ABOUT SOBRATO FFA
Sobrato FFA was founded in 2004, at the same time of the opening of Ann Sobrato High School in Morgan Hill. When we first set up shop, this chapter was a small program, with one teacher, 150 students, and very few facilities, but it was uncompromisingly dedicated to providing the best agricultural education possible for our students. Now, a decade later, this dedication is still as strong as ever, but the chapter that grew around has become much different. Thanks to passionate agricultural leaders (such as Mrs. Vera Gomes, our chapter's founder, a Sobrato assistant principal and former ag teacher), an incredibly supportive booster team, hard-working teachers, and enthusiastic students, Sobrato FFA has grown into one of the biggest chapters in our section. With over 500 members being taught by 3 advisors, beautiful facilities (including a school farm, a state-of-the-art horticulture greenhouse, a cooking room, and a metalshop), and massive participation in animal SAE projects and CDE competitions, our chapter has reached record numbers in terms of involvement. Over the past ten years, we have been so proud to see how far our FFA chapter has come, and we are very excited to welcome you as part of a promising, exciting future as we strive this year to Unleash Brilliance!
Our Mission
FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
To help students accomplish this mission, Sobrato FFA...
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develops competent and aggressive agricultural leadership.
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creates and nurtures a love of agricultural life
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strengthens the confidence of students of vocational agriculture in themselves and their work.
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creates more interest in the intelligent choice of agricultural occupations
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encourages members in the development of individual occupational experience programs in agriculture and establishment in agricultural careers.
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encourages members to improve the home and its surroundings
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participates in worthy undertakings for the improvement of the industry of agriculture.
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develops character, train for useful citizenship, and foster patriotism.
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participates in cooperative effort.
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encourages and practice thrift.
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encourages improvement in scholarship.
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provides and encourage the development of organized recreational activities.
The FFA Creed
I believe in the future of agriculture, with a faith born not of words but of deeds - achievements won by the present and past generations of agriculturists; in the promise of better days through better ways, even as the better things we now enjoy have come to us from the struggles of former years.
I believe that to live and work on a good farm, or to be engaged in other agricultural pursuits, is pleasant as well as challenging; for I know the joys and discomforts of agricultural life and hold an inborn fondness for those associations which, even in hours of discouragement, I cannot deny.
I believe in leadership from ourselves and respect from others. I believe in my own ability to work efficiently and think clearly, with such knowledge and skill as I can secure, and in the ability of progressive agriculturists to serve our own and the public interest in producing and marketing the product of our toil.
I believe in less dependence on begging and more power in bargaining; in the life abundant and enough honest wealth to help make it so--for others as well as myself; in less need for charity and more of it when needed; in being happy myself and playing square with those whose happiness depends upon me.
I believe that American agriculture can and will hold true to the best traditions of our national life and that I can exert an influence in my home and community which will stand solid for my part in that inspiring task.
(The creed was written by E. M. Tiffany, and adopted at the 3rd National Convention of the FFA. It was revised at the 38th Convention and the 63rd Convention. The Creed serves as a statement of the philosophy and beliefs of the National FFA Organization. Freshman FFA members routinely compete in the Creed Recitation Competition which involves memorizing the Creed word for word and answering a series of questions about their own personal feelings about the FFA Creed.)
Our History
Founded in 1928, the Future Farmers of America brought together students, teachers and agribusiness to solidify support for agricultural education. In Kansas City's Baltimore Hotel, 33 young farmboys charted a course for the future. They could not have foreseen how the organization would grow and thrive.
Since 1928, millions of agriculture students - no one knows exactly how many - have donned the official FFA jacket and championed the FFA creed. FFA has opened its doors and its arms to minorities and women, ensuring that all students could reap the benefits of agricultural education.
Today, the National FFA Organization remains committed to the individual student, providing a path to achievement in premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Now, the organization is expanding the nation's view of "traditional" agriculture and finding new ways to infuse agriculture into the classroom. Over the years, the organization has diversified, going past traditional farming and exploring paths such as agriscience. As the National FFA Organization website says, "Today, we are still the Future Farmers of America. But, we are the Future Biologists, Future Chemists, Future Veterinarians, Future Engineers and Future Entrepreneurs of America, too."
Sobrato FFA's Agriculture Department
Sobrato FFA is very proud of our facilities that we have created over time. In our short chapter history, we have expanded from just one classroom to a state-of-the-art horticulture greenhouse, an acre of farmland used for housing animals (both market and breeding) and plant projects, an advanced metalshop, and a food science classroom with nine fully stocked kitchens. Having such helpful facilities has been incredibly beneficial to our students, who have had enriched experiences with agricultural education partly because of the hands-on experience that these facilities provide. We are always a work in progress, however, and we are proud to work with our students to better our work environments and to improve our program!
Sobrato FFA Fun Facts
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Morgan Hill-Sobrato FFA was chartered in 2004, the same year as the opening of Ann Sobrato High School. Today, we simply use the name Sobrato FFA to avoid confusion with Morgan Hill FFA, the chapter of Live Oak High School.
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In terms of state divisions, Sobrato FFA is in the Santa Clara Section, which itself is in the South Coast Region.