On May 12th, the Hallettsville FFA had its annual FFA Banquet. A time when FFA Members get acknowledged for their hard work in the year. Students also gain their greenhand or chapter degrees in the form of pins on their FFA Jacket. Hallettsville Chapter Advisor Mallory Haas explains the degree system and briefly talks about the importance of the banquet. Ms. Haas is awarding her Meats team, Dairy team, and Livestock team for their success this year.
“Many levels of the FFA can award degrees of membership to that level, signifying an individual member’s accomplishments. Our FFA Greenhand degree, which is given to first-year FFA Members, is made of bronze; then each level continues to have higher metals, just as each degree requires more experience and work to be done. The Chapter degree, which is the last degree that can be awarded on the chapter level, is made of silver. These all show the dedication you have given to the organization, as well as the success you have had with your SAE and the service you have given to the community. It is an honor to be able to receive these high-level degrees in the FFA Organization,” Haas said.
Fellow FFA Advisor Christie Michalcik goes further into detail about the purpose of the banquet. Mrs. Michalcik had the honor of awarding her CDE teams, such as AG Sales, who went to state and got a plaque for it. Some LDE’s Mrs. Michalcik teaches are Public Relations, which went to the area competition this year.
“The purpose of the FFA banquet is to conduct a select set of business (degree awards & officer installation, and also to recognize high-achieving members and award senior scholarships. We also recognize outstanding parent and community involvement by awarding honorary degrees to deserving candidates. It is the highlight of the school year for many members,” Michalcik said. “I think attending the banquet benefits its members because our members work hard ALL year long! There is not a small block of time for an event, and then you coast through the rest of the year.”
The third and final FFA Advisor is Mr. Ressler. He talks about why FFA is important and the other activities that happen at the banquet. He is awarding his Range team, which also made it to the state. He also gets to award his LDE’s, such as Chapter Conductings, which advanced to the area contest.
“FFA is an organization that can offer opportunities for a variety of students to find something that fits them. FFA’s mission is to offer students the chance to build premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through Agricultural Education, and that truly makes FFA an important part of the Hallettsville High School community,” Ressler said. “The Hallettsville FFA Awards Banquet is a night to recognize the accomplishments of our student members. We are also able to share the success of the year with family and friends in an enjoyable night together. Scholarship donors also present our graduating seniors with financial aid to help further their educational goals. Each year, the FFA Awards Banquet is a great night to cap off a meaningful year of FFA activities.”
