KELSEYVILLE — Members of the Kelseyville chapter of Future Farmers of America (FFA) have had recent successes in multiple speaking competitions.
In the previous month, members of Kelseyville FFA pushed themselves to step out of their comfort zones, speak in front of a large crowd and show their overall support for matters pertaining to the agriculture industry.
On March 1, a local competition was held at Kelseyville High School, open to any FFA member in the Mendo-Lake section. Contestants from Ukiah, Potter Valley, Covelo, Willits, Middletown, Upper Lake, and Anderson Valley all competed alongside Kelseyville.
Many successes occurred at the event for Kelseyville High. Mary McCallister presented the creed, placing first among her competitors and therefore moving on to compete against other North Coast Region members.
In the prepared public speaking division, Hayden Turner, Blair Brookes, Cierra Sherman, Allison McIntyre, and Abigail McQueen all presented various agriculture issues in their speeches to judges, with first-place winner Turner and second-place winner Brookes moving on to regionals.
Taylor Robbins and Bonnie McCallister both competed in the Job Interview competition, with McCallister placing second. From there she prepares for the regional competition.
Also moving on to the North Coast competition was Becca Brookes, who won with her extemporaneous speech.
Three weeks later, the five FFA members attended the North Coast Region speaking competition on March 23. They were judged with winners from different sections, making the competition even stiffer.
With chapters from Del Norte to Dixon, the Kelseyville FFA members had a competitor in each available speaking contest. Becca Brookes had the largest success, placing fourth out of eight competitors in the extemporaneous speaking competition, in which each competitor must write and deliver a speech in 30 minutes, choosing one of three agricultural topics given.
Brookes is now a state finalist and will have the chance to compete against finalists from other regions at the State FFA Convention in April.
