FFA students participating in a workshop.

Each April, California FFA members elect six outstanding individuals to represent them as California’s state officers. The officers have various duties, one of which includes traveling throughout California to visit High School FFA Chapters giving leadership and educational workshops. On Sunday October 31st, Lindsey Anderson, State Vice- President, and Jessica Vazquez, State Reporter, arrived in Fillmore to visit our chapter.

Lindsey is a 2010 graduate from Escalon, CA, where she participated in CDE’s like parliamentary procedure, job interviews, and Ag sales. Her SAE projects were swine and she was an Agriscience National Winner. Lindsey held FFA officer positions of Secretary and President in her Chapter, as well as Vice-President in the Delta-Cal Section. Lindsey’s favorite aspects of FFA are the opportunities it offers students and she believes the organization can change members lives. I asked Lindsey what influenced her to become an FFA member. She explained that her parents were FFA members in High School, and that they got her interested in the organization.

Jessica Vazquez likes how diverse FFA is and how it can reach so many students from different backgrounds. Jessica, whose father is an Ag Teacher, graduated in 2010 and is from Cottonwood, California. She was active as Chapter Reporter, Secretary and President. She also was a Regional Reporter and President. Jessica enjoyed SAE swine, lamb and steer projects and her CDE’s included fruit tree judging, Ag issues and prepared public speaking. Jessica’s parliamentary procedure team was 2nd in the Nation. When asked why she ran for state office, Jessica said she wanted the opportunity to positively impact students’ lives.

The evening started with Mr. Ricards and the chapter officers taking Lindsey and Jessica to dinner and then to the Haunted House at the School Farm. We were joined at the farm by Santa Paula FFA Chapter Officers and their visiting officers Casey Erickson, State Sentinel, and Jacquelynne Garcia, State Secretary. On Monday, the Ag Careers and Technology class enjoyed a workshop taught by the state officers that included making butter and games to encourage communication. The remaining Ag classes participated in a workshop that explored Ag careers and educational pathways. While in Fillmore, the state officers were able to take a tour of Beylik Farms. Beylik Farms is a family business that produces hydroponicaly grown tomatoes, cucumbers and other produce. The state officers said they were impressed at the technology and the process used to grow the produce. The state officers were then taken to the Fillmore Unified School District office to meet District Superintendent Mr. Jeff Sweeney and Assistant Superintendent Mr. Mike Bush.

The state officers visit was a great experience. It was impressive to watch them interact with students in the classroom and watch how they represented FFA while visiting our community. Fillmore FFA Chapter would like to thank Lindsey Anderson and Jessica Vazquez for visiting our chapter and being great mentors for each FFA member.

Brooke Aguirre is the Fillmore FFA Chapter Reporter