The FFA motto all FFA members learn includes the words,” Living to Serve”, making service a core value taught to SD’s over 10,000 high school Agriculture Education students through their FFA participation. With state educational budgets becoming tighter all the time, FFA chapters are forced to choose which worthwhile activities they can still participate in. Sometimes that means service projects do not happen. The SD FFA Foundation recognizes the value of local chapter service-learning projects and wants to enable Agriculture Education programs to focus on student and community development. As a result, the SD FFA Foundation provides up to $500/chapter for service projects in their local communities. SD FFA Foundation Executive Director, Gerri Ann Eide says, “We want to grow community leaders for tomorrow by encouraging FFA members to take an active role in the betterment of their communities and find pride in the communities at the same time. These are valuable educational activities that impact agriculture education students for a lifetime.” Congratulations to the following chapters receiving SD FFA Foundation funds this fall for their service projects: Bowdle – host “Thank a Farmer” Harvest Appreciation week Ethan – construct and distribute Sleep in Heavenly Peace beds Howard – construct a garden shed for the community Garden Lennox Sundstrom – create and distribute 50 farmer First Aid kits Platte-Geddes – assemble 120 Birthday boxes for the local food pantry These grants were made possible, as a special project of the SD FFA Foundation. For more information about the South Dakota FFA Foundation and South Dakota’s FFA programs, visit www.sdffafoundation.org.