GHS FFA Floral Scores High at Nationals

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – Gridley’s Future Farmers of America’s Floral Program has just returned from Nationals with impressive results!

Earlier in the year, the GHS FFA Floral Team, composed of Maddy Hamman, Becca Hamman, Hayley Tripplet and Kennison Cota, placed first in the FFA State Competition, allowing for the team to advance to the National FFA Competition this fall. 

A preliminary round was held on Zoom, which consisted of a written test and floral/plant identification and tested the ladies’ skills in identifying and controlling disease and pests. The GHS team scored in the top 20, allowing them to compete, in person, at Nationals. Under the direction of Mrs. Jenny Hayley and Ms. Madison Albiani, the four young ladies spent 6 days in Indianapolis, Indiana, the last week of October, competing at the 2021 Future Farmers of America National Championships. 

The FFA Floral Team competed alongside their peers in five hands-on practicums and a 50-question test, pulled from a question bank of 300 potential questions, for individual and group scores. The practicums are randomly chosen, and competitors don’t know which practicum they will be competing in until moments before their assignment. Then, individual scores and group scores are tallied for a final total that would place the team in the categories of Bronze, Silver, or Gold. 

The Gridley FFA Floral team would do well, their group scores landing them the Silver High Team at the awards ceremony. For the individual contests, Becca Hamman, Kennison Cota, and Hayley Tripplet, all placed individual Silver High Score, with Maddy Hamman taking Gold High Score in individuals. 

Ms. Albiani says, before State and Nationals, everything was on zoom. For Cota, this was her first in-person competition. “I think for them an in-person competition, as a whole, was something, and then you add the fact you are competing against different states.” Says Ms. Albiani. “Competing at that level and representing California is something to be proud of as a whole, and then doing so, as they did, making Silver ...and their dedication throughout the summer, of coming in on their own time…making sure that we’re preparing as well as we could…I think that was something you only hope happens.” She adds that she was very proud.

Of their experience, Becca Hamman says, “It was really cool. It sets a goal for the next competitions that I compete in,” and that she wants to go back. “It's something that I used to think of as unrealistic, but now it’s way closer in reach than I used to think.” She continues, “I think that will help us strive in further competitions.” Kennison Cota says that it was “Eye opening and inspiring just to see how much FFA has done for so many kids across the nation.”  Hayley Tripplet was unavailable for comment, but Maddy Hamman says, “For me, I had a very different perspective because that was the last time wearing my jacket...My freshman year, we were 65th High Team in the State, and so we really started at the bottom...so it was really cool to just see it come full circle, like this pipe dream I had four years ago, and then, to do it with my sister...made it even more special. And so, for me, it just like, put a bow on my whole FFA experience.”

Gridley’s FFA Floral Teams hard work and dedication has paid off!