Students Practice For District At Competition

FAYETTEVILLE —Several Farmington High FFA members took advantage of an open competition last month as a practice for the district contest in January.

About 150 FFA students from across the state traveled to the University of Arkansas to compete in parliamentary procedures, the FFA creed and extemporaneous speaking.

“This is like a warm-up contest for our students,” said FFA sponsor Clayton Sallee.

In January, Farmington students will compete at its district competition for the Razorback Sub District. FFA clubs from Farmington, Prairie Grove, Lincoln, Fayetteville, Huntsville, St. Paul and Cedarville make up the Razorback Sub District.

Autumn Gregg, a junior, was competing in extemporaneous speaking and she would not learn her topic until it was her turn to be judged. Those in the speaking competition are given three subjects and they pick the one they want. Participants then are allowed 30 minutes to write a speech that will last two-four minutes.

Gregg said the topics will be relative to agriculture. In preparing her speech, she said she uses note cards, her general knowledge and a couple of books.

The competition on parliamentary procedures includes an individual written test taken by all team members and then the team performs to show their parliamentary abilities and finishes by answering questions by the judges.

Abby Dismang said being a part of parliamentary procedures has taught her to show respect to others while debating and discussing issues.

“I always let other people talk before me and I wait patiently,” Dismang said.

The team practices by holding mock meetings. Some of the issues they have discussed include whether to sponsor a bicycle clinic, whether to build a float for the Christmas parade and deciding whether to purchase iPads for all FFA officers.

Team member Hope Coffman said a motion to purchase iPads was voted down because devices were expensive and the money could be used on other projects.

Jessika Calhoun said being a part of the parliamentary procedures team has taught her to be able to talk in front of others.

Coffman added, “It helps you learn to voice your opinion in the correct way.”

FAA sponsor Ronnie Horn said he believes the competition for parliamentary procedures provides more of a life lesson for students than other FFA contests. Students learn Robert’s Rules of Order and use those in a meeting setting.

He said he believes this year’s team has improved from last year because the students are a year older and have a year’s experience. Last year’s team had four freshmen, he said.

For the competition, students are given a motion to debate. They also are required to debate a secondary motion, such as moving to refer the issue to committee, or moving to recess or moving to amend the original motion. They score points for the assigned motion, the secondary motion and their debate. For the FFA creed contest, students have to recite the five- paragraph creed word for word and then answer questions about the creed. Students Jordan Horn and Corrine Burrus competed in the creed judging.

Horn said her favorite part of the creed is that “We believe in our own ability to work efficiently and think clearly.”

Burrus said she likes the part of the creed that states, “Faith born not of words but of deeds.”

PHOTOS BY LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER Members of the Farmington High FFA parliamentary procedures team: chairman Caleb Lipford, left, Autumn Gregg, Abby Dismang, Emma Holman, Jessika Calhoun and Hope Coffman. Gregg was substituting at the open competition for the day. She also competed in...

Corrine Burrus, left, and Jordan Horn participated in the FFA Creed competition at an open meet at the University of Arkansas recently. To compete, they are required to memorize the Creed word for word and then answer questions about it by three judges.