Pekin FFA receives national grant

The Pekin FFA Chapter has developed a plan to tackle an environmental issue in the community and received a national grant to bring its ideas to life.

The Pekin FFA Chapter received a $1,944.00 grant from the National FFA Organization?s Living to Serve: Environmental Grant program and will begin their yearlong environmental project when school resumes.

The project began with training students in the IOWATER Volunteer water quality monitoring program. Students from sixth through 11th grade were certified through the program this past spring. Working with Ryan Rasmussen and the Wapello County NRCS, the students will help monitor the Compentine Creek Watershed. Seven sites have been identified in the watershed and data will be collected four times per year. Students will learn valuable science skills while analyzing water for nitrite/nitrate, pH, chloride and other concerns while understanding the importance of taking care of natural resources as a volunteer.

The National FFA Organization makes grant funds available for FFA chapters to develop service-learning projects that impact environmental issues in their community. Chapters may apply for up to $2,000 to support yearlong service-learning projects focused on developing and implementing projects that address local environmental needs. The service-learning method challenged members to identify, research, develop and implement solutions to needs within their school or community.