this barn facility will continue to open doors for our students and program. I look forward to exploring those avenues and growing our program as a whole.”
“The number of people here today and those who have helped make this possible is a testament to the agriculture within this community. This community has been unbelievably supportive of this chapter,” said Hamlin.
TK’s new superintendent Robert Pouch doesn’t officially begin his duties with the district until July 1, but he made a point of being at the groundbreaking ceremony and was pleased with everything he saw and heard. “It’s obvious this is very important to the community. We’re in the business of kids and expanding opportunities for them. It’s fantastic to see the amount of support from the community for this and I’m looking forward to seeing this opportunity grow,” he said.
Lee Wieringa stood in the crowd proudly supporting the resurrection of the FFA program. He was in TK’s FFA program 1958-1960 and now is a member of the FFA advisory board. “I love it. People need to know where their food comes from. They need to know what agriculture is all about. And for our students, they need to learn that taking care of animals is an everyday job. It’s a lot of responsibility. I’m a strong believer in kids learning strong work ethics.”
The new barn will have two classroom spaces where students can learn about animal safety, reproduction, care and maintenance. They will also work on record keeping, understanding of food systems, digestive systems and animal behavior.
A key piece of the project is for the barn to function as a real farm. Students will analyze inflow and outflow expenses, budgets, brainstorm ideas for fundraising opportunities, and have a place to connect with the community.
Chad Alverson, chair of the FFA advisory board said he’s also proud to help expand the FFA program at TK. “We want to thank her (Alyssa) and the students for what they have put into this. We want to thank the TK stakeholders and most importantly the community itself for supporting this program. I’m really excited to see this come to TK and be part of our community. I think a lot of people within the community think Future Farmers of America is just farming, but it’s actually not. It’s about leadership and it’s open for everyone.”
The barn will allow students to raise livestock to show at the fair and learn how to care, manage and breed their livestock. “It will provide us opportunities for valuable skills like responsibilities, hard work, time management, and even good sportsmanship. FFA is all about preparing members for leadership and career readiness, so I think this is going to be a great addition,” said Wolowicz.
FFA member Kadyn Palmateer was a new student at TK last year, but found she was welcomed and supported in FFA. “FFA made it so much easier for me being new in this school. As a group, we’re very big on inclusivity. FFA isn't just about raising animals, it’s about everything in agriculture and about leadership. It’s not just for farm kids, it’s for anyone.”
Amanda Hoeksma said her daughter, Alexa, has really been thriving since joining FFA. “We’re a farm family, so my children have been exposed to agriculture and farming. But this program gives Alexa so many more opportunities. It’s also given her a voice. She’s really come to life by being in this program. She has definitely found her place and something she is thriving at. It’s just another way for our kids to be successful.”
Two other FFA members Maguire Simmons and Hunter Seaben said they are looking forward to working on projects in the barn. “It gives us opportunities to learn more about livestock and management,” said Simmons.
“There are lots of opportunities with FFA. I think this will just help bring more people into it,” said Seaben.
High School Principal Tony Petersen echoed the excitement for program expansion. “I’m really excited about the work Alyssa and the students have done to elevate the program. To have the start of a new barn after just three years having the program back in place is pretty incredible. I’m looking forward to how much this program will grow and I’m excited for our FFA students. It’s been a long time coming.”
The barn will also be a place of learning for some high school students who will help finish the two classroom spaces inside the barn. The barn is being constructed by SE Agricultural & Commercial Solutions.