Students and advisors in the FFA chapter at Randall Middle School in Lithia have a lot to celebrate this month. The group was recently recognized as one of less than 10 percent of chapters nationwide by the 2025 National Chapter Award Program from the National FFA Organization and given a three-star ranking.
“It’s amazing that I get to be part of a three-star program,” said McKenzie Dahl, Randall FFA President. “We work so hard to make it one of the best chapters out there, and now we’re recognized for all our hard work.”
According to Brittany Andrews, Randall Ag educator and FFA advisor, the program recognizes outstanding FFA chapters from throughout the country that actively implement the mission and strategies of the organization. These chapters improve operations using the National Quality FFA Chapter Standards and a Program of Activities that emphasizes growing leaders, building communities and strengthening agriculture. Chapters are rewarded for providing educational experiences for the entire membership.
“Being recognized as a three-star chapter is surreal. Both advisors, myself and Mrs. Laura Ferrell, and our students work incredibly hard to create a chapter that students are excited to be part of,” said Andrews. “Receiving national recognition for that effort is deeply rewarding.”
FFA is an intra-curricular club, meaning it’s built directly into the school’s agriculture curriculum and is a student-led organization.
“Our officers plan each meeting using the National FFA’s recommended Program of Activities, which focuses on growing leaders, building communities and strengthening agriculture,” said Andrews, who has taught at Randall since 2012, when she started the agriculture program and founded a new FFA chapter. “Back then, I had just a classroom rabbit and no outdoor space. Today, we have a quarter-acre working farm on campus with 50 poultry (including chickens, turkeys and guinea fowl), 10 dairy goats, six breeding sheep and we’re hoping to add two or three pigs next month.”
The agriculture program now serves more than 300 students across sixth, seventh and eighth grades, and last year students hosted a goat yoga meeting to promote healthy living, wrote and read children’s books about agricultural commodities to local elementary students and volunteered with the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau at the Florida State Fair to educate children and families about Florida agriculture.
“Our officers dedicate countless hours of their free time to planning and executing these activities,” said Andrews.
The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 1,042,245 student members and 9,407 local FFA chapters. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
For more, visit the National FFA Organization online at www.ffa.org and on Facebook and Twitter. To reach Randall Middle School, call 813-740-3900.
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