California Ag Network

Tag: California FFA

  • California FFA Foundation Supporters Recognized at 2025 National Convention

    California FFA is proud to celebrate a distinguished group of leaders, educators, and supporters recognized at the 2025 National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis. This year, 22 California FFA Honorary American FFA Degree recipients were awarded, along with one recipient of the VIP citation.

    The Honorary American FFA Degree is awarded to individuals who have provided exceptional service at the national level to agriculture, agricultural education, or FFA. Recipients include educators, industry partners, community leaders, and advocates who go above and beyond to support FFA members and agricultural education programs. Individuals honored with the VIP citation have dedicated 20 years of service to FFA and agricultural education on a national level.

    Of the 22 individuals recognized nationally, four were nominated by the California FFA Foundation for their continued support of its mission to secure resources and partnerships that create opportunities for students across the state. This year’s California FFA Foundation honorees include Jenny Nicolau and Rebecca Bailey of the Almond Board of California; Emily Rooney, California FFA Foundation Board Member and Ag Council of California President; and Toni Lindeleaf, past California FFA Foundation Board Member. Additionally, Charles Parker, who recently retired from his role as State Supervisor for Agricultural Education and State FFA Advisor, received National FFA’s VIP Citation.

    “California FFA is strengthened by leaders who believe in students and serve as advocates for agricultural education across our state,” said Matt Patton, executive director of the California FFA Foundation. “These Honorary American FFA Degree and VIP Citation recipients have helped create opportunity, mentorship, and hands-on learning for FFA members across our state, and we are pleased to see their efforts recognized at the national level.”

    In addition to this year’s Foundation honorees, California FFA is proud to acknowledge the remaining Honorary American FFA Degree recipients: Mike Albiani, Joe Buffington, Sara Carney, Amber Charter, Peggy Flynn, Amanda Galan, JessaLee Goehring, Wesley Hunt, Amy Jacobsen, Johan Jacobsen, Julie Luxon, Celeste Morino, Jenny Lynn Oilar-Svejda, Gregory Osmundson, Mayra Osmundson, Jon Sellenrick, Lisa Wright and Mark Wright.

    About California Association, FFA, and the California FFA Foundation: The California Association, FFA, serves more than 108,000 students, developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. The California FFA Foundation supports these efforts by securing resources and partnerships that make these opportunities possible for students statewide. To learn more about the California FFA, visit calaged.org.

    Facebook: @CaliforniaFFA | LinkedIn: @California-FFA-Association | Instagram: @californiaffa | TikTok: @officialcaliforniaffa

  • California FFA Launches John Justin “Standard of the West” Scholarship Award with Justin Boots

    California FFA is excited to announce the launch of the John Justin “Standard of the West” Award, a new scholarship opportunity made possible through a partnership with Justin Boots.

    The “Standard of the West” Award is designed to celebrate FFA seniors who exemplify the spirit of agriculture by demonstrating integrity, honesty, perseverance, helpfulness, a strong work ethic, academic achievement, and consistent school attendance.

    Each year, one student from each of California FFA’s six regions will be selected as a state finalist. Finalists will receive a product-gift certificate, a plaque, and a $500 scholarship. Among these finalists, one state winner will be chosen and recognized on stage during the annual California FFA State Leadership Conference. The state winner will be awarded a product-gift certificate, a plaque, and a $2,500 scholarship. In addition, the advisor(s) of the state winner will be presented with a certificate for a pair of full-quill ostrich boots, courtesy of Justin Boots.

    Applications opened October 1 and are available to any California FFA senior who meets the organization’s scholarship requirements. Interested members are encouraged to apply through the California FFA scholarship portal.

    “We are proud to launch the John Justin ‘Standard of the West’ Scholarship Award in partnership with Justin Boots,” said Katie Otto, executive director of development at the California FFA Foundation. “This award honors FFA members who exemplify excellence in academics, leadership, and service. Justin Boots supports FFA’s mission of cultivating the next generation of agricultural leaders, and together we’re recognizing outstanding members who uphold these values.”

