FFA Chapter Gets National Award

WAITSBURG - The Waits­burg FFA Chapter has again been recognized as one of the top chapters in Washington and one member of the chapter is traveling to the National FFA Convention in October to ac­cept the award in person for the first time.

FFA Adviser Nicole Abel said the Waitsburg FFA chapter was rated two stars this year, one star being the highest and three stars being the lowest. The chapter's ranking puts it in the top 10 percent of chapters in the state.

"We have earned this award several times in the last eight years," Abel said. "However, this will be the first time travel­ing to the National FFA Con­vention to accept it."

The chapter each year fills out an application highlighting three of its activities: chapter development, student develop­ment and community develop­ment. The students also list goals for each of these areas and submit the application to be scored. A panel of agricul­ture teachers from each district scores the applications and then the documents are sent to be scored at the national level, Abel said.

Waitsburg FFA member Beka Adams will head to In­diana Oct. 24-27 to receive the award on behalf of the chapter. Adams told the school board last Wednesday she will be fundraising for the trip on her own, expected to cost about $1,200 per person, and she will attend two sessions.

At one session, Adams will receive the award Waitsburg has earned. At the other ses­sion, she will support Christy Poirier, a past FFA state officer and Waitsburg High School alumna, who will be accepting the American Degree that she has earned.

According to the FFA website, the "American FFA Degree is awarded to FFA members who have demon­strated the highest level of commitment to FFA and made significant accomplishments in their Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs)."

Abel said while in high school, Poirier raised 15 head of Angus cattle and two market hogs every year for the Walla Walla and Columbia county fairs.

Adams was chosen to at­tend the convention because she is a current chapter officer and was willing to fundraise for the trip, Abel said.

Adams said she has been selling pizza certificates and working the concessions stand during volleyball games to raise enough money to travel to the national convention next month. Abel will also join Ad­ams on the trip and will sit in on educational workshops.

"While at the national con­vention, Beka (and myself) look forward to attending workshops to bring fresh ideas back to the FFA chapter," Abel said.