Carroll Electric Membership Cooperative welcomed local middle and high school agriculture students to its annual FFA Day. More than 300 students from FFA chapters in Carroll, Heard, Haralson, Floyd and Troup counties gathered at the Carrollton office Wednesday morning in celebration of National FFA Week.
Now in its fourth consecutive year, Carroll EMC’s FFA Day has become a highly anticipated event for students each February. With a few hours out of class, they partake in informative sessions that are relevant to the agriculture industry. This year, students visited four stations that touched on various aspects of both agriculture and agribusiness. There were presentations of farm safety and turf grass production as well as educational and professional opportunities through scholarships and the National FFA Organization.
Guest speaker Jeffrey Vance concluded the event with words of encouragement. After a fall on the job, Vance suffered extensive spinal injuries that left him paralyzed from the waist down. He has not let his disabilities limit his capabilities; rather, the wheelchair has pushed Vance beyond the limitations of normal. His determination and positive attitude lend a story worth sharing.
“Jeffrey is an inspiration to so many individuals,” said David Huddleston, Carroll EMC’s advocate for agriculture. “His message demonstrates there is nothing holding a student back from pursuing their goals whether those goals be agriculture related or not.”
