Chief Washakie FFA awarded grant for Flock to Fork program

WORLAND — Worland High School and Chief Washakie FFA received $7,000 from two grants for an egg and garden project.

Worland High School received a $2,000 grant for their flock to fork program. The grant is provided through Farm Credit Services of America’s (FCSAmerica) Working Here Fund.

Chief Washakie FFA President Odalys Osorio-Alcala, and FFA Advisor Grace Godfrey wrote and submitted a grant proposal for $5,000 to the Wyoming FFA Foundation through Farm Credit Services. The proposal was approved for the total amount.

Chief Washakie FFA members will use the Working Here Fund grant and the FFA Foundation funds to purchase chicks, feeding and watering tools, as well as materials to build raised garden beds. The students will raise the chickens for egg production and will build the garden beds to grow fruits and vegetables. The garden beds will be located in the courtyard of Worland High School for easy access by students.

According to Godfrey, after securing permission from WHS Principal Wade Sanford and head custodian Paul Ramos, the kids were off and running. The proposal was written to cover the cost of building supplies for the raised beds as well as a chicken coop. Advanced Horticulture students met with Andrea Cooley from West Side Elementary about the submitted bed project. The students took measurements, gathered ideas, and put together a flower, fruit and vegetable seed, and bare root list. Students put together a materials list and submitted it to Bloedorn Lumber.

With the help of former Chief Washakie FFA member and current Bloedorn Lumber employee Makaylynn White, they could place a special order for the supplies. Once the materials are delivered, the building of the beds will begin. Horticulture students will add soil to the beds as they are completed this fall and winter, Godfrey said.

Some seeds will be started indoors in the greenhouse, while others will be planted outdoors closer to when school is getting out.

Like the project at West Side Elementary, the chapter will have workdays in the summer to weed, prune and harvest. Produce will be shared amongst the members and the culinary program at Worland High School.

“Permission to have chickens in town for school use was also approved by Worland Police Captain Zack Newton to ensure we were in compliance with the city of Worland’s variance,” Godfrey said.

Students in Godfrey’s ag projects class are building the chicken coop. They started construction from a delivery crate and have the trusses built and in place, sides on, door in, and tin is covering the outside. The remaining produce and eggs will then be donated to the “Grow a Little Extra” program through the Wyoming Hunger Initiative.

“We are proud to support organizations dedicated to addressing food and hunger issues in our local communities,” said Melany Kizzire, regional vice president of retail operations at FCSAmerica’s Casper office.

Worland High School is one of 55 organizations to receive a Working Here Fund grant in the second quarter of 2021. FCSAmerica awarded $92,510 during the latest grant cycle ending Sept. 30.