Liberty Ranch FFA Chapter Celebrates a Month of Leadership, Competition, and Recruitment

This month was a very busy and exciting one for our FFA chapter, filled with competitions, leadership opportunities, and events welcoming future members!

We kicked off the month strong by attending the Buckle Bonanza speaking competition in Palermo. At Buckle Bonanza, Abby Woods and Caitlynn Camacho competed in Prepared Speaking, while Ray Bradley, Ainsley Robbins, and Anja Hospenthal competed in Impromptu Speaking. Tenley Messersmith and Emma McLain represented our chapter in the Creed Speaking event. Ray and Ainsley qualified for the final round, with Ray earning second place in Impromptu Speaking and taking home a belt buckle for his achievement! We are very proud of all our members who competed and represented our chapter so well.

Following Buckle Bonanza, we held our monthly chapter FFA meeting, where we welcomed 8th graders from local middle schools. During the meeting, the students participated in a scavenger hunt that helped them learn more about FFA and what our school has to offer. We continued 8th grade recruitment when McCaffery, New Hope, and Arcohe 8th grade students returned for Shadow Day, where they got a preview of what it would be to take an Ag Class! During Shadow Day, our floral team demonstrated boutonniere making, students toured the Agriculture Mechanics shop, and our biology students led a fun Skittles Diffusion Lab. The day was a great success and gave students a hands-on look at our programs. Following Shadow Day, we hosted our Open House, welcoming the 8th graders and current Liberty Ranch students to explore everything our chapter has to offer. Members from each pathway were present to showcase their areas and share their experiences.

This month also included exciting leadership opportunities. Our chapter’s sophomores attended the Made for Excellence (MFE) conference, while our juniors traveled to the Advanced Leadership Academy (ALA). These conferences helped students develop personal leadership skills, create and analyze a chapter event, and connect with other members from California FFA chapters.

A huge thank you to all the students who helped make these events successful, including our pathway students, Ag Leadership members, and the floral team. This month truly highlighted the dedication, leadership, and teamwork within our FFA chapter!