Rainier FFA takes home Superior Chapter award at state convention

The Rainier High School FFA team was one of four teams to receive the Superior Chapter award at the 2024 Washington FFA Convention and Expo in Pullman, Washington.

Seniors Lilly Johnson and Hailey Roberts were the two delegates of the team’s 16 active members chosen to make the trip to the convention, the first back in Pullman since the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to win the Superior Chapter award, each chapter must conduct one activity related to each quality standard in addition to meeting the minimum criteria.

“We were super excited to go up on stage to receive the award, but it was very nerve-wracking because it was very hot in the auditorium. The closer we got, we got more antsy and restless,” Johnson said. “But that was such a great opportunity to go up on stage and receive that award.”

She and Roberts learned about parliamentary procedure and how to operate as a delegate body, as well as exploring the Washington State University campus and learning about job opportunities in the agricultural field. They were split up into separate committees that focused on different issues surrounding the FFA or agriculture programs in Washington.

“We don’t have very many leadership-based activities and events in FFA, so for my committee, we worked on finding a timeframe for a new leadership event, and we ended up deciding on putting on a leadership event in the next three years that’s held in the fall,” Johnson said.

Roberts, who is interested in pursuing a career in the livestock veterinary industry after high school, worked on brainstorming ways to get sixth grade students more involved in FFA as the Washington FFA Association considers secondary education programs to be grades 7-12.

Angie Karnes, the Rainier FFA advisor for nearly three decades, said the two delegates represented RHS well in Pullman and added that they are both well-rounded individuals who participated in a number of community service projects throughout the school year.

“Their leadership skills have really increased from when they first joined, and with them being officers, it’s brought them more out of their shell,” Karnes said. “They’ve learned how to manage people. Lilly is our president, so she has learned how to actually run meetings. These two have done a lot of community service activities, and I think that is going to make them well-rounded individuals wherever they go.”

The Rainier FFA team put on a number of activities, including a food drive for Halloween, donations to the Rainier Senior Center, the school’s bazaar and the annual plant sale.

“I got to be at the register for the plant sale, so I got to see every person that came in to buy something, and it was super fun to interact with people,” Roberts said.