Between the hay and dozens of animals, high school junior Julia Araiza is working hard to clean her animals, something she does every day. She has a lamb named Chanel and a hefer named Nova, and soon she’ll get a new lamb.
“I love animals and I want to be a vet,” she said.
She comes to the barn before school and after school, staying there until at least 6 p.m. It’s her passion, which is the reason she’s in the Future Farmers of America program at Amphi High School. She goes to the online school Envision but every afternoon, she takes the FFA class at Amphi High School. She said the most exciting moment is when she gets to show her animals in competitions.
“I love showing,” Araiza said. “Those five minutes you feel like you’re number 1.”
The FFA teacher Morgan Berrigan said the class teaches more skills in addition to farming and agriculture.
“It teaches you leadership skills and social skills that math and English just don’t teach you,” Berrigan said.
The goal for this year is to grow the program back to its former glory, Berrigan said.
“Back in the day this program was huge,” she said. “They had 50 pigs, 45 goats and they were bringing tons of kids to fair.”
She said the program is already growing with more kids joining each year. Right now, they have about 30 kids, she said.