Cashmere FFA qualifies eight students for national competition

CASHMERE – Cashmere High School’s FFA chapter will send two state champion teams to national competition this fall after strong performances at state contests this spring.

The Environmental and Natural Resources team won the state competition April 13, earning the opportunity to represent Washington at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. Gloria Smith was the individual state champion with a score of 551 out of 600 points.

Cashmere FFA added another national qualification May 14 during the Washington State FFA Convention in Pullman, where the Milk Quality team defeated 39 other teams to secure a berth at nationals. Miranda Castro earned individual state champion honors, helping lead the team to a 133-point victory over the second-place team from Toledo.

“Cashmere FFA is heading back to Nationals this fall with 2 State Champion Teams,” said Rusty Finch, FFA adviser at Cashmere High School.

The chapter also posted strong results in several additional competitions at the state convention.

The Meats Evaluation team placed second overall, finishing just 11 points behind the top team. Five Cashmere students placed in the top 10 individually, led by Emily Swanson, who finished second out of 108 competitors. Vanessa Oropeza placed fifth, Chris Garcia sixth, Logan Potter seventh and Liam Hill ninth.

Cashmere’s Food Science team also earned a second-place finish out of 49 teams competing statewide. Team members included Cooper Smith, Sym Sandhu, Kaelee Cox, Brody Potter and Slade Tukey.

The chapter’s younger members also performed well. Eighteen freshmen qualified for state competition, and each advanced to the “Elite 8” or state finals.

All three novice Parliamentary Procedure teams placed among the top eight statewide out of 24 teams competing. One team placed fourth and included Izzy Thomas, Emerson Thomason, Elizabeth Sanchez, Darling Sanchez, Avonlea Hemmer and Madelyn Dorsey.

Another team placed fifth and featured Camryn Harnden, Etta Deason, Claira Guerin, Olivia Ray, Ayden Gasbar and Emmy Van Den Broek. A third team finished seventh with members Christian Kim, Emma Weems, Reese Dahlstrom, Kacie Ramirez, Callen Pipkin and Maya Cohen.

In the FFA Creed Speaking Competition, Ayden Gasbar and Camryn Harnden placed seventh and eighth, respectively.

Cashmere FFA also celebrated seven seniors who earned their State FFA Degree this year. Those students are Addy Burger, Paige Dart, Jacob Holladay, Ella Kenoyer, Gracie Nieman, Lucy Ray and Ellie Weber.

The chapter’s annual Prime Rib Dinner fundraiser supporting the national teams is scheduled for Oct. 3.