By Sophia Barnum, Michigan FFA Foundation Intern
After more than three decades, agricultural education has returned to St. Johns High School, bringing with it a new wave of enthusiasm, community partnership and student opportunity.
The process began in July 2023 when newly appointed Superintendent Anthony Berthiaume received interest from local stakeholders eager to see agriculture and FFA return to St. Johns. “Several community members and organizations reached out to the district, expressing interest in establishing an agriculture science/FFA program,” Berthiaume shared. “Together, we devised a marketing plan targeting students and families, which included social media campaigns, informational sessions at both the middle and high school levels and community outreach.”
That interest quickly took root. By spring 2024, the district confirmed strong student enthusiasm and officially moved forward with hiring Mrs. Samantha Buggia as the agriscience teacher. The St. Johns Board of Education approved the program in June 2024, paving the way for the FFA chapter to officially launch that fall.
Now, just a year later, more than 70 students are enrolled across three agricultural courses, animal science, plants and wildlife and Veterinary Science, with over 50 active members leading the way.
“The students are eager to try everything,” said Buggia. “They come to every FFA event and activity with enthusiasm, constantly sharing ideas and exploring what other chapters are doing. This year alone, we launched a blood drive and spaghetti dinner, with even more events planned.”
The program’s growth has been fueled by incredible community support. Partnerships with the city of St. Johns and Smith/Chant Farms helped secure a land lab, while additional collaborations with Feldpausch Precision Services, Kurt Marvel from Pioneer Seeds and AgroLiquid provided essential resources and equipment. AgroLiquid donated a greenhouse, and the Bancroft family contributed funding to make it fully operational.
Berthiaume expressed pride in what the students and community have achieved so far. “The future of our agriculture science program and FFA chapter is bright, thanks to the dedication of our students, Mrs. Buggia and our supportive community and organizational partners.”
Early accomplishments include two teams advancing to the Michigan FFA State Convention in the chapter’s first year, with the Agricultural Issues contest team winning the state contest and competing at the National FFA Convention Oct. 29-Nov.1.
For Buggia, the excitement lies in what the program means for her students. “It’s incredible to watch students discover a passion for agriculture, food and natural resources, exploring career paths they didn’t even know existed,” she said. “This program provides students with a truly unique learning experience by combining real-world application with hands-on learning.”
Rooted in community support and student passion, St. Johns FFA is cultivating a program that’s making a lasting difference in how young people learn, lead and connect with agriculture.
