By Oscar Vergara Vazquez
Gustine FFA Reporter
This past month, several of our Gustine FFA members served our chapter through rigorous and educational competitions. We began with our first sectional speaking contest while also celebrating the inaugural year of our Great River Valley Section. More than 20 members from every grade level participated in the Creed, El Credo, Impromptu, Job Interview, Prepared, and Extemporaneous Speech. After practicing for hours each day throughout the weeks leading up to the competition, our chapter earned 6 top three placements, allowing our members to advance to the regional level. Our senior member, Carlos Rangel, who previously earned second place at state finals during his sophomore year, shared, “It was an honor to represent Gustine at the sectional competition. El Credo has taught me so much and has allowed me to stay close to both agriculture and my culture. I’m also grateful for my coach, Mr. Baffunno, who has supported me for the past three years since I began this journey.” His words carry meaning and power in any language, as he represents unity and inclusiveness while motivating students from all cultures to share their voices within FFA. Our six members advancing to regionals are: Carson Bell, Baylor Bloom, Alina Camacho, Carlos Rangel, Colton Bloom, and Dominic Alves. We sincerely congratulate them and wish nothing but the very best at the regional level.
Beyond speaking contests, our members also participated in the project competition, where Carlos Rangel presented El Credo before the entire audience, and all six competitors received gold ratings. Baylor Bloom earned the Outstanding Senior Project Award along with the Yosemite Farm Credit Scholarship, Justin Lopes received the 11th Grade Award of Merit, and Colton Bloom received the 9th Grade Award of Merit. As always, our chapter not only showed the courage to compete but also the dedication to prepare and perform an outstanding job. We are incredibly proud of our members and look forward to even more achievements in the years to come. Colton Bloom shared, “It was a privilege to start my FFA journey with the Creed and to be part of this project competition. My family is known for excellent performance, and I will commit myself to continuing this tradition throughout my time in high school.” Our chapter is proud to have young members who already demonstrate passion and enthusiasm for FFA, our organization, and most importantly, our future.
In addition, our chapter member and sectional treasurer, Baylor Bloom, earned First High Individual at the Arbuckle Soil and Land Evaluation Contest. Carson Bell, our chapter and sectional president, was selected as a committee sub-chair for the Ag Plate Promotion and Head of Teacher Engagement committees at the 98th State FFA Conference. We are incredibly proud of his dedication and wish him even more success as he represents our chapter at the state level.
While our impact reaches far beyond our community, we recognize that meaningful service begins at home. To support this goal, our Gustine FFA chapter officers visited 2nd graders at Gustine Elementary, Romero, and Our Lady of Miracles to spark curiosity and excitement about FFA from a young age. The officers organized 3 educational and creative stations where students learned how plants grow, explored essential plant components, and even planted radish seeds themselves. After answering many funny and interesting questions, our officers made sure these students left with lasting memories and inspiration, planting the seeds for future involvement when they officially join our organization.
Finally, our Ag Boosters organized the annual FFA dinner to fundraise money for our chapter. In this event, our members served the sponsors, learning how to practice their people skills in real-life scenarios. From active parents to Board members, our guests enjoyed the food as much as the items offered at the auction. It was an unforgettable moment, not only for the chicken-poop competition but also for the commitment seen from both our chapter and community. We love our community just as much as they love us!
