Windsor Ag Education and FFA

06/10/2026

They did it! Congratulations to the following students for passing the NYS technical endorsement exam in CTE Agriculture: Ava Platner, Axle Toler, Talon Otis, Owen Hershowitz, Mason Miner, Vanessa Lehr, Charolette Hanyon, and Xavier Shannahan. They passed the written exam and the lab practical. We are so proud!!!
~Mrs. James and Mrs. Swingle

06/10/2026

Today was one of those days that reminds me exactly why I do what I do.

Each year, our middle school recognizes students for their achievements through awards such as Academic Excellence, Outstanding Effort, Character Awards, and the highly respected Citizen of the Year Award. Citizen of the Year is especially meaningful because only two students from each grade level are selected based on their character, leadership, and the positive impact they have on others.

Today, I had the privilege of watching so many of our FFA members be recognized for all they do. But what truly brought tears to my eyes was seeing two of our very own FFA students receive the Citizen of the Year Award.

Congratulations to Finley Edwards, our Middle School FFA Reporter, and Mackenzie Calle, 5th Place Junior Tool Identification winner at the State Level!

With so many incredible students in our district, being selected for this honor is truly special. The teachers who chose these students had an amazing pool of young people to consider, which makes this recognition even more meaningful. While I am proud of their accomplishments, I am even more proud that they were recognized for something far greater—their character. They are kind, caring, hardworking leaders who represent everything that is good about our FFA chapter and our school community.

Today was also special because I had the opportunity to present the True Blue Award, an award I created two years ago to recognize an outstanding 8th-grade FFA member who embodies the values of our organization: leadership, dedication, service, growth, and dependability.

This year's recipient was Briana Soriano.

Watching Briana bloom this year has been one of the greatest joys of being an advisor. She stepped outside of her comfort zone, embraced leadership opportunities, became a mentor to younger members, and showed up every single time she was needed—not because she had to, but because she chose to.

What makes her story even more special is that she found FFA during her final year of middle school. Despite having only a short time with us, she made a lasting impact on our chapter and on those around her. From receiving her FFA jacket through the generosity of a scholarship donor who believed in the power of FFA, to becoming a role model for others, Briana has truly embodied what it means to be True Blue.

It is bittersweet to see her move on, but I know she will do amazing things as a High School FFA Historian. She has already made me proud, and I cannot wait to watch her continue to grow and succeed.

To all of our students recognized today—thank you for showing that character matters. Your accomplishments are impressive, but who you are as people is what makes us most proud.

My heart is full tonight. 💙💛

~Mrs. Swingle

06/07/2026

That's a wrap on an incredible year!

Our Windsor FFA Banquet was filled with smiles, laughter, tears, hugs, and so many moments that reminded us why we do what we do. Tina and I feel incredibly blessed to be surrounded by amazing administrators, supportive community members, and parents who believe in our students and recognize the impact FFA has on their lives.

Watching our members grow in confidence, discover new passions, support one another, and celebrate their accomplishments is the greatest reward. FFA is more than an organization—it is a family, a place where students find their strengths, build lasting friendships, and learn what it means to lead and serve.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this year so special. We are truly fortunate to be part of such a supportive community.

Here's to an amazing year and all that lies ahead for Windsor FFA! 💙💛

This version keeps the gratitude front and center while capturing the emotion and pride of the evening.

06/06/2026

Wow...what a long, busy, and incredibly rewarding year.

As I reflect on our end-of-year banquet, I can't help but smile thinking about the pride shining on our students' faces. FFA is so much more than contests, projects, and events. It's a family. It's a place where students know they belong, where they support one another, and where everyone can find their place.

One of my favorite moments this year was watching a student's passion come to life through Gabe's Twisted Creations. Seeing students line up excitedly for Gabe to create balloon dogs, turtles, swords, bananas, and flowers was more than just fun—it was watching a young person discover a talent, build confidence, and find a home within our chapter. Moments like that make my heart so happy.

The hugs, thank-yous, and "I love yous" from students remind me why I do this. Those simple words make every late night, early morning, and busy day worth it. Then receiving a heartfelt card from a student brought tears to my eyes. I never imagined I would be lucky enough to truly love what I do every day.

