The San Luis Obispo High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) team competed from April 16-21, in Fresno, California for the State finals competition. While over six thousand people attended the conference, the seventeen SLOHS participants came out on top and our team was recognized as the premiere program in the State.

The Advanced Parliamentary Procedure team won the competition, composed of junior Luke O’Leary, senior Mara Basich-Pease, senior Joelle Lewis, sophomore Kalena Cirone, junior Amber Bjerre, senior Charlie Teaford, and senior Avery Martin. Our members swept the competition in Public Speaking, with O’Leary coming in at third place for the Prepared section, and Basich-Pease getting second place in the Extemporaneous Speaking section.

SLOHS alum Jessica Judge was the State winner for Beef Production Proficiency, senior Miguel Lua won State for Fiber and Oil Processing Proficiency, and Bjerre won State for Agriculture Communications. Agriculture teacher Anna Bates was named the State Star Adviser, while Principal Leslie O’Connor was named the State Star Administrator.

Clearly, to consistently master this type of competition requires an incredible amount of time and dedication.

“The only reason we get this far is because of how hard our entire FFA team works to prepare,” said SLOHS Agriculture Science teacher and FFA adviser Jodi Evans.

The FFA program is also helping to mold more versatile and confident individuals.

“Our program has really helped me to become a better speaker in front of a class,” said Lua.