The Finley FFA Chapter is bringing learning, leadership, and a lot of fun to lunchtime with its FFA Boot Camp series at River View High School. Designed and led by FFA officers, these boot camps give both members and non-members a chance to learn more about FFA in a relaxed, welcoming environment.
Each boot camp takes place during lunch in Mrs. Yochum’s room, where students gather to eat lunch, learn something new, play games, and even win a little candy and soda along the way. The goal is simple: introduce FFA, agriculture, and leadership opportunities while building connections and having fun.
Boot Camp #1, held on January 22, focused on FFA and Agricultural Lingo. Officers Kalina and Mya prepared engaging activities to help students learn common FFA and ag terms they’ll hear in class, competitions, and meetings. Students tested their knowledge through interactive games and walked away with a better understanding of the language of FFA. Attendees played the FFA Motto Four Corners game—combining learning with laughter.
Boot Camp #2 centered on Manners and Etiquette and was prepared by Ava, Soren, and Hailey. Attendees learned the importance of professional behavior in and out of the classroom through hands-on activities like Kahoot, Pin the Official Dress. This was held on January 21st.
For Boot Camp #3 on January 29, RVHS students gathered during lunch to learn more about the many Leadership Development Events (LDEs) and Career Development Events (CDEs) available through FFA. Students were invited to come eat lunch, hang out, and discover how FFA competitions help members build confidence, leadership, and career-ready skills. Trell and Vivien kicked things off with an engaging slideshow that explained the different events and how students can get involved, whether they are brand new to FFA or already active members.
The learning continued with a high-energy game of rock-paper-scissors, connecting friendly competition to FFA contests—sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but every experience helps you grow and prepare for the next level. To finish the boot camp, students tested their knowledge of FFA official dress by placing cut-out clothing items on Napoleon Dynamite, adding a fun and memorable twist to the lesson. Boot Camp #3 showed students that FFA competitions are about more than trophies, they’re about learning, teamwork, and taking the first step to try something new.