SOLEDAD — Last week was National FFA week, during which FFA members of Soledad High School celebrated FFA and hosted lunchtime activities for their fellow students and teachers.
“This week we had a variety of activities,” said Naiza Hernandez, third-year member. “On Friday we did the teacher showmanship, where we had a variety of teachers come and show pigs and lambs. A couple of judges came and were able to give ribbons to teachers.”
Earlier in the week, the FFA members received cupcakes. A lower classmen versus upper classmen competition was held Thursday. Soledad FFA members also had their chapter meeting Thursday.
Ruby Romero has been participating in FFA for four years. She joined because her sister was involved in the program.
“I saw how passionate she was about everything that she did,” Romero said.
Romero served as a regional leader for the South Coast Region. The leadership opportunity gave Romero the chance to learn from others and the members within the FFA organization.
“I’m very proud to come from this chapter,” she said. “FFA means a lot of passion and growth to me.”
While in FFA, members can take part in conferences such as the National Convention, State Conferences, Made For Excellence, Greenhand Leadership Conference and Chapter Officer Leadership Conference, among many more.
“FFA has a lot of conferences to offer,” said Andrea Zavala, third-year member. “Throughout these conferences we learned a lot about leadership and how we grow to expand on more agriculture and how we can improve for our further generations.”
Another aspect of being an FFA member means participating in different fairs around Monterey County and farther. Soledad High School FFA members can attend the Monterey County Fair, the Salinas Valley Fair, San Benito County Fair and the Santa Cruz County Fair.
“The one we go to the most is the Salinas Valley,” said Robert Guillen, third-year member. “We started going to the San Benito Fair two years ago at the end of October.”
Guillen said at fairs members can participate in two competitions, showmanship and market. Showmanship consists of a judge deciding how well the FFA members work with their animal and market which animal, pig, lamb, steer, chicken or goat is going to provide better product.
“Optional activities are livestock and vegetable judging,” said Guillen. “We can judge vegetables or judge livestock and get awards for that as well.”
Alicia Massa, third-year member, has raised animals for three years and is on her fourth pig because last year her two pigs got sick.
“Pigs are a lot of fun,” said Massa. “I fell in love with showmanship because of my mom. She showed every animal on the barnyard except for horses.”
Massa said a lot of her competitive drive comes from her mom, Jodi Massa, who also won the teacher showmanship on Feb. 23.
