Joseph FFA Showing the Value of Eastern Oregon at FFA Nationals
By Garrett Christensen on Monday, December 5th, 2022 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
JOSEPH – The FFA means something different to everyone, and not just because the acronym no longer explicitly stands for “Future Farmers of America.” Though still maintaining a heavy agricultural focus, the organization continuously provides youth with educational and vocational opportunities well beyond what may be available in typical junior high and high school settings. In addition, FFA connects these youth with an entirely unique national community made up of mentors and peers alike. Nowhere better are these skills and community connections showcased than at the FFA National Convention. Chapters from across the nation come together to participate in various competitions and educational events as well as reflect on the hard work of their members.
The 2022 convention (October 26-29) was no different, but was special in that, for some, it marked a proper return to the event after pandemic lockdowns. The 2022 convention also marked an exemplary performance by Oregon’s FFA chapters, especially in the Eastern Oregon district. To showcase what the event truly means to FFA members and to highlight the experiences of those who partook, several of the attending Eastern Oregon chapters were given the opportunity to share their thoughts on Nationals and the greater FFA. First in this series of highlights is the Joseph FFA Chapter.
Joseph had quite the diverse experience at Nationals, competing in several fields and having students attend various workshops and presentations. FFA Advisor and Joseph ag instructor Chelcee Mansfield described it as, “an opportunity of a lifetime.” In total 13 students attended alongside Mansfield and three other chaperones.
In terms of performance, Joseph earned a silver ranking overall in the parliamentary procedure event and had one student earn proficiency in the vegetable production category. Joseph’s ranking in parliamentary procedure is a culmination of over half a year’s worth of dedication to the concept, with the team coming in first in Oregon’s state parliamentary procedure competition back in March. Mansfield reflected on her student’s performance and their journey, stating, “to get a team to Nationals in FFA is special. Watching my students learn and grow and to get to that level of competition was monumental.”
The students themselves reflect a similar degree of pride and satisfaction in their work. Mary Thiel, the proficiency student and a member of the parliamentary procedure team further reflected on her experience leading up to nationals:
“My proficiency required countless hours working on my family farm to bring fresh and delicious produce to tables in Portland’s dining districts. When it comes to Parli Pro, I was ushered in by Toby Koehn, my past ag teacher, and fell in love with the old way that we competed. The processes required for parliamentary procedure are rigorous but finding your footing and learning how to nimbly move through the rules is rewarding.”
Regarding rewards, Joseph also had two graduates earn their American FFA Degrees this year, Josey Wearin and Brianna Micka. Josey Wearin had been with the chapter since her 7th grade year and served as an FFA Officer until graduation. A lover of both ranching and Wallowa County, she is currently attending Treasure Valley Community College with a major in animal science and is also pursuing her colt starting certificate.
Brianna Micka served as vice president for both the Joseph and Enterprise FFA chapters and likewise focused on ranching, earning an equine science proficiency through various projects. Currently, Micka is attending EOU with a major in elementary education and even taught an agriculture lesson to her peers. Mansfield noted that Both Wearin and Micka also return and help the Joseph FFA chapter when they can.
When it comes to returning, the 2022 FFA National Convention also served as a return for the Joseph FFA after missing two prior conventions due to Covid restrictions. As well as giving students renewed opportunities to show off their hard work and dedication through competitions, Nationals provided both a sense of community and insight into the sheer scale of the FFA. Hosted annually in Indianapolis, Nationals is by no means a small event, yet isn’t something everyone can attend. With over 65,000 registered members, “being a part of the National Convention was a sea of blue jackets; there were so many students there,” as Thiel put it.
Students participated in workshops, attended presentations and listened to speakers, including Oregon’s own FFA National Officer, Josiah Cruikshank. Joseph FFA member Kane Johnson, who also attended, reflected on Cruikshank’s presence, stating, “I think having a national officer from Oregon was super cool because we are sometimes overlooked for places like Georgia or Texas.”
In addition, Joseph FFA made the most of their trip by touring neighboring cities like Nashville and Louisville and allowing students to connect with other FFA members beyond the convention setting. Rather than being a smattering of different schools that just so happened to be attending the same event for four days, Nationals was a genuine coming together of FFA members and leaders from across the nation, all unified under the blue and gold. “Blue jackets were in the mall, in the capitol building, on the stage, and I learned from listening and interacting with members who take pride in what they represent,” as Thiel further described.
FFA means something different to everyone, be it a steppingstone to a career in agriculture or a memorable tangent during someone’s time in high school. Regardless, the members of the Joseph FFA made their mark on the national stage, proving both to themselves and the greater FFA what a small Oregon chapter can do.
As a final aside, Mary Thiel wanted it known that she has “the best advisor in the whole wide world.”
