Waverly FFA and 4-H Collaborate at the Tioga County Fair

Tioga County FFA chapters are excited to announce a new partnership with 4-H at this year’s Tioga County Fair, taking place Aug. 5-9, 2025. This collaboration creates an incredible opportunity for youth in agriculture to come together and showcase their skills, leadership, and dedication to their projects. A special thank you goes to the Tioga County Agricultural Society for making this partnership possible and for their continued commitment to agricultural education.

The National FFA Organization is an intracurricular student organization that works hand in hand with agricultural education programs across the country. FFA follows the three-circle model of agricultural education: classroom instruction, Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE), and leadership development. This approach ensures students gain technical knowledge, leadership skills, and real-world experience that prepare them for college and careers.

Tioga County is proud to have active FFA chapters in Newark Valley, Owego, Spencer-Van Etten, Tioga, and Waverly. Each chapter offers students opportunities to develop personal growth, career success, and leadership skills through hands-on projects. One important part of the three-circle model is the SAE, which allows students to apply classroom learning to real-world experiences such as raising livestock, managing crops, or operating agribusiness ventures. These projects teach responsibility, problem-solving, and time management while helping students discover future career paths.

This year at the Tioga County Fair, Waverly FFA members will proudly showcase their SAE projects, which include rabbit showing, meat chicken showing, and laying hen showing. For many students, this will be their first time exhibiting poultry at the fair.

Waverly FFA Vice President and Waverly High School senior Shylea Swank shared her excitement about the new experience, stating, “In just two short weeks, three fellow FFA members and I will be taking part in our very first Poultry/ Meat Chicken SAE project at the Tioga County Fair. We’re making sure our chickens are on a consistent feeding schedule with the right nutrition to keep them healthy and at the ideal weight. As we get closer to the fair, I’m most excited to see all of our hard work pay off. The four of us have put a lot of time into raising and caring for our chickens, and we’re looking forward to showing them to the judges and talking to people at the auction.”

Tioga Central FFA will also be well represented at the fair. Students from Tioga will exhibit their SAE beef projects, demonstrating proper care and handling of their beef animals while showcasing their knowledge of the species.

Both Waverly and Tioga FFA will participate in the Tioga County Livestock Auction on Saturday, Aug. 9 at 6 p.m. Waverly members will be selling three pens of Cornish Cross meat chickens (three birds per pen), and Tioga FFA will be offering one market beef animal. This is a fantastic opportunity for community members to support local youth and invest in the future of agriculture.

The collaboration between FFA and 4-H at this year’s fair highlights the commitment of these organizations to developing the next generation of agricultural leaders. Both programs give students a platform to learn, grow, and connect with their community through meaningful, hands-on experiences. Everyone is invited to join them at the Tioga County Fair, watch the shows, and support these hardworking students at the auction.