Cody Eiland, Pike Agriscience instructor, has been recognized as a 2017 Alabama FFA Advisor of the Year. Eliand will be presented with the Advisor of the Year coat during the Alabama FFA Convention Opening Session on June 7 at the Montgomery Performing Arts Centre.

Dr. Mark Bazzell, Superintendent of Pike County Schools, said he is excited that Eiland is being honored by the FFA.

“We appreciate the job that Mr. Eiland is doing, not only with the FFA, but also with the Ag Academy program at Goshen,” Bazzell said. “We want to congratulate him on an award well deserved.”

Jamie Rich, Pike Agriscience Academy program facilitator/teacher, said Eiland was nominated for the prestigious award by he 2016-2017 Goshen High School FFA Officer team.

Rich said the FFA Chapter was asked to describe three accomplishments that had been achieved during the school year.

The chapter’s response was that it was able to financially support attendance of members at district, state and national events, work together successfully on fundraisers and gain membership through meet and greet socials.

The FFA Chapter was very active during the year. The chapter participated in various contests including livestock evaluation, forestry, dairy evaluation, creed speaking, floriculture, poultry evaluation, horse evaluation, scrapbook, Envirothon, Agriscience Fair projects, vet science and meats evaluation.

The advisor application cited Eiland as the “rock” to hold all events and activities together and a strong supporter and mentor to the student-run organization.

Rich said the FFA Chapter members describe Eiland as very knowledgeable and constantly trying to teach each member something new about agriculture and constantly pointing them in the right direction.

The Goshen FFA Chapter members said Eiland deserves to be a 2017 FFA Advisor of the Year because he cares for each and every student and is involved in every aspect of the FFA organization as a mentor. They are impressed by his dedication and determination to improve and grow the agriculture program at GHS.