For some people, the Future Farmers of America may bring to mind an image of boys involved in rough, dirty work.

However, Fort Mill High's FFA chapter is a coed program that encourages young men and women alike to "live healthy lives, to become active in the community, and to be all that they can be," according to club president, senior Bethany Vawter.

Fort Mill's FFA has an approximate five-to-one ratio of females to males and recently, the young women of the group had a chance to show it's softer side. They competed in an FFA benefit pageant hosted by Crescent High School in Iva.

"FFA is not all about farming, contrary to what many people think, but it is about anyone that wants a career dealing with the farm, fiber, or natural resource industry and other related things," Vawter says. "A lot of girls want to go into veterinary medicine, which many guys aren't interested in."

Kristin Mackey, the club's advisor, explained that there's much more to FFA than people realize.

"We believe in premier leadership, personal growth and career success," she said. FFA's motto is "Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve" and running the club is not without its challenges.

"I grew up in a farming community in which my FFA consisted of a lot of rural kids," Mackey explains. "Here, a lot of my students have not grown up on farms, but have family pets at home, which is great, because that gives us a common ground."

Mackey is in her second year as an agricultural educator and FFA advisor. Under her guidance, four young women who were members of Fort Mill's FFA chapter last spring had the opportunity to compete in the pageant, which was a fundraiser for breast cancer research. Participants from Fort Mill High were Priscilla McNulty, Madelene Newton, Emily Adkins, and Vawter. They all represented their school well in both interview and formal dress competitions, and each competitor was responsible for completing a "Supervised Agricultural Experience," which involved the application of concepts learned in the classroom in a practical, hands-on manner.

Newton, the club's former vice president, says it was "a great experience."

"I had never done anything like that and I think it gave me a lot of self confidence," Newton adds. "It was also a great time to bond with other girls that were interested in the FFA."

McNulty describes herself as honored to be part of an event which "brought all the girls together from FFA chapters throughout South Carolina. It really gave me the confidence to do things I would normally not have done."

These two young women, and a third, Adkins, were all seniors who graduated from Fort Mill High in 2008. Vawter was crowned the pageant's Miss Congeniality by her peers from FFA clubs throughout the state. She intends to join Clemson's collegiate FFA chapter next year.

"I will be a sponsor of FFA for as long as possible," she says. "FFA helped me work for what I want and become a better leader. I worked really hard to become president. I started at the bottom, but I never gave up."

Vawter says support from her friends and family was instrumental to her success in the pageant and she also wishes to thank her animal science teacher and FFA advisor - Mackey - for her support.

"She played a huge role in helping me get ready," Vawter says.

FFA has another busy year planned, according to Mackey. Already, the chapter has made plans to start a citrus fundraiser.

"We will also sell poinsettias during November for delivery around the first of December," she says.

"Four FFA officers and myself are going to the FFA National Convention in Indianapolis Ind., Oct. 22 to Oct. 25," Mackey says, and, "several members will also be attending the Clemson football game Saturday, Sept. 27, for the FFA Alumni Agricultural Tailgate."

To round off the busy year, a Christmas party and an appearance in the annual Fort Mill Christmas Parade are planned. FFA will be doing community service projects throughout the year, as well.