Posted by Bruce Wood on Jan 10, 2024


FFA students representing Humble ISD high schools speak before members of the Rotary Club of Lake Houston Area and share their stories raising animals for the FFA program and how the upcoming Humble ISD Livestock Show and Auction completes their educational experience in the program. 
 
Everyone knows the best steak or just about any kind of meat dish is best when it’s cooked fresh. On Feb. 1st the public will have the opportunity to purchase steers, lambs, swine, rabbits, turkeys, and/or goats at auction directly from the farmers and help local high school students too.

Humble ISD’s 77th Livestock Show and Auction returns to the Humble Civic Center, 8233 Will Clayton Pkwy., in Humble starting Saturday, Jan. 27th with judging for the Ag Mechanics Show and ends with the livestock auction on Feb. 1st.

The animals at auction are raised by Humble ISD high school students as part of the district’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) program. The money they earn from auctioning their animals goes towards the cost of raising their livestock.



Humble ISD FFA students take and answer questions from the audience after their presentation.

Five of these amazing FFA students recently attended a Rotary Club of Lake Houston Area Rotary luncheon to explain the FFA program and some of the lessons they have learned while raising their animals. They were Sarah Keesecker, 12th grade, Atascocita High School; AnneMarie Sokol, 12th grade, Kingwood Park High School; Saniyah Johnson, 11th grade, Humble High School; Kennedy Walton, Summer Creek High School; and Marlee Lindseth, 12th grade, Kingwood High School.

These young ladies stood in front of a room full of Rotarians and explained what it was like to raise their animals for auction and some of the things they learned. While their animal is not a pet, it turns out all of them name their animals and try not to get too attached knowing they will become a food source after auction. Giving them a name helps them to connect with the animal for when they are showing it at auction.

The program is actually a Humble ISD class for school credit when completed.  The students learned skills you wouldn’t necessarily expect from raising an animal. For example, they were all well-spoken and they shared public speaking was something they learned from FFA. They also learned responsibility. Taking care of a living creature that needs tending develops that skill. Most were also going to utilize what they learned about raising animals when they went on to college and chose a major in a related field.

There are several different ways listed on the district’s website where the public can support these kids financially. You can win an auction bid for an animal; purchase an animal through a “freezer sale” (animals not auctioned available for purchase); donate money to an “admin bid” with the meat donated to Humble Area Assistance Ministries (H.A.A.M.); or with an “add-on” dollar amount donated to a participating student of your choice. (The money is “added-on” as an extra to whatever they earn from the auction and the form must be turned in to the staff at the auction table on Thursday, Feb. 1st.  Click HERE for the add-on form.) 

You may see animals you wish to bid on prior to the auction during judging at the show. On Monday, Jan. 29th judging for rabbits will be held; Tuesday, Jan. 30 judging is for turkeys, lambs, and goats. On Wednesday, Jan 31st, judging will be held for swine and steers. A detailed schedule of events is HERE.

The Special Kids’ Day and Tour will also be held on Wednesday for Humble ISD special needs children. The Rotary Club of Lake Houston Area (formerly Humble Rotary) has supported Humble ISD’s Special Kids’ Day since it was founded by Rotarian Glenn Redmon and his wife, Karla, thirty-seven years ago. The Rotary Club maintains a restricted-fund in Redmon’s name to provide financially for this annual event and supplies Rotarian volunteers to help as needed.

The livestock auction is held Thursday, Feb 1st along with the 4-H Food Auction.

For more information about the Livestock Show and Auction visit: https://www.humbleisd.net/page/livestock-show

The Humble Rodeo and Concert is separate from the Livestock Show and Auction but it also benefits Humble ISD students through the Humble ISD Education Foundation. The Rodeo and Concert is held Feb. 2nd, 3rd, and 4th at the Humble Civic Center. The Rodeo also hosts a BBQ Cookoff on Jan. 26th and 27th.  For more information about the Rodeo, Concerts and Cookoff visit: https://www.humblerodeo.com/

Rotary Club of Lake Houston Area members and guests meet at 11:45 a.m. most Wednesdays for their weekly lunch meeting at the Lake Houston Family YMCA, 2420 West Lake Houston Pkwy. in Kingwood. Visitors wishing to learn more about Rotary are welcome.

The Summer Creek Satellite Rotary Club meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month at 8:30 a.m., at Generation Park 3rd floor Nimble Office Suite, 250 Assay St., Houston.

For more information about Rotary or membership, visit www.LHARotary.com or search for our Facebook page @LakeHoustonAreaRotary.