    For more information and to access the application, visit apply.mykaleidoscope.com/program/CAFFA2026.

    About California Association, FFA, and the California FFA Foundation: The California Association, FFA, serves more than 108,000 students, developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. The California FFA Foundation supports these efforts by securing resources and partnerships that make these opportunities possible for students statewide. To learn more about the California FFA, visit calaged.org.

    Facebook: @CaliforniaFFA | LinkedIn: @California-FFA-Association | Instagram: @californiaffa | TikTok: @officialcaliforniaffa

    About Justin: Justin is a brand of Western footwear, apparel, and accessories that was founded in 1879 by H.J. Justin. The company is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, and produces a variety of boots for both men and women, including cowboy boots, work boots, and casual shoes. Justin also offers a wide range of men’s, women’s and kids apparel and accessories, including cowboy hats, jeans, belts, handbags, and more. Justin is known for its high-quality craftsmanship and use of premium materials, and has a reputation for being a trusted brand in the western market. For more information, visit justinboots.com.

    Facebook: @JustinBoots | Twitter: @JustinBoots | Instagram: @JustinBoots_ | TikTok: @justin_boots

  • Jill Sperling Named State Supervisor of Ag Education and California State FFA Advisor

    The California Association, FFA, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jill Sperling as the new State Supervisor of Agricultural Education and California State FFA Advisor. Her selection was made by the California Department of Education, taking effect on May 1, 2025, following the retirement of Charles Parker. She becomes the first woman to serve in this role in the organization’s nearly 100-year history.

    A respected agricultural educator and mentor, Sperling brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and leadership to the position, having earned multiple local and state awards for her excellence in teaching and service. Prior to this position, she served as the Central Region FFA Advisor for 10 years, supporting 86 agricultural education programs spanning from Sacramento to Merced counties. Before joining the state leadership team, Sperling spent 14 years as an agriscience educator and FFA advisor at Kingsburg High School.

    “I am immensely proud to be the first female State Supervisor of Agriculture Education and State FFA Advisor in California,” Sperling shared. “I have deep roots in agriculture education and grew up seeing the meaningful impacts that agriculture teachers make on the lives of their students through the three-circle model of agriculture education. I have been honored to serve the teachers and FFA members of the Central Region for the past ten years and am looking forward to working with my colleagues to provide leadership to the 108,000+ FFA members and over 1,100 agriculture teachers throughout our great state in the years to come.”

    As State FFA Advisor, Sperling will help lead the strategic vision of the California Association, FFA, supporting more than 108,000 members across 366 chapters. She will work in close partnership with California’s regional advisors to ensure local programs meet the diverse needs of students, while also collaborating with the California FFA Foundation, California Agricultural Teachers’ Association, and the California Department of Education to support the organization’s growing and evolving programs.

    Stepping into this distinguished role marks both a personal and professional achievement for Sperling. A native of Sacramento County and a proud American FFA Degree recipient, she follows in the footsteps of her father, Bob Heuvel, who served in this same position for nearly 30 years. Her husband, Dustin, is also a former FFA member, and their children, Auston and Avery, are former and current members of their local FFA program.

    About California Association, FFA: The California Association, FFA, serves more than 108,000 students and strives to make a difference in their lives by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. To learn more about the California FFA, visit calaged.org.

  • Proficiency Award Winners at 97th State FFA Leadership Conference

    California FFA is proud to recognize the winners of the Agricultural Proficiency Awards, announced during the 97th State FFA Leadership Conference held from April 3 to April 6 in Sacramento. These prestigious awards honor FFA members who have developed specialized skills through their Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs), which are integral to agricultural education and help prepare students for career success.

    The Supervised Agricultural Experience program, which has been a part of agricultural education since 1917, offers students an individualized application of the career and life skills taught in agricultural education courses beyond scheduled class time. Whether through student-led businesses, work-based learning, or research projects, SAEs give students hands-on experience that enhances their classroom learning and aligns with their individual interests in agriculture.

