Photo Credit: Den Echoes archive[/caption]By: Alexis Harper
Future Farmers of America (FFA) Week was scheduled to be held February 21 to 28, but got canceled due to inclement weather. In place of last week, March 2 to 6 will be FFA Week.
Monday is Blue and Gold Day, so students should wear national blue and corn gold. Tuesday is Camo Day, where students dress head to toe in camo. It will be time to bring out the plaid on Wednesday, which is Lumberjack Day. Thursday is Farmer Day--students should dress like a farmer and show their appreciation for what farmers do. On Friday, all members of FFA should wear their FFA T-shirts to show they are proud to be a part of the club.
Every day this week, students can pay $1.00 to wear their hat for one day. The money from this fundraiser will go to various charities around the community.
It is not a coincidence that George Washington's birthday is in the same week as FFA Week. Part of the purpose of FFA Week is to recognize George Washington as an agriculturist and a farmer. The first National FFA Week was held in 1948.
FFA Week members are recognized with prizes for going above and beyond in their wardrobe each day.
The FFA officers meet and select the days OHS has for FFA Week. They also plan activities that take place during class time to get FFA members involved throughout the week. The president of FFA is Justin Pope; the vice presidents are Skylar Riley, Jacob Rogers, and Trey Palmer; the secretaries are Brooklyn Hux and Johanna Manley; the treasurers are Preston Harris and Caleb Gray; the reporters are Kirsten Brame and Kirstin Holloway; the sentinels are Spencer Walker and Korie Dean; and the chaplain is Hunter Hall.
Photo Credit: Amanda Tavares[/caption]Dakota McDade is what many people would call “a good ol’ boy.” This country boy is a junior at OHS this year.
McDade enjoys many different classes at Orange that will hopefully help him in his profession. He especially likes agriculture classes (like construction, welding, and animal sciences) and history classes. With one more year until graduation, he has an idea of what he wants to do with his life. McDade wants to go to Alamance Community College and get a degree in Criminal Justice. After college, he wants to become a game warden for North Carolina.
His love to hunt has fueled a lifelong passion. He likes any game season, but deer season is his favorite. The biggest deer he has ever shot is a six pointer. A game warden saves deer and other animals for people to hunt in the future and upholds game laws. McDade wants to do exactly that and definitely has a passion for it.
Growing up on a farm made McDade who he is today. He has many chances to be outdoors and enjoys every minute of it. He loves to fish, hunt, go to the lake, and ride four-wheelers with his brother in his spare time. Overall, he is a fun-loving person. But when he is not out living “loca la vida,” he works in his family's tobacco fields. Look for him in the halls, but once deer season starts, you know where he’ll be on the weekends!
Photo Credit: Dave Hogg. No edits made to photo. Photo license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/.[/caption]Mrs. Jordan Moore took a few of her students to a livestock competition where her students judged market swine, steers, goats, and lambs and breeding heifers, gilts, and ewes, Tuesday, March 24. They were able to practice presentation skills while they were there as well. In an email Moore said, "[It is their] first time ever competing."
In an email Moore disclosed the standings of the OHS team:
- Kirstin Hollaway
- Trey Palmer
- Kaylie Beniak
- Spencer Walker
- Cole Miller
- Josh Holloway
- Nick Bailes
- Cameron Pendergraft
- Kristin Hollaway placed 49th
Photo credit: Maddie Norwood[/caption]A “shade house” on the OHS campus near the agriculture buildings collapsed during the snowstorm on Thursday, February 13. The shade house was owned by the school. OHS Principal Jason Johnson does not currently know the cost of the damages, but repair work should begin this week. No one was injured, although a few plants died and some equipment was destroyed.
According to Ag teacher Jordan Moore, the structure “collapsed due to the intense weight of snow that covered” it. The shade house was the third structure to be damaged because of a weather event. Moore did not know how old it was because “the foundation has been there for many years.” The shade house “has been improved and re-done many times since it was built originally.”
The only class that used the structure was a horticulture class taught by David Latta. Most of the tools damaged by the collapse can be salvaged. Moore said that “some [of the damaged material] is going to be salvaged and hopefully recycled or put to a use on later projects. Steel and some materials are still usable in other capacities.”
A “multi-functional learning lab for… hands-on work and outdoor learning” will “more than likely” be built in place of the collapsed shade house once the structure has been cleaned up, Moore said. The greenhouse will support Latta’s plants so his class will be able to operate normally without the shade house.
Johnson said he is “not sure” about the damage cost because the “insurance agency has to give estimates.” He does not know about the repair schedule either, because “a lot of it’s insurance.” He hopes it will take “just a couple of weeks.” He also is not certain who will be doing the repair work, but the Orange County Schools maintenance department will probably be in charge.
Johnson said the area is off-limits to students, and that students who aren’t in Ag classes have no reason to be near the shade house.
Johnson said, “[I] think it’s unfortunate... that it happened,” but he is glad no one was hurt. Moore said, “It is always sad to undergo any type of loss to school facilities and tools. However, we are excited for the chance to make an improvement to the area and make the best out of the tough situation.”