In April we had 27 students attend the 97th Annual California FFA State Leadership Conference and Expo. Our students attended leadership workshops, met with industry workers and college representatives to find their place in agriculture. Students attended seven sessions hearing from supporters, leaders, and educators in the agriculture community. Along with that we had students competing in their state speaking competitions, voting delegates, and courtesy corp.
Congratulations to our 2025 State Degree Recipients!! This year we had over 23 students who received this degree: Micah Acosta, Macy Bode, Avery Bozzoli, Reid Brown, Jr Cruz, Kasandra Donato, Kaelin Dynes, Riley Frank, Tristyn Henson, James Johnson, Nolan Kavanaugh, West Kijsriopas, Jerryn Kilby, Mitchell Matteoli, Brook McNeese, Ethan Pena, Warren Pennsy, Jerab Pino, Megan Secor, Chayse Semas, Jacob Van Reusen, Jesse Vasquez and Holden Walsh.
Another congratulations to those who competed in the Regional Speaking Contests: Kyla Benzinger, Kaelin Dynes, Ethan Pena, Holden Walsh, and those who placed in Impromptu - Maddie Van Vleck (1st Place), Michael German (3rd Place), Prepared - Jake Van Reusen (1st Place) Extemproaneous - West Kijsriopas (4th Place), Brennig Davies-Hughes (5th Place), Job Interview - Karsyn Hammer (4th Place), Makela Rabang (6th Place), Parliamentary Procedure - 1st Place Team - Sage Nord, (High Chairman), Karsyn Hammer (High Debater), and our Star Supporting Staff Kären Hammer. We are proud of you all!!
The last week of February, our Chapter President, Karsyn Hammer, attended the Sacramento Leadership Experience (SLE). Only 75 seniors across the state are selected to attend this week long conference. Students step into the role of one of California's State Legislators to learn about the role of government, agricultural policy and advocacy. They are tasked with 20 bills to debate and work the enactment system. This is the most prestigious conference an FFA member can attend and we are so proud of her ambition to attend this conference!
The overall EHS theme was "EHS Gets Animated" and our chapter chose the Back at the Barnyard movie. We decorated our trailer with an old tractor, had ponies, mules and horses walk along side our trailer, and had students in amazing farm animal costumes!
Our float placed first in the club float categories!! Thank you to all the students and parents who helped decorate our float and made it turn out amazing!
For 6 weeks out the summer, National FFA puts on a leadership conference in Washington D.C. In June of 2024, Karsyn Hammer traveled solo to attend Week 2 of the Washington Leadership Conference (WLC). At this conference, she learned the importance of making a difference in your community with what you have. Throughout WLC, members learn what a service-learning project is and how to bring it back to their community. They also work with Meals of Hope and to process and package over 65,000 meals in just 3 hours for those in need in Washington in D.C.
We are so proud of all our members that showed and sold at the Humboldt County Fair!!
Cavy Team: Holden Walsh, Kelsi Edmonds
Rabbit Team: Bridget Ziesak
Goat Team: Charli Roberts, Maddie Van Vleck, Zoey Bazzano
Sheep Team: Marin Matteoli, Kiarra Plante, Jerryn Kilby, Emmaleigh Mikkelsen
Steer Team: Karsyn Hammer
Hog Team: Kiarra Plante, Mya Huan, Holden Walsh, Josh Peterson, Brook McNeese, West Kijsriopas, Maleah Frank, Veronica Diaz, Makela Rabang, Sage Nord, Kaelin Dynes, Jacob Van Reusen, Jerab Pino, Knolin Callender, Xavier Lynn, Whilder Kijsriopas, Michael German, Ethan Pena, Madison Wiensz, Warren Pennsy, Braelyn Frank, Mariusz Pennsy, Tiffany Harris
A couple weeks after school ends we have students who show at the Redwood Acres Fair. We are proud to say that we have students showing in almost each species!!
Cavies - Charli Roberts, West Kijsriopas, Holden Walsh, and Whilder Kijsriopas
Turkey - Kiarra Plante
Goat - West Kijsriopas, Whilder Kijsriopas, Charli Roberts, Holden Walsh, Maddie Van Vleck, and Hayden Edmonds
Sheep - Sage Nord, Kiarra Plante, Charli Roberts, and Megan Perkins
Hogs - Tyler Johnston, Kyle Johnston, Clark Green and Kiarra Plante
Steers - Karsyn Hammer
Dairy Heifers - Whilder Kijsriopas and Charli Roberts
The biggest event our chapter holds all year, our chapter banquet, was such a fun event! We had such a great time showcasing and presenting all of the awards members received today, as well as installing our officer team for the 2024-25 school year. If you want to revisit the slide show we watched at the end of the banquet, you can press the link below.
Thank you to all the members and their families who came to celebrate the school year. Congratulations to everyone who received awards, scholarships, were recognized for the SAE projects or CDE/LDE teams, and the new officer team!