H*4619 Concurrent Resolution, By Sharpe, Rhoad, Riser and Witherspoon
 A Concurrent Resolution commending South Carolina's FFA members, their
 advisors, school administrators, parents, and all who support and encourage
 these students of natural, environmental, and agricultural resources education
 on the occasion of the celebration of National FFA Week, February 17-24, 1996.

   02/15/96  House  Introduced, adopted, sent to Senate HJ-5
   02/15/96  Senate Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence SJ-12

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

COMMENDING SOUTH CAROLINA'S FFA MEMBERS, THEIR ADVISORS, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, PARENTS, AND ALL WHO SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE THESE STUDENTS OF NATURAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES EDUCATION ON THE OCCASION OF THE CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL FFA WEEK, FEBRUARY 17-24, 1996.

Whereas, the FFA Organization is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of young people by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through natural, environmental, and agricultural resources education at the local, state, and national level; and

Whereas, the FFA was organized nationally in 1928 by agricultural education students and was granted a charter by Congress in 1950; and

Whereas, there are more than 7,200 chapters in the fifty states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Guam with an active membership of more than 445,000 students; and

Whereas, through participation in FFA activities, young men and women, ages 12-21, begin preparing for careers in natural, environmental, and agricultural areas; and

Whereas, nationally, seventy-five percent of the FFA members enroll in a two-year or four-year higher education degree program following graduation from high school in preparation for one of the more than two hundred career opportunities which includes more than 8,000 job titles; and

Whereas, with the increasing population and growing demand for highly trained and qualified people in the natural, environmental, and agricultural resources industry, almost ten percent of today's professional positions in these areas go unfilled simply because there are more positions than there are people who understand agriculture; and

Whereas, corporate leaders in America believe so strongly in the proven success of qualified training through FFA that they jointly contribute more than $6 million annually to the National FFA Organization; and

Whereas, more than $1.2 million in higher education scholarships are awarded FFA members nationally each year; and

Whereas, in South Carolina, FFA members earned approximately four million dollars through their supervised natural, environmental, and agricultural experiences in 1995; and

Whereas, the FFA motto, "Learning to Do, Doing To Learn, Earning To Live, and Living To Serve", epitomizes those high standards and qualities of leadership possessed by FFA members; and

Whereas, the theme for the National Celebration of FFA Week, February 17-24, 1996, "Leadership For a Lifetime", underscores the value and importance of this outstanding youth organization; and

Whereas, the FFA Organization and the natural, environmental, and agricultural resource education programs in South Carolina have had tremendous success and have proved valuable in improving the quality of life for many South Carolinians. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina, by this resolution, commends South Carolina's FFA members, their advisors, school administrators, parents, and all who support and encourage these students of natural, environmental, and agricultural resources education on the occasion of the celebration of National FFA Week, February 17-24, 1996.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the officers of the South Carolina Association of FFA..