- December 4, 2025
The FUTURES Foundation and the Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class XXI presents a $17,600 donation to Ormond Beach Middle School. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
OBMS Principal Heather Iannarelli listens as Agriculture teacher Amie Smith explains the school's new agriculture program. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
OBMS Principal Heather Iannarelli and Agriculture teacher Amie Smith listen as School Board Chair Jamie Haynes speaks. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce President Debbie Cotton speaks. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class XXI and Chamber President Debbie Cotton. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Chamber Program Manager Patty Tropea, the Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class XXI and Chamber President Debbie Cotton. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The FUTURES Foundation presents a $17,600 donation to Ormond Beach Middle School. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
FUTURES Foundation Assistant Director Stephanie Parks walks toward the new barn at OBMS, with Chamber Leadership class member Erika Barger, Volusia County Schools Director of Secondary Schools Bill Ryser and Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce President Debbie Cotton. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The covered classroom structure for the new agriculture program at OBMS. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce President Debbie Cotton looks out at the barn under construction as OBMS Principal Heather Iannarelli speaks. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The barn is currently under construction. Once complete, it will be home to goats, sheep and chickens. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
OBMS agriculture teacher Amie Smith speaks in front of the new barn. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
The future of agriculture is taking root at Ormond Beach Middle School.
The Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class XXI and the FUTURES Foundation presented OBMS with a $17,600 donation on Friday, Aug. 22, to support the school's new agriculture program. It's largest donation made by a leadership class to a school to date — the class raised $8,800 and the FUTURES Foundation provided a School District Education Foundation Matching Grant.
"It actually took off faster than we could have expected," said Leadership Class Leader Cassie Dixon. "There were a lot of local companies that either went through leadership and were passionate about that program, or went to Ormond Beach Middle School, or even just were a member of an agriculture program somewhere else. So it seemed to touch people, and we got an outpouring of support from the community."
Every year, the chamber's leadership class is tasked with choosing a community project, with different groups and organizations having the ability to pitch their needs to the class. This year, OBMS Principal Heather Iannarelli came and said the school was interested in bringing back its agriculture elective, one that would feed into Seabreeze High School's.
OBMS was seeking about $1,200 to start a student garden, as well as start construction on a pole barn to house animals.
When Iannarelli found out the school would be receiving over $17,000, she was shocked.
"It just shows how much the community really wants to be a part of supporting our students and their educational growth," Iannarelli said.
Some parents initially believed the program meant students will be learning only about farming, but Iannarelli said it's much more than that.
"They're learning about agricultural literacy, the role of science, math and reading and history and technology, and the history of how agriculture has changed over time, and plants and animals, consumer goods," Iannarelli said. "So much. It's not as basic as everybody thinks it is."
And, when the school starts its Future Farmers of America chapter, it'll be about leadership skills too, she added.
OBMS is offering six classes this year, and they're all full. Students have already put together their classroom's hydroponic towers and composting bins.
The covered classroom structure is already built. The pole barn began construction on Wednesday, Aug. 20. Iannarelli said they hope to start moving in the animals by the end of October.
Being able to present OBMS with such a significant donation has been a "satisfying accomplishment" for their 23-member class, Dixon said. It's about helping younger generations and giving them a passion as they look forward to their high school years.
It's also, she added, a way of instilling a sense of pride that the community supports them and wants them to succeed.
"It's been, overall, really inspiring," Dixon said. "And, [it] ended up being a project not just for the leadership class, but for the entire community to get involved with."
In a press release, Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Debbie Cotton said that the chamber was proud of the class' commitment to giving back.
"With FUTURES Foundation’s match, this project will enrich educational experiences and help launch an exciting new program that benefits both students and our community," Cotton said.
Not only did the leadership class and the FUTURES Foundation provide OBMS with the financial means to start the program, but Iannarelli said they've also gotten a lot of volunteer help.
"What's crazy is a lot of them aren't even parents at our school —they don't have kids here," she said. "... That says a lot about our community
