— At the tail end of September, American Falls High School’s Future Farmers of America chapter accomplished something no other chapter in the state has done.
While attending 2022’s Idaho State FFA Convention last month it won 11 out of 24 possible state championships against 93 other chapters. Many of its students also qualified for nationals and will fly out to Indianapolis to compete in the 95th National FFA Convention and Expo this weekend.
“It’s something that no other school in Idaho has done,” said American Falls agriculture science teacher and FFA adviser Bret Kindall. “It was a surprise with the amount of awards that we won.”
Kindall said that last year seven students qualified to attend nationals, and this year the chapter will have quadrupled that amount. A total of 29 students will compete in nine different categories at the expo that runs from Oct. 22 to 29.
One of the students who will be attending the conference is Delfina Murillo, who was named a top four national finalist in Agricultural Mechanics Design and Fabrication. Murillo has worked at a local fencing business where she learned tricks of the trade, developed valuable skills, and even received a proficiency award in FFA’s Supervised Agricultural Experience, said Kindall.
The American Falls’ FFA chapter has built its reputation over the years since ag teacher Marc Beitia first established its roots in 1990. It has been a three-star chapter since 2006, the highest rank achievable for an FFA chapter. Its Ag Issues Forum has also had the opportunity to present its forum issues to notable groups and individuals such as Gov. Brad Little and Rep. Mike Simpson.