Student dress-up days included “dress as your favorite Ag Teacher Day”. These students dressed up like Mr. Dressman, FFA Advisor (Center). Photo courtesy of Gridley FFA

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – Gridley High School, along with Live Oak and Biggs high schools, celebrated National FFA Week.

GHS FFA planned another week of dress-up days and activities, culminating in the annual barbecue and barn dance.

The week began with “Blue Collar vs. White Collar” day, followed by “Denim Tuesday,” “Dress as Your Favorite Ag Teacher Wednesday,” “Camo Thursday” and “America Friday,” where everyone wore red, white and blue.

As tradition dictates, the five-day stretch of activities reached its peak on Friday, Feb. 27, as GHS FFA and LOHS FFA faced off in the County Line Cook-Off. The annual competition allows FFA students to showcase their handcrafted barbecues and put them to the test. Winners were selected in two divisions: Best Barrel BBQ and Best Other.

Gridley hosted the event this year in the ag area parking lot.

Barbecues smoked and filled the air with scent as the second portion of the cook-off commenced. Student pairs prepared and cooked tasting submissions on their barbecues in their chosen categories: beef, pork, wild game and other.

Eve Sherer, GHS FFA reporter, said Gridley dominated the County Line Cook-Off for another consecutive year, winning both barbecue competition categories and taking three of the four taste-testing divisions.

“A hit at the BBQ contest was duck jalapeno poppers made by Billy Routon and Branson Busch,” said Sherer.

Also scoring a win for Gridley were Gemma Donati and Grace Leishman with their “Batman”-inspired barbecue.

Other winning teams from Gridley included Carson Allard and Rodrigo Martinez, and Hunter Dewsnup and Ethan Rickertson.

After school-hour festivities, GHS FFA hosted a barn dance in the large barn behind the GHS baseball fields from 5 to 7 p.m.

“We hired a DJ and had food trucks for the students, as well as free popcorn,” Sherer said. “We had FFA members who weren’t from Gridley attend, in addition to many Gridley FFA members. It was well attended.”

FFA Week is celebrated nationally each year, typically in February. National FFA Week 2027 is scheduled for Feb. 20-27.