Elgin FFA Continuing a Legacy of Agriculture at FFA Nationals
By Garrett Christensen on Tuesday, December 20th, 2022 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
ELGIN – The FFA has a long and storied history that continues to evolve to this day. Chapters from every size and every state are constantly forging their own legacies of agricultural, vocational and leadership prowess. For some, this may involve a focus in a specific field of study while others may boast about a roster of members that have gone on to do great things. As with all skills and knowledge built up by FFA members over the years, however, these chapter histories and member achievements are best showcased at FFA National Convention. Continuing the coverage of Eastern Oregon’s various Chapters experiences at Nationals is the Elgin Chapter
In addition to the expected workshops, activities and speakers, Elgin’s experience was marked by an exemplary performance of the chapter, and the impact the event had on students. In total, Elgin had six current students attend along with two American FFA Degree recipients, Tymra Anderson and Sarah Baker. In addition, the chapter earned a one-star national ranking and had one student earn a silver ranking in the Outdoor Recreation proficiency. Elgin FFA advisor and ag instructor Daniel Bolen reflected on the chapter’s overall experience and what it meant to the attending students, stating:
“It was just a really great experience for the kids. There’s a lot of activities and opportunities at convention alone between workshops and experiences, but then you add in these kids from rural Eastern Oregon getting an opportunity to travel outside of not just our state but our region of the country and get to experience some different things that they wouldn’t normally get to.”
Like with other Eastern Oregon Chapters, the 2022 convention marked a return to regular attendance after COVID. The chapter last attended in 2019 and had been preparing for 2022 Nationals for over a year. Though done in part to allow the American Degree recipients to walk on stage, the gap in time meant that most of the attending students had never been to Nationals before. As Bolen reflected:
“One of the big unique things this year, because of COVID, those two graduates were the only ones that I took that had been to national convention before. Those other six students, they never experienced a trip like this. We as a state chapter haven’t done this in several years. It was just a unique opportunity for these kids to get out and experience something new and different.”
For the two graduates, Tymra Anderson and Sarah Baker, they’ve also been hard at work creating opportunities for both FFA Members and the Eastern Oregon Public. Both students joined FFA in junior high and graduated in 2020 and 2021 respectively. Anderson raised cattle throughout her time in the FFA and has even gone on to develop her on heard with various blood lines. Currently, she sells market animals to younger 4-H and FFA members and is currently pursuing a teaching degree with a focus on agriculture, history and science.
Baker meanwhile showed a variety of animals over the years, including steer and lambs, but notably spent three years representing Elgin Stampede. According to Bolen, she served two years as a court princess due to Covid and one year as a rodeo Queen. Baker also worked for the Wallowa Lake Pack Station in guiding tourists on horseback trails and is currently studying natural resources in Montana.
Notably, both graduates join only four other Elgin FFA students to ever receive their American Degrees. Their hard work, in conjunction with Elgin’s National Chapter ranking, itself based on proficiencies in agriculture, leadership development and community building, is reflective of the greater values instilled within the FFA and demonstrated at National Convention. Bolen further commented on the work put in by students, stating: “
“It makes me very proud, the hard work that they put in to get there. Tymra and Sarah with their applications, for them, that’s the culmination of seven to eight years’ worth of experience in the FFA with the projects. Those kids with the national chapter application, we’ve seen growth and development over the years as they’ve worked. Each year, it’s a new application starting fresh and brainstorming, ‘what can we, as a local chapter, do that makes us better and what activities can we do to help with growing leaders, strengthening agriculture and growing communities.’”
The National FFA Convention isn’t the only convention Eastern Oregon Chapters are involved in either. Bolen reflected on FFA Nationals while attending the National Ag Teacher Conference. In brief, this conference is a simultaneous hosting of conferences for the National Association of Agricultural Educators and the Association for Career and Technical Education. In a similar vein to nationals, the conferences serve as a coming together of ag and technical related educators for the sake of cooperation. As Bolen described it:
“It’s an opportunity to bring CTE and agriculture teachers together on a national level to grow and to become better professionals through our experiences. The truth of the matter is all these ag teachers throughout the profession are such a wealth of knowledge that we can bring so much more to each other through a series of workshops and other professional development opportunities.”
Regardless of the number students that attended, the achievements they had or even which convention their teachers are attending at any time, Nationals continues to serve as a culminating moment for the FFA. For some, it’s a conclusion to a long education in agriculture. For others, it’s the first step into understanding what the FFA can truly offer. The beauty of it is that it will continue to serve as an iconic milestone for chapters nationwide. Elgin, like other chapters, has plenty of stories to share of dazzled students and honored graduates. Also, like other chapters, they serve as a living example of what the FFA can and will continue to do for youth across the country.
