Some 380 FFA students from 20 western Nebraska high schools competed earlier this month in the District 12 Leadership Contest at Chadron State College.
       Alliance FFA chapter adviser Ashtyn Vivion says that’s the most since before the pandemic, which led to the temporary elimination of district competitions and the implementation of virtual state contests in 2020 and 2021.Â
Competition at CSC was offered in 12 categories, including in 6 speech: Senior Public Speaking, Junior Public Speaking, Cooperative Speaking, Creed Speaking, Extemporaneous Speaking, and Discovery Speaking.
     The other competition categories were Employment Skills, Natural Resources, Ag Demo, Ag Literacy, Parliamentary Procedure, and Conduct of a Chapter Meeting.
 The top 3 individuals or teams in each event advanced to the state contest next April in Lincoln.
State qualifiers for Chadron High were Senior Public Speaking winner Jadyn Tidyman, Jace Lien – 2nd in Employment Skills, and Morgan Schommer – 3rd in Extemporaneous Speaking.
Crawford had 1 champion, Miranda Betson in Creed Speaking, and one runner-up, Amelia Betson in Discovery Speaking.
Sioux County boasts two winners – Rebecca Reece in Natural Resources and the Ag Demonstration duo of Kaylee Junke and Jaycee Lambert.
Hay Springs took top honors in Conduct of Chapter Meeting with the team of Reese Varvel, Kya Binger, Tailyn Starke, Aubry Anderson, Alaina Raymer, Eli Scott and Evan Smith. Also advancing to state as 3rd in Junior Public Speaking was Julie Russell
Gordon-Rushville will be represented at state with the 3rd place Ag Demo team of Brayden Simmons, Austin Child, Maddox Leeper, Jackson Roffers and Lain Tausan.