West Perry FFA Chapter

05/29/2026

On Tuesday a group of FFA members stayed after school for the “Invasion of the Invasives” event. For about two hours the group worked to clear invasive species that are growing “unwanted”. After removing the invasive species it gives room for the more desirable/native plant and tree species to grow and thrive. Good work crew!

04/29/2026

36 teams competed in the Perry County Envirothon today and the West Perry “Majestic Mergansers”came out on top claiming the PeCo title!! The team consisted of Ariana Alvarado-Schroder, Carson Krone, Reece Kline, Christian Reeder, and Ava Wagner. They will compete at the state Envirothon in May. In addition the West Perry “Wandering Woodchucks” consisting of Chris Bowersox, Landen Davis, Brennan Kiner, Vanessa Kretzing, and Sophia Penia put some solid scores onto the board and had a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finish in various categories. The “Wild Whitetails” consisting of Leah Clouse, Maddy Mashtare, Olivia Neff, Draven Stout, and Reagan True placed third in the current issues topic. It was a little rainy and cold , but always a great day to learn more about the environment around us!! Despite our silly wildlife team names, it was a great day to be a mustang! 🐎

04/23/2026

Tomorrow (Friday 4/24) is our banquet where we will present Mr. Hines with the memory box filled with everyone’s letters, cards, and notes. If you would like you can also email [email protected] and we can print your letter/note to include!

Your help is needed for our “special project” but shhh it’s a secret! A lot of you may have already heard but after dedicating more than two decades to public education and agricultural education- Mr. Hines is retiring. We will certainly miss his leadership and influence within our classroom and FFA chapter, but also want to show him how much of an impact he has left on each student he has taught over the years and on our community. At our banquet we hope to present him with a “memory box” full of notes/cards of congratulations, fond memories, and encouraging words. We invite any current students, past students, parents, or program supporters to participate by writing a note or card. They can be mailed to:

West Perry High School
Attn: Ayla Miller- Special Project
2608 Sherman’s Valley Road
Elliottsburg, Pa 17024

Please be sure to include the “Attn: line” as this is how we will sort the mail at the office to make sure he does not get them too early!

Our banquet is April 24th and we plan to present them to him there.

Again remember this project is a secret (he doesn’t have Facebook), so we should be safe 😉.

Photo: Perry County Students on the Senate Floor with Senator Greg Rothman today as part of the State Legislative Leadership Conference.

04/21/2026

It’s not too late! Drop a note, card, or letter in the mail tomorrow to help the officers meet their goal and fill the memory box for Mr. Hines!!

Your help is needed for our “special project” but shhh it’s a secret! A lot of you may have already heard but after dedicating more than two decades to public education and agricultural education- Mr. Hines is retiring. We will certainly miss his leadership and influence within our classroom and FFA chapter, but also want to show him how much of an impact he has left on each student he has taught over the years and on our community. At our banquet we hope to present him with a “memory box” full of notes/cards of congratulations, fond memories, and encouraging words. We invite any current students, past students, parents, or program supporters to participate by writing a note or card. They can be mailed to:

West Perry High School
Attn: Ayla Miller- Special Project
2608 Sherman’s Valley Road
Elliottsburg, Pa 17024

Please be sure to include the “Attn: line” as this is how we will sort the mail at the office to make sure he does not get them too early!

Our banquet is April 24th and we plan to present them to him there.

Again remember this project is a secret (he doesn’t have Facebook), so we should be safe 😉.

Photo: Perry County Students on the Senate Floor with Senator Greg Rothman today as part of the State Legislative Leadership Conference.

03/24/2026

Your help is needed for our “special project” but shhh it’s a secret! A lot of you may have already heard but after dedicating more than two decades to public education and agricultural education- Mr. Hines is retiring. We will certainly miss his leadership and influence within our classroom and FFA chapter, but also want to show him how much of an impact he has left on each student he has taught over the years and on our community. At our banquet we hope to present him with a “memory box” full of notes/cards of congratulations, fond memories, and encouraging words. We invite any current students, past students, parents, or program supporters to participate by writing a note or card. They can be mailed to:

West Perry High School
Attn: Ayla Miller- Special Project
2608 Sherman’s Valley Road
Elliottsburg, Pa 17024

Please be sure to include the “Attn: line” as this is how we will sort the mail at the office to make sure he does not get them too early!

Our banquet is April 24th and we plan to present them to him there.

Again remember this project is a secret (he doesn’t have Facebook), so we should be safe 😉.

Photo: Perry County Students on the Senate Floor with Senator Greg Rothman today as part of the State Legislative Leadership Conference.

03/17/2026

Each year during “ National Poison Prevention Week” our members prepare presentations to teach the district’s 1st grade students about the potential risks associated with chemicals found within their home and how to stay safe. They teach them about Mr. Yuk and task 1st grade students and their families to identify and place Mr. Yuk stickers on potentially harmful chemicals in their homes and to also encourage proper storage of these chemicals. Thank you to all of the first grade teachers for welcoming us into your classrooms today to share this important message!

02/22/2026

Last weekend 24 West Perry FFA members attended the ACES Leadership Conference in Harrisburg and this week we are excited to kick off National FFA Week. Stay tuned for the various activities we have planned for the week!

02/11/2026

Our officer team has been conducting various activities to engage with the 8th graders to share with them the opportunities that await in agricultural education as we approach scheduling season. Today we concluded those activities by hosting approximately 80- 8th graders in the ag department for our “tours” and presentations. We are so glad they joined us and hope they schedule Agri-Science and Technology next year!

01/14/2026

Yesterday West Perry FFA members travelled to the PA Farm Show and attended the PA FFA Mid Winter Convention. They explored the show, vendors, and also participated in the Ag career fair hosted by the PA FFA Foundation. A highlight of the day was watching 5 of our senior members put a feather 🪶 in the cap 🧢 of their FFA careers by earning the highest degree that can be earned by a member at the state level- The Keystone Degree. Furthermore, Leah Clouse was recognized as a State ⭐️ Star Finalist in the area of Agricultural Placememnt for her outstanding work in her SAE project. In addition 12 FFA members kickstarted their FFA career by zipping up their very own blue and gold FFA jacket. Congratulations to all of the members!! Names are in the photos.

12/20/2025

On Wednesday, 29 West Perry FFA members competed in the Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry Area Career and Leadership Developmemt Events. We had teams and individuals in the following: Milk Quality and Products, Employment Skills, Small Gas Engines, FFA Knowledge, Environmental and Natural Resources, and the Sampler CDE. It was a great day showcasing and practicing our knowledge and skills!! We are proud of all of our members for their particpation! The following members rose to the top of their competitions! In Milk Quality and Products: Vanessa Kretzing- 1st, Maho Comp- 5th, and Addilynn Stouffer-15th. In Small Gas Engines- 1st place team; Draven Stout and Trey Enck (they will represent the area at the state contest in June). In Employment Skills: Lila Kretzing -2nd and Jensyn Dillman- 10th. In Environmental and Natural Resources Ariana Alvarado-Schroder-4th and Carson Krone -7th. They were also part of the 2nd place team also joined by Kayden Dobbs and Corbin Shambaugh.