Louisiana FFA Announces National Chapter Award Winners
The Louisiana FFA Association announced the 2022 state winners of the National Chapter Awards program. Seven of these chapters will move on to represent Louisiana in the national competition to be held this fall.
The National Chapter Award Program is designed to recognize FFA chapters that actively implement the mission and strategies of the organization. These chapters improve chapter operations using the National Quality Chapter Standards (NQCS) and a Program of Activities (POA) that emphasize growing leaders, building communities, and strengthening agriculture.
At the Crowley FFA Chapter, members are actively involved in planning each event. Crowley FFA member Jacy Regen said, “The activity I enjoyed the most…was Seeds for the Future. Getting to work with the elementary students truly was enjoyable. As an officer, it was very rewarding to hear from the teachers how much the students enjoy working in the garden that our chapter created with them.”
Adam Thibodeaux, Crowley FFA Chapter advisor, said participation in the program helps to develop leadership with the chapter. He said, “Each year our chapter officers take pride in coming up with 15 new activities to showcase throughout the year focusing on growing students, building communities, or strengthening agriculture. We are able to see our members grow as leaders from new programs we created from the National Chapter Award.”
Chapters are rewarded for providing educational experiences for the entire membership. Chapters participating in the program completed an extensive application detailing their POA and its impact on members, school, and community. The applications were graded by committees of in-state and out-of-state agriscience teachers to select finalists in each category. Chapters ranked Gold Emblem conducted a 10 minute presentation for a panel of judges to determine final placings. State finalists and winners receive certificates, plaques, and banners.
The 2022 state results are:
Superior Chapters (completed 15 activities during the school year):
Bell City
Crowley
East Ascension
Elton
Guyden
Kaplan
Lacassine
Lakeview
Natchitoches Central
Ponchatoula
St. Amant
Varnado
West Monroe
West Ouachita
Winnfield
To qualify for the following rankings, chapters must complete an intensive application fully describing their Program of Activities:
Silver Emblem Chapters:
East Ascension
Lakeview
Varnado
Gold Emblem Chapters:
Crowley
Ponchatoula
St. Amant
West Ouachita
Additionally, a winner is announced in each of the three divisions:
Growing Leaders – Ponchatoula
Building Communities – Ponchatoula
Strengthening Agriculture – St. Amant
The Gold Emblem Chapters were further ranked to determine the Top Four Chapters:
1st – St. Amant (co-winner)
1st – Ponchatoula (co-winner)
3rd – Crowley
4th – West Oucahita