    Proficiency awards celebrate students who have applied their SAEs to real-world settings and even career pathways. The awards acknowledge excellence in diverse areas, including agricultural communications, wildlife management, and many other fields, all of which prepare students for success in agriculture and related industries.

    At this year’s annual State FFA Leadership Conference, 44 students were named winners of their respective award categories. This honor qualifies these students to compete in the national competition, where they will represent California and contend with other state association winners for national recognition.

    After an extensive interview and application process, four national finalists in each proficiency area will be honored on stage at the National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis in October. The following is a full list of this year’s winners:

    Agricultural Communications: Saray Madriz Alcaraz, Madera FFA

    Agricultural Education: Kaycee Van Horn, Santa Maria FFA

    Agricultural Mechanics Design/Fabrication: Trevor Wright, Hollister-San Benito FFA

    Agricultural Mechanics Repair/Maintenance Entrepreneurship: Lucas Pulse, Atascadero FFA

    Agricultural Mechanics Repair/Maintenance Placement: Alden Hansard, Atwater FFA

    Agricultural Processing: Gavin Ames, Lakeside-El Capitan FFA

    Agricultural Sales Entrepreneurship: Anabel Quintana, Lodi-Tokay FFA

    Agricultural Sales Placement: Brandon Flores, Gonzalez FFA

    Agricultural Services: Addison Bond, Palo Cedro-Foothill FFA

    Agriscience Research – Animal Systems: Ari Rutman, Gilroy FFA

    Agriscience Research – Integrated System: Riley Piehl, Santa Rosa FFA

    Agriscience Research – Plant Systems: Juliana Carroll, St. Helena FFA

    Beef Production Entrepreneurship: Peyton Wood, Yreka FFA

    Beef Production Placement: Hayley Byrd, Corning FFA

    Dairy Production Entrepreneurship: Mykell Mull, Chowchilla FFA

    Dairy Production Placement: Lauren Silveira, Chowchilla FFA

    Diversified Agricultural Production: Nicholas Bonomi, Sanger FFA

    Diversified Crop Production Entrepreneurship: Owen Baffunno, Los Banos FFA

    Diversified Crop Production Placement: Weston LaGrande, Arbuckle-Pierce FFA

    Diversified Horticulture: Sophia Sisil, Madera-Liberty FFA

    Diversified Livestock: Joseph Schnohr, Gridley FFA

    Environmental Science/Nat Resources: Jacob Zuniga, St Helena FFA

    Equine Science Entrepreneurship: Jacey Tweedy, Sanger FFA

    Equine Science Placement: Genevieve Atwell, Cottonwood-West Valley FFA

    Forage Production: Jack Majors, Visalia-Central Valley Christian FFA

    Forest Management/Products: David Guerra, Santa Maria-Pioneer Valley FFA

    Fruit and Nut Production: Rafael Rodriguez Gaytan, Riverdale FFA

    Goat Production: Mathew Machado, Madera FFA

    Grain Production Placement: Lane Dunbar, Nicolaus-East Nicolaus FFA

    Landscape Installation: Christopher Tornero, Madera FFA

    Nursery Operations: Chase Weiland, Wildomar-Elsinore FFA

    Outdoor Recreation: Nicolas Bump, Marysville FFA

    Poultry Production: Taleah Lusk, Altaville-Bret Hart FFA

    Service Learning: Andrea Guzman-Soto, Santa Maria-Pioneer Valley FFA

    Sheep Production: Elizabeth Wagster, Atascadero FFA

    Small Animal Production and Care: Dylan Cardey, Atwater FFA

    Specialty Animal Production: Madison Stayer, Palo Cedro-Foothill FFA

    Specialty Crop Production: Rebekah Villalobos, Atwater FFA

    Swine Production Entrepreneurship: Kallie Loogman, Hanford FFA

    Swine Production Placement: Grace Curry, Hughson FFA

    Turf Grass and Landscape Management: Jose Avalos, Galt FFA

    Vegetable Production: Charles Ferguson, Lemoore FFA

    Veterinary Medicine: Peyton Heermance, Altaville-Bret Hart FFA

    Wildlife Management: Mori Stidman, Visalia-VTEC FFA

    About California FFA: California FFA serves more than 105,000 students and strives to make a difference in their lives by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. To learn more about the California FFA, visit calaged.org.

