Students participate in a water balloon fight during Clarke Central High School’s National FFA Organization chapter’s back-to-school cookout outside CCHS. After the success of their first event, the organization’s officers organized a second cookout and tournament. “(At) our last meeting, we had an outdoor cookout and water balloon fight, and we had (a) really good turnout, and it was really fun,” CCHS chapter’s Vice President Elle Cranston, a junior, said. “So, we thought, ‘Let’s do something similar outside, like (a) cookout and one of our teachers just suggested a kickball tournament.’” Photo courtesy of Elle Cranston
From 3:40 to 5 p.m., an after school cookout and kickball tournament will be hosted by CCHS’ National FFA Organization chapter on Sept. 24.
With hamburgers, hotdogs, line dancing and friendly competition Clarke Central High School students are invited to kick back with kickball after school on Sept. 24.
CCHS’ National Future Farmers of America Organization chapter will hold a cookout and kickball tournament on the CCHS softball field. The event will run from 3:40 to 5 p.m. and feature dancing, food, music, and kickball.
“Our students went to a state-level (FFA) organization meeting where they got to participate in something very similar to this (kickball tournament), and they absolutely loved it,” CCHS FFA adviser and Career, Technical and Agricultural Education department teacher Levi Carr-Brooks said. “We felt like we should bring it back here to Clarke Central and use our space accordingly for this kickball tournament and get everybody excited to be collaborative.”
After their first cookout on Aug. 24, this tournament is the second FFA-hosted community event taking place this school year. FFA student officers like the CCHS FFA vice president and Elle Cranston, a junior, led the planning and preparation for this event.
“I hope we have a good turnout. Usually the first meeting we have a lot more people because it’s the first meeting (and) people are really excited,” Cranston said. “I hope we have a lot of people participating (too). I know that not everyone will want to do kickball specifically, but as long as people aren’t standing around and doing nothing.”
“Our students went to a state-level (FFA) organization meeting where they got to participate in something very similar to this (kickball tournament), and they absolutely loved it,”
— Levi Carr-Brooks,
CCHS FFA adviser and Career, Technical and Agricultural Education department teacher
All CCHS students and faculty are welcome to the cookout and do not need to participate in the tournament to attend. This will be the first tournament held by CCHS’ FFA and Carr-Brooks hopes to encourage students to find their connection to agriculture.
“Just as we’re trying to bring the community into the school and get them excited for all of our different events, we want this to also build community,” Carr-Brooks said. “We want this to allow students to feel like this is a welcome space for them. There’s a lot of uncertainty, and we want to be able to provide that little breath of fresh air for them after school.”
