Senior Piper Turner has achieved great feats in Future Farmers of America (FFA). It is a program that grants students leadership roles and gives them the ability to participate in livestock shows and many other hands-on experiences. 

Turner invited Memorial’s moderately/cognitively (mod/cog) delayed students to join her in the Feb. 21 livestock show to aid her and the other FFA students. This gave these students a chance to participate in a more social environment and participate in activities they have never done before, such as learning about the animals and assisting in the show ring.

“Piper was aware that previous leaders of our FFA chapter have invited guests to participate in our local livestock show with the purpose of gaining exposure to livestock animals, and she was motivated to invite EMHS mod/cog students,” said agricultural science teacher Mason Jones.

During the showing, they had the opportunity to show either pigs, goats or sheep. This livestock show was particularly based upon the students’ showmanship rather than the abilities of the animals.

“I hope this show was fun and rewarding for everyone who participated,” Turner said. “The show was really all about the students and their abilities, not the animal itself.”

Along with being a great opportunity for the mod/cog students, it was a good chance for the FFA students to have a leadership role.

“I’m really excited that our students had the opportunity to participate with regular education students,” said Memorial speech pathologist Tracey Garrett. “Socially, it means everything to them.”

Not only did Turner come up with this amazing inclusionary event, she also is a National Agriscience fair champion, president of the Edmond FFA and a state FFA officer candidate.

Turner hopes to continue making huge strides in FFA this year and become a state FFA officer. She will be attending Oklahoma State University to major in animal science and she plans on running her own mixed animal practice in the future.

Contact Makinzy Todd at [email protected]