  • California FFA Elects 2025-2026 State FFA Officer Team

    Students from Oroville, Temecula, Kelseyville, Hanford, Minarets, and Bakersfield were elected by delegates at the 97th Annual State FFA Leadership Conference to serve as 2025-26 California State FFA Officers.

    • President: Lily Vaughan, Oroville-Las Plumas FFA
    • Vice President: Noah Stanisai, Temecula-St. Jeanne Catholic FFA
    • Secretary: Ryan Taylor, Kelseyville FFA
    • Treasurer: Daren Deftereos, Hanford FFA
    • Reporter: Tessa Camacho, O’neals Minarets FFA
    • Sentinel: Sophia Camou, Bakersfield-Garces Memorial FFA

    Each year, candidates vying for State FFA Office take part in an extensive online and in-person interview process with the State FFA Nominating Committee leading up to the election. The new team was announced during the closing session of the conference on Sunday, April 6 in Sacramento.

    After reviewing applications and conducting initial virtual interviews, the Nominating Committee selected 34 individuals to advance to in-person interviews in Sacramento. Candidates underwent several rounds of interviews with the State Nominating Committee before being slated and elected by the California Association, FFA delegation.

    California state officers take a gap year from their post-secondary plans to serve over 105,000 members of the California Association, FFA. Throughout their year of service, the officers will interact with business and industry leaders, thousands of middle and high school students, agricultural educators, corporate sponsors, government and education officials, local FFA leaders, and the general public.

    The team will lead personal growth and leadership training conferences for FFA members throughout the state and help set policies that will guide the future of FFA in California and lead the next generation of leaders.

    To obtain additional information about the new state officer team, contact Charles Parker, State FFA Advisor and program manager for agricultural education for the California Department of Education, at cparker@cde.ca.gov.

    About California FFA: California FFA serves more than 105,000 students and strives to make a difference in their lives by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. To learn more about the California FFA, visit calaged.org.

  • California FFA Elects 2023-2024 State FFA Officer Team

    Students from Gustine, Salinas-Rancho San Juan, Temecula-Saint Jeanne, Chino-Don Lugo, McArthur-Fall River, and Visalia El Diamantewere elected by delegates at the 95th Annual State FFA Leadership Conference to serve as 2023-24 State FFA Officers.

    • President: Austin Bell
    • Vice President: Sierra Short
    • Secretary: Makena Stanisai
    • Treasurer: Sydney Marich
    • Reporter: Piper Lakey
    • Sentinel: Thomas Rosa

    Candidates take part in an extensive online and in-person interview process with the State FFA Nominating Committee leading up to the election. The new team was announced during the closing session of the 95th State FFA Leadership Conference on Tuesday, March 19.

    After reviewing applications and conducting virtual interviews with 49 applicants, the Nominating Committee selected 31 individuals to advance to in-person interviews, which were conducted during the State FFA Conference. Candidates underwent nine rounds of interviews with the State Nominating Committee before being slated and elected by the California Association FFA delegation.

    State officers commit to a year of service to the California Association FFA. Throughout their year of service, the officers will interact with business and industry leaders, thousands of FFA members and teachers, corporate sponsors, government and education officials, local FFA leaders, and the general public.

    The team will lead personal growth and leadership training conferences for FFA members throughout the state and help set policies that will guide the future of FFA in California and lead the next generation of leaders.

    To obtain additional information about the new state officer team, contact Charles Parker, State FFA Advisor and program manager for agricultural education for the California Department of Education, at cparker@cde.ca.gov.

    About California FFA: The California Association FFA is part of a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 850,000 FFA members in 8,995 local FFA chapters across all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.