Where Are They Now? FFA State Officer Edition
David Lopez
2019–2020 State Sentinel
2019–2020 State Sentinel
The California FFA Foundation is proud to announce the addition of two d
August has been jam-packed, with hardly a dull moment!
Our team kicked off the month in Visalia at the California Youth Agriculture Expo (CYAE). We cheered on FFA members in the ring, handed out awards during the champion drive, and connected with industry professionals. We also enjoyed time at State Treasurer Daren Deftereos’s home in Hanford before returning to CYAE to announce the winners of the CalAgPlate raffle and then heading home.
FFA undoubtedly shaped me into who I am today. From speaking contests and leadership opportunities, to incredible advisors, I am so grateful for what the FFA gave me. I was a member of the El Centro FFA chapter and graduated from high school in 2022. FFA positively impacted my high school experience by giving me the opportunity to compete in many career and leadership development events and serve on several leadership teams.
I graduated from Winters High School in 2022. Looking back, I can see how FFA was an integral part of my high school experience. I didn’t realize it at the time, but this experience in the blue jacket set the course for much of my life.
For many of us, when looking towards our future, we wonder how our weekends spent at field days or nights spent in the barn will impact the opportunities we have and the people we will become. Graduating from the Winters High School in 2025, I can say without a doubt that FFA has greatly influenced the person I am today and the opportunities I’ve had since high school.
Highland FFA’s recent plant sale was more than just a spring fundraiser—it was a full-scale, student-led success story. Spearheaded by the chapter’s 0-period Sales & Marketing class and guided by chapter officers, students took charge of planning, organizing, and running the event from start to finish.
Five Fort Frye FFA seniors from Ohio didn’t just spend their spring break hiking national parks and seeing the sights—they made it a mission-driven journey. At the heart of their trip was a meaningful visit with the Lucerne Valley FFA Chapter in Southern California, an experience that sparked deeper understanding, connection, and action.