After years of COVID and distance competitions, Bear River FFA Chapter is finally getting back into the swing of things and getting more students involved in leadership based experiences.
Competitions such as Parliamentary Procedure (Parli Pro) and Ag Mechanics are engaging students in a team-oriented environment, and Impromptu, Creed, and Extemporaneous are giving students the opportunity to speak on their feet and present a logical response to agricultural questions pertaining to the environment, economy, and many other topics. These competitions have had an immense impact for FFA members and have aided students in further development of their leadership and speaking skills within their region. Freshmen-sophomore based competitions, such as Creed and Impromptu, are definitely making a difference for lower classmen.
Wyatt Thompson, a sophomore competing in Ag Mechanics, Parli Pro, and Impromptu, is a great model for AG leadership. Out of the three contests, he is most versed in Ag Mechanics. Thompson explained the role of students in the competitions.
“Essentially, [we] go out and compete against other FFA Chapters on the topics we learned in class such as arc welding, woodworking, or tool identification”, he said.
These competitions have taught him a multitude of skills that he had been able to apply in other regions.
“It has helped me gain a deeper understanding of Ag Mechanics in general, as well as gain skills for competing I use in a variet of other things,” said Thompson.
Alongside these underclassmen-based competitions stand a multitude of team oriented competitions such as Parli Pro, which is generally based for any student in high school from freshmen to seniors as it is split into two distinct groups: Novice and Advanced.
Bear River’s Chapter Sentinel, Adam Sigl, stands as one of the most dedicated Parli Pro members within the school, and finds a passion in serving as the Advanced teams “President” or chair, one of the hardest roles within the competition itself.
“Parliamentary Procedure isn’t just another competition, it’s all about thinking on your feet, not just when you’re speaking in contests such as impromptu, but in a team environment where the tides can turn in an instant and everyone has to work together in order to compensate for that change,” Sigl said.
Besides advancement within his coordination, Parli Pro has been beneficial in Sigl’s understanding of agriculture and its development within the present day.
“Not only have I gained a number of skills in coordination and teamwork, but after a long trail of dedication and study I have come out with more agricultural facts and skills that are transferable to the real world,” said Sigl.
Bear River FFA Chapter has gifted this program with so many opportunities for students to learn and find their passion through a number of competitions which seek to better young adults, not only in their development, but through teamwork and speaking experience. None of these students started out as brilliant leaders or team coordinators, but through time, they grew and adapted and found a passion in it, now standing as leaders within the FFA community and serving as examples for those to come.
