LONGVIEW, TEXAS (RFD-TV) — Ag education is taking on a new shape in one East Texas school district, where students are gaining hands-on experience beyond the traditional classroom. Longview FFA has recently been recognized as the largest FFA chapter in the nation, with 11 chapter officers helping lead its programs.
One of the program’s newest additions is a meat processing facility, allowing students to explore careers in that side of the agriculture industry. The chapter also offers classes in floral design, beekeeping and greenhouse management.
Longview FFA Lead Advisor Gail Coulter says the program stands out not because of high-end resources, but because of its practical approach.
“For people who actually come to see what the largest FFA chapter in the nation looks like, they would see that we are actually just like everybody else,” Coulter said. “We don’t have the highest tech. We don’t have the fanciest of everything. We have a lot of opportunities for our students, but they are practical. The facilities we have are practical.”
Educators say the goal is to keep opportunities open to any student willing to get involved, while helping them build confidence and skills that extend beyond high school.
