CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter celebrated student achievements at its annual awards banquet on Friday, May 8.
Animal Science Instructor and FFA Advisor Ramona Weeks described the event as “positive, energetic and inspiring” as everyone came together to honor a year filled with leadership, career growth and competition wins.
Students received recognition for earning Chapter and Greenhand Degrees, as well as for their achievements in Career Development Events in areas like Aquaculture, Agricultural Mechanics, Floriculture, Horse and Poultry Evaluation, Livestock and Veterinary Science, Forestry and Natural Resource Management.
One of the evening’s biggest highlights was honoring Kylie Calvert and Bryantt Hupp, who earned FFA State Degrees. According to Weeks, this is the first time in at least 10 years that Cullman High School FFA members have reached this milestone.
The Aquaculture and Agricultural Mechanics teams were recognized for qualifying to compete at the state level in June. Fourteen student-led agriscience fair projects were also honored and will move on to the Alabama State FFA Convention this summer. Special awards went to students who best represented the FFA motto, “Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve.”
The chapter’s Member of the Year Award, selected by the student leadership team, was presented to Kylie Calvert.
Weeks explained that the banquet mattered because it allowed the community to recognize how much effort students put in all year.
“The banquet was more than an awards ceremony. It was a celebration of leadership, service, agriculture and the positive impact these students are making in and beyond the school,” Weeks said.
Looking to the future, Weeks said she hopes the Cullman High School FFA program will keep growing with help from the community, school leaders and district administration. She stressed that agricultural education prepares students for careers in science, mechanics, environmental management, business and technology.
“Agricultural education is about much more than farming,” she said. “Supporting programs like FFA helps strengthen the connection between education, industry and community growth.”
