Corvallis High School Future Farmers of America was named the 2024-2025 "Program of the Year" at the 94th Montana State FFA Convention.
CHS Agricultural Educator and FFA Adviser Neela Hammerstein said the award is an honor for every CHS FFA member as it represents their hard work and dedication.
“This award is unlike any other we have won in the past because it truly is something every student can hang their hat on,” Hammerstein said. “Our fair projects, our nationals’ teams, our fundraiser, our service, classroom labs and field trips — everything we do in Corvallis FFA is summarized in this award. That’s what makes it so special.”
The honor is even more meaningful because it comes from FFA peers, she said.
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“I’m a second-generation agriculture teacher and FFA adviser and for more than a decade I’ve watched as some really incredible programs have won this award,” she said.
CHS teams and individuals vied for top marks at the state competition this year, which took place April 2-6 in Billings under the theme of "Guided by Gold."
Corvallis FFA Marketing Plan Leadership Development team members Autumn Benson, Hasalyn Schairer and Caleb Reynoso will be competing at the National FFA Convention & Expo this fall.
This is Corvallis FFA’s 10th team bound for nationals since Hammerstein started to lead in 2018.
Every CHS member at the Billings competition earned either a first- or second-place plaque, or their state FFA degree, including Justiz Daricek, David Ponce, Corbin Kirkland, Katie Jackson, Emelia Schairer and Lawren Weidow.
Hammerstein said the degree is the most prestigious award Montana FFA can bestow for an individual in FFA because of the high standards needed. The minimum qualifications include 25 hours of community service; $1,500 both invested and earned in their Supervised Agricultural Experience or 450 unpaid internship hours; a 2.0 GPA or better; attend five FFA events and be an active FFA member for over two and a half years.
In the Corvallis FFA chapter, members who qualify for the state FFA degree can win up to $1,000 in scholarship money from the Corvallis FFA alumni for future education. This year, less than 180 FFA members statewide won this award.
Montana FFA has over 7,000 members within its 112 chapters.
CHS Senior and FFA Member Justiz Daricek said he knows he has a second family, “a family covered in blue and gold,” in FFA.
“I joined FFA as a freshman not knowing what it was to be honest," he said. "Now my senior year is almost up and I’ve received my state degree. It means a lot because it shows the hard work and dedication of agriculture and the education of it. It shows I was part of something bigger than myself. I was part of an organization that is dedicated to service and helping others.”
Hammerstein said National FFA is considered a Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO), so the contests Corvallis FFA members compete in are rooted in agricultural sciences, technical skills and soft skills.
Autumn Benson, Corvallis FFA treasurer, said the group prepares young people for real life.
“I believe that FFA is one of the only organizations in the world that has something for every kid to love and excel in,” Benson said. “From livestock judging to employment skills, floriculture to public speaking, and everything in between. FFA encourages diversity in developing skill sets and instills a passion for agriculture that sets its members up for success in life wherever they may go.”
Benson is part of the marketing plan team that will be heading to the national competition after winning at the state convention. As the team captain, she collected market research via a Google form survey sent to demographic consumers and facilitated a focus group. She then wrote a report on the possible expansion of local agribusiness Skalkaho Stables.
Senior FFA member Corbin Kirkland also acknowledged the academic rigor.
“These competitions so deeply rooted in academics, give me, as the competitor, a great idea of what possible future careers are like,” Kirkland said. “I think that having those options of trying future careers and competing in them and getting better in them is such an amazing gift that FFA offers for everyone. I am so proud I am in FFA. If you are not in FFA, what are you waiting for?”
Kirkland was accepted into Brigham Young University-Idaho for business, starting this fall.
At the state competition in Billings, Kirkland and teammate Gia Bumgarner placed first in the Plant Systems category at the Agriscience fair with a project titled, “Legumes and Poaceae: a Nitrogen fueled Friendship.”
Kenzie Weis and Lawren Weidow placed first in the Social Systems category at the Agriscience fair with “Farmers’ Mental Health vs Workload.”
Hasalyn Schairer placed first individually in the Floriculture contest.
Autumn Benson placed second individually in the Environmental Natural Resources contest.
Morgan Bisel placed second individually with her secretary’s book.
The CHS FFA Parliamentary Procedure team of Bumgarner, Kirkland, Raylee Mariscal, Emelia Schairer, Katie Jackson and Morgan Bisel placed second, the Environmental Natural Resources Team of Autumn Benson, Hasalyn Schairer, Helen Newsom and Caleb Reynoso earned second place and the Ag Communications team of Morgan Bisel, Hasalyn Schairer, Cameron Wilson and Beauden Therrien also placed second.
Therian said the state competition in Billings was his favorite event of the year.
“Our team placed second in Ag Communications and I had so much fun doing it,” Therian said. “It was fun meeting people from across the state and learning new things about agriculture is amazing.”
Junior member Raylee Mariscal called the CHS FFA chapter her “forever family.”
“We are so tightly knit, and you make so many new friends in the state,” Mariscal said. “We have the best firsthand experiences and learn the best skills to have in life.”
Corvallis FFA Secretary Morgan Bisel said FFA equals opportunity, friendships and lifelong memories.
“I have made amazing connections with other high schoolers across the state of Montana and throughout the United States," Bisel said. "The memories I have made in the blue jacket will be something I cherish and reflect on for the rest of my life.”
The National FFA Convention & Expo will be held Oct. 23-26, in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Corvallis FFA Marketing Plan Leadership Development team will compete. Since they are in the “Science Fair” category, the other CHS FFA first-place teams must apply to compete at the national competition. They must be in the top 10% in the nation and will be notified in August.
The Corvallis FFA chapter is hosting a banquet 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28, at the CHS gymnasium. It will be free to CHS teachers, Corvallis FFA families and other Corvallis FFA supporters. RSVP to Hammerstein at neelah@corvallis.k12.mt.us.