After Nearly 50 Years, Bridgeport Chapter of FFA Returns and Community Rallies Behind Agricultural Efforts
By Julie Perine on February 09, 2019 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
After a 48-year hiatus, the Bridgeport High School chapter of the National Future Farmers of America is back and thriving.
The August return of the BHS agriculture program has produced plenty of FFA members, said BHS Agriculture Instructor John Lockhart.
“Between two classes, we have just under 130 students and that’s pretty good,” he said.
Offerings this semester are two plant-based courses: Greenhouse Production and Horticulture. First semester classes included Introduction to Agriculture - all-inclusive of animal and plant sciences, natural resources and zoology - and a more advanced course titled Science of Agriculture.
Any student taking an agriculture class can become a member of the FFA. Also eligible for membership are students enrolled in this semester’s Veterinary Science course online through the West Virginia Department of Education. A handful of BHS students are taking advantage of the online course; a great introduction to the field and ideal for any student planning to pursue a veterinary career, Lockhart said.
Just five months in the making, the BHS agriculture program has launched some exciting projects, including a greenhouse.
“It’s still in the process. We ran into some snags and had to move the site three times to get it out of the floodplain, Lockhart said. “It ended up behind Bridgeport Middle School, which isn’t ideal, but it will work. It’s a beautiful greenhouse.”
The greenhouse should be up and running in the next couple of months. Students will be growing vegetables and flowers and plan to host a floral sale in the spring.
Lockhart said his FFA organization has collaborated with those at other county high schools, including Liberty and Robert C. Byrd and that the clubs plan to attend the Small Farm Conference in Charleston later this month.
Some other interests have been stirred through the agriculture programming, including an equestrian judging team. Lockhart said 12 students have expressed interest in trying out for a five-person team (four members and one alternate) which will judge the April 26-27 equestrian event at Potomac State College.
“They put on an event where they evaluate horses on physical characteristics and also judge riders, just like they do at the Olympic equestrian riding competition,” Lockhart said. “Members of the team will serve as judges and get a chance to do some public speaking as to why they placed riders and horses like they did.”
One student judge overall could receive one-year’s tuition to Potomac State.
Another upcoming competition involving Lockhart’s students is a nursery and landscape competition to be held in June at the Davis College of Agriculture in Morgantown.
“Students have to ID plants and plant diseases/pests and take a written exam with botanical questions,” Lockhart said. “They also have to do some landscape assessment, math evaluations and landscape architect design.”
Although county education funds are used for some projects, such as construction of the greenhouse, additional funds are needed for FFA activities and some aspects of the agriculture classes, as well. The program has received a $5,000 farm-to-school grant from the Department of Education to grow aeroponic lettuce for school lunches. That program is expected to begin soon, Lockhart said.
Additional funding has come through an energetic response to requests for sponsorships.
“The community has really rallied behind it. I never dreamed we would raise $6,000 in our first effort,” Lockhart said.
In September students reached out to members and businesses of the community to be Founding Sponsors of the FFA Chapter.
Included in those founding sponsors, listed below, is Bridgeport Mayor Andy Lang, who shared that his dad Jim Lang was a member of the BHS FFA during its earlier stint. It’s interesting to note, Lockhart said, that it appears the only reason the agricultural program concluded in 1971 was because a teacher retired and there was no one to take his place. The very next school year,
BHS began offering tech ed, rather than agriculture.
Though high-tech lifestyle and career fields are popular, there is still plenty of interesting in farming and agricultural activities.
“The FFA program in West Virginia has almost doubled membership in the last 10 years,” Lockhart said. “It is a thriving program right now.”
He attributes much of that enthusiasm to state FFA Advisor Jason Hughes (pictured right), who has already visited BHS three times this school year to assist and interact with the program.
"Agricultural Education is the fastest growing Career and Technical Education area in West Virginia with over 12 new programs being added in the past seven years," Hughes said."This growth is due to several factors - exemplary teachers, increased opportunities in the agriculture industry such as Farm to Table and value-added products and the realization that Agricultural Education and the FFA prepares students to be successful in the world no matter what their chosen career field."
The agriculture classes also encompass a job shadowing element and Lockhart hopes to see some of his students placed with area businesses this summer. 
“If they are doing projects on their own – like growing a garden or raising livestock – that can count, as well,” Lockhart said. “Kids who are already doing those types of things will finally get credit for it.”
Platinum Sponsor $500 or More
Connie Scarbrough
Joes Skeen
Bridgeport Storage
PDC Energy
Markwest
Andy Lang
Harrison County Farm Bureau
Gold Sponsor $100 - $499.99
Mahindra of Clarksburg
Mike Romano
Doug Facemire
Star Furniture
Harrison County Bank
Pratt Mascio
John Lockhart
Precision Oil & Gas
Foster’s Feed
Antero
Leer Mine
Urse Honda
John S. Wilson Sr.
Dustin Vincent
Silver Sponsors $99.99 or Less
Twin Oaks Restaurant
Hogan’s Roofing
The Bridgeport FFA and the administration of Bridgeport High School would like to extend their sincere thanks to all those who answered the call and sponsored the new FFA program.
