Three hundred and thirty FFA members from around the country will travel to Belize this spring for a learning experience like none other. The students will be paired with individual Belize students with similar backgrounds to communicate and exchange on-site training and complete a project aimed at native habitat restoration. Six chapter officers, two teachers, and one university student from the Montague FFA Chapter will be in attendance. GreenStone's Hart branch office stepped up to help support the event. The employees firmly believe in supporting youth in agriculture and expanding students' horizons to problems facing agriculture not only in Michigan, but on an international scale.
“The students came into the branch excited and eager about FFA and by the opportunity to learn from traveling to another country. The younger people from a small community like Montague do not always get the learning opportunities that this will provide,” says Financial Services Officer Kimberly Sadler. “The opportunity for young adults to learn about the importance of agriculture also provides them with a greater understanding of the challenges and rewards of the agricultural industry.”
"This spring, our FFA chapter will be embarking on a journey to Belize in order to engage and explore the connection between food, fiber and natural resources in an international setting. Six chapter officers, two teachers, and one university student will have the opportunity to go abroad, due in large part to the corporate partnerships that we have cultivated. Thanks to generous contributions from companies like GreenStone, we will have the opportunity to explore Mayan villages, taste locally made chocolate, touch the crops in a seaweed farm, and swim in the largest coral reef in the western hemisphere. We will bring back the experiences we gather in Belize, and contribute to a growing trend of improved agricultural literacy -- but from a global perspective," says Montague FFA Chapter Adviser Carson Letot.
“For two weeks at the end of March and beginning of April, I have the opportunity to go on a trip to Belize along other students. This trip is set up to be educational and we will be given the opportunity to see the agriculture and culture of Belize, as well as gain experiences that we will be able to bring back to our home town,” adds Montague FFA Chapter President Caitlin Coppess.
Aligning with their mission of cultivating and developing future leaders in the agriculture industry, GreenStone is honored to support Montague FFA Chapter as they embark on the journey of a lifetime. The cooperative takes pride in supporting its members and the personal development of youth in agriculture. Getting involved in the community and interacting with neighbors, friends, colleagues and customers is an important part of GreenStone’s four core values:
Customer First • Deliver Quality • Get Involved • Do the Right Thing
Thank you, Hart, for exemplifying GreenStone’s mission!
