The Sleepy Eye FFA members met with their Wee Deliver Buddies from St. Mary’s and Sleepy Eye Public. Members and third graders had milk and cookies while discussing their favorite things. Pictured here is FFA member Camryn Maher (left) with her buddy, Sara Seifert (right).
Adam Johnson (left), FFA President, gets to know his 3rd grade buddy, Anthony (right), as they meet at the end of year Get Together.
Members of the Sleepy Eye FFA Chapter went to the Sleepy Eye Care Center and Countryside to wrap up the year of the Adopt-a-Senior Program. Pictured l to r – front: Madi Martinez, Kenley Jensen, Kenedi Wersal, Isaac Lendt, Winsten Nienhaus. Back: Noah Rossbach, Alex Confer, Rheanna Stone, Jaden Yack, Ari Krzmarzick, Izzy Kunkel, Chloe Howe, Andrew Ramos, Lucia Martinez. Not pictured: Chloe Walter, Marcus Martinez, Kyle Capacia.
By: Chloe Howe, Chapter Reporter
The end of the year is a time to wrap up the Wee Deliver PALS and Adopt-a-Senior Programs for FFA members. We had get-together events for both schools with their third grade buddies for Wee Deliver and for Adopt-a-Senior we went to the Sleepy Eye Care Center and Countryside.
The Wee Deliver Program ended with a “My Favorites” activity and milk and cookies with their buddies. WEE DELIVER BUDDIES: When Everyone is Excited about Doing Excellent work Learning Is Very Enjoyable and Rewarding. By Understanding that Doing things in Duos Is Encouraging, we attain Success!
This program involved 64 FFA members writing letters to third-grade students at the Sleepy Eye Schools. The FFA truly appreciates the cooperation from all of the third-grade teachers: Mrs. Sittig and Mrs. Jensen from Sleepy Eye Public, and Mrs. Mathiowetz from St. Mary’s.
The purpose of the program is to connect high school students with elementary students by writing letters back and forth over the year in order to get to know each other better, as well as to practice writing skills for the students. Through the Wee Deliver Program, FFA members have the opportunity to serve as role models for the elementary students while also creating friendships.
64 FFA members also participated in the Adopt-a-Senior program from the beginning of the school year by making cards each month for a “senior” resident in the community through the Adopt-a-Senior Program. These residents live at the Sleepy Eye Care Center and at Countryside Assisted Living.
The purpose of this project is to help members connect with a different generation and learn to appreciate the relationships they can make. FFA teaches students to reach out and give more of themselves to others by being involved in the Adopt-A-Senior Program.
At the end of May, 17 of the FFA members went to play bingo and play various games with the residents. It was a great time and was finally time for us to go back into the facilities after Covid. All the members left with smiles on their faces. This program will continue to thrive and grow within the Sleepy Eye community in future years.