Junior Madelyn Guinn and the Morgan Hill Future Farmers of America Officer Team advanced out of the FFA Regional Speaking Competition, which was held March 23 in King City.
The regional competition was comprised of FFA competitors from all over the South Coast Region, spanning from Campbell to Los Angeles.
Guinn placed third in the region in Prepared Public Speaking—a 6- to 8- minute speech, fully memorized on an agricultural topic of the student’s choosing—and advanced to the state competition in April.
For regionals, Guinn researched and wrote a speech titled, “Cannabis in California,” which outlines the effects that the legalization of marijuana has had on the cut flower and ornamental horticulture industry in the state. She was then asked five minutes of questions regarding the content covered in her speech.
Joining her at state will be the Morgan Hill FFA Officer Team, which placed second in the region by preparing and entering their Program of Activities, a 135-page document outlining the program’s bylaws and events.
Also competing at regionals was freshman Jackie Badillo, who qualified in the Creed Speaking Competition. Badillo memorized and recited the FFA Creed, a five-paragraph set of beliefs and aims of the FFA. She was then asked five minutes worth of questions on agriculture and the history of the creed.
In addition, sophomores Emily Van Boening and Serena Wood represented the Morgan Hill FFA chapter as voting delegates.
Live Oak High School agriculture teachers Kaiti Whitmyre and Amelia Brown are the Morgan Hill FFA Advisors.
