Barren FFA student’s video makes top 10

By GINA KINSLOW

GLASGOW — A Barren County FFA student is close to winning big bucks for herself and for her FFA chapter.

Haley Fisher, a sophomore at Barren County High School, entered a video contest sponsored by the Kentucky Soybean Growers Association for high school FFA chapter members.

The object of the contest is to deliver a positive message regarding farmers and their commitment to animal agriculture and the safety and well-being of the animals they produce, according to the Kentucky Soybean Growers Association’s Web site.

The top 10 entries were chosen by a panel of agricultural media professionals, and Fisher's video is among the top 10.

The videos were selected for the top 10 based their creativity, message and factual information.

Fisher filmed the video at her family’s farm in Barren County.

“One of the rules was you had to base it on a certain fact,” she said. “So we chose one we could apply and video at my farm.”

The contest rules contained a list of facts about various aspects of agriculture the FFA members could use as a basis for their video. Fisher chose to base her video on grazing animals, such as beef cattle.

“We went out to the farm where we videotaped the cattle and we talked about some of the facts on the video,” she said.

Fisher's FFA adviser said he believes the project is a good way of letting everyone know what agriculture is all about.

“I think this is a great opportunity for FFA members to utilize new and real world technology. It also is very positive way of telling agriculture's true story. It seems daily that agriculture comes under fire from misinformed individuals,” said Chris Schalk, Hick’s FFA adviser. “Projects such as the one Haley is involved in helps to educate a population that knows less and less about the real story of agriculture and where there food comes from.”

From the top 10 videos, first-, second-, and third-place winners will be chosen based on their popularity on youtube.com

The first-place winner will receive $3,000 individually and their FFA chapter will also receive $3,000. The second-place winner and their FFA chapter will each receive $2,000 and the third-place winner and their FFA chapter will receive $1,000 each. Students who place fourth through 10th place will receive $100.

If Fisher wins the competition, money the chapter receives will go to help cover the cost for field trips for the chapter and for competitions the chapter participates in.

“Something we’ve tried to tell everybody is it’s not just benefitting me personally,” she said. “It’s also giving money to the FFA Chapter, which is something we look forward to more than anything.”

The video was posted on the school district’s Web site, announced on the school’s radio station and e-mails were sent to teachers encouraging them to view the Web sites. The more the video is viewed, the more likely Fisher will win the competition. As of Nov. 12 Hick’s video was tied for fourth-place.

“We’re really excited about the video,” she said. “It was a lot to make the top 10. You really find out how much your school supports you. Students and teachers have spoken to their classes and told them to go and vote so you really see how everybody supports everybody around here, which is a great thing.”