I am incredibly grateful to our parents, administrators, students, my husband, and the other half of my team for their constant support throughout the year.

A very special thank you to Tina James. Thank you for pushing me outside my comfort zone, calming me when stress gets the best of me, encouraging me to be confident in who I am, and always being there when I need you. You have no idea how much your friendship and mentorship mean to me. Thank you for being both my mentor and my friend.

My heart is full. Thank you for an unforgettable year. 💙💛

~Jess Swingle

06/03/2026

Dear FFA Members, Families, and Supporters,

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we have made the difficult decision to reschedule our Open Farm Day. The event will now take place on June 27th and will coincide with Windsor's 250th Celebration.

We apologize for any inconvenience this change may cause and appreciate your understanding and flexibility. We are excited for the opportunity to be part of this special community celebration and look forward to sharing an even bigger and better Open Farm Day experience with you.

Thank you for your continued support. We hope to see you on June 27th!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Swingle & Mrs. James

06/01/2026

FREE SUMMER GARDENING OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS!

The Windsor Farmers Market is excited to offer its "Grow Your Garden" Kids Club Program this summer thanks to the generous support of Visions Federal Credit Union!

Students entering 2nd–8th grade are invited to participate and choose between growing:

🍕 A Pizza Garden – grow ingredients commonly used on your favorite pizza!
🌸 A Cut Flower Garden– grow beautiful flowers to enjoy and share!

✅ All supplies are provided FREE of charge.
✅ Limited kits are available.

To reserve a kit, email [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) by June 6th and indicate whether your student would like a Pizza Garden or Cut Flower Garden kit.

Participants will:
🌱 Pick up their garden supplies at the Windsor Farmers Market on a Saturday in June.
🌱 Grow their garden throughout the summer.
🌱 Bring their produce or flowers to the market on October 3rd for a special celebration of their hard work!

This is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn where food and flowers come from, develop gardening skills, and have fun growing something of their own.

Thank you to Visions Federal Credit Union for making this program possible!

📧 Sign up today by emailing: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

Feel free to share this opportunity with any families who may be interested! 🌱🌻

Send a message to learn more

05/29/2026

Tina and I had the pleasure of helping 8 amazing Girl Scouts earn their floral badge today! The girls learned about the importance of flowers in pollination and how they help provide food for our world.

Each Scout created her own hanging basket with asters, picked out a sunflower to take home from the Land Lab with Mrs. Swingle, and explored the science behind flowers in a hands-on way.

They also had the opportunity to learn from the floral expert herself, Mrs. James, who taught the girls how to create a beautiful round floral arrangement to take home. To top it all off, each girl took home carnations to experiment with and observe how flowers change color through the movement of water inside the stem.

I was also so excited that every single girl LOVED the fresh asparagus we shared with them — that’s a huge win for us!

One of the best parts of the day was having a little girl run up and give me a hug because she was so excited to be there. Moments like that are such a reminder of why we do what we do and how important these experiences are for kids.

It was a fun day full of creativity, science, learning, and lots of smiles!

Mrs.Swingle & Mrs. James

05/28/2026

Congratulations to Winsor Acres for being named then Outstanding Business Partner from the School to Careers Partnership for Excellence through Broome-Tioga BOCES.

Winsor Acres has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to student growth and experiential learning by providing valuable work-based learning opportunities for our students. Through these placements, students gain real-world skills, build confidence, and develop a deeper understanding of the agricultural industry—experiences that cannot be replicated in the classroom alone.
In addition, Winsor Acres has generously donated animals to support hands-on instruction within our program. These contributions allow students to engage directly with animal science concepts, strengthening both their technical knowledge and their sense of responsibility as future agricultural leaders.
Their support extends even further through their retail space, where they proudly feature and promote Windsor FFA honey and other student-produced agricultural products. This not only provides students with authentic entrepreneurship experiences, but also reinforces the value of local agriculture within the community.

We are incredibly grateful for the time, expertise, and continued support that Winsor Acres provides to our FFA chapter and CTE Agriculture program. Their partnership has made a lasting impact on our students and exemplifies the true spirit of community collaboration.

05/25/2026

Happy Memorial Day ❤️🤍💙

05/25/2026

❤️🤍💙