FFA Banquet

It is time for the FFA Fried Chicken Circuit. That is what one of the reader's calls my ventures to various meetings over a year. Last night was time for the Fayetteville FFA Banquet where Matt teaches ag.

He has a neat relationship with the Home Ec teacher, now called FCCLA instead of FHA, where her students prepares the meal for the FFA Banquet. It was chicken Parmesan instead of fried chicken and was very tasty.

The FFA Parent Member Banquet is an annual event for most FFA Chapters where the members and supporters receive recognition of hard work and support over the school year. I was solely in charge of 24 of those wonderful events when the kids get so nervous over their speaking assignments. I tried to let the members run the show like Matt did last night.

Speaking has really improved over the years. You could hear every student plainly and clearly. Some rushed their part or didn't speak quite loud enough but I knew what they were saying. That is part of the learning process.

The neat part for me was one parent was anxiously awaiting my arrival. He greeted me at the door. I hadn't seen Jim in years. We talked a long while and it was good to catch up. Then came his mom, just like she looked 30 years ago when Jim was in my class. What a grand reunion!

Jim junior is a member of Matt's class and chapter and I spotted him easily at the beverage table when I got our lemonade. Then came John Frazier and he looked at me, his eyes got big and he shouted out Mr. Winkle! He said his grand daughter was in Matt's class and she told him his teacher was Mr. Winkle and he wondered if I was still teaching. I said no, it was time to turn the reigns over to the next generation.

Seeing Matt's students perform and seeing my former students is always gratifying. It was their ninth annual banquet and Matt''s eighth. What a positive influence my son has had on that good community and they on him. What a great place to work! I tell him all the time his students every year are as good as the best classes I taught over 31 years.

It is so good to see what is right in this country. I just hope our leader's don't mess it up. Let the people do their thing and help them along as they need it. That is all we need, not greed and handouts. That's it, a helping hand, not a handout. Budgets are being hammered out and we have a big task in front of us in Ohio and the US as far as career education goes. I hope they do the right thing, I write and call almost every day.

We seniors have a great opportunity instead of whining about our prescription costs and health care problems. The future is trying to get a foothold and they need our help.

Ed Winkle