Though other classmates were unable to travel to Pueblo for this year’s state FFA convention held June 2-6, Sydney Tomlinson, reporter and state delegate for the Nucla chapter, decided she couldn’t miss it. She had her parents, Ashley and Chris Tomlinson, take her there. Now, she wants to help grow the Nucla chapter, increase participation and build a competitive FFA team for next year.
The state convention happens annually, and Tomlinson has attended the last two years. The rising junior said the experience of going makes for excellent learning opportunities and networking. It’s something all FFA students are invited to.
She told the Forum last week she estimates that more than 2,000 people were in attendance.
“There were a lot of people there,” she said. “I got to go up and be a delegate, so that is an important job, to make sure your chapter stays in tact.”
She said she attended many meetings throughout the week.
Tomlinson does have and show lambs, which she’ll be showing at the San Miguel Basin Fair this year. But, she said there’s more to FFA than just livestock, as far as agriculture goes. She said there are many related jobs that FFA can help support students in finding and learning about.
She’s personally interested in veterinary medicine, and at the state convention she got to speak with various colleges about their veterinary degree program.
There in Pueblo, she also met new people with whom she shared FFA experiences. She said she especially connected with the Cedaredge kids, and they talked about programs they’re involved with. Tomlinson shared about Nucla’s work with the Apple Core Project, the harvesting and grafting students have been doing. She also met a few students, like her, that were the only ones attending from their chapters.
The conference was an all-day, every day event last week, and one of the best sessions Tomlinson attended was the retirement of the previous FFA leaders and the instating of the new ones. She said it was very ceremonial, and interesting to watch. She did also enjoy the competitive public speaking sessions too. She had district friends who participated in that.
Tomlinson told the Forum she’d like to see more students join Nucla’s ag class, be in FFA and participate. She wants them take on FFA competitions, and to travel together to try to win awards. She said it’s important for Nucla to have a bigger team, and now is the time for students to think about joining.
“Right before school is the perfect time to think about joining ag class,” she said, “to get more knowledge and get involved. I want them to think, ‘this is a cool thing,’ and ‘I should do this.’”
Tomlinson added that participation is crucial to keeping Nucla’s chapter alive. She said each chapter really needs two delegates at the state convention, or there’s a risk of the chapter being revoked.
For her, the chapter remaining active and strong is important. This year, even if other students were unable to go, she insisted on attending and was glad her parents could get her there.
“I am very grateful for my parents,” she said.
Her father did celebrate his birthday at the FFA convention last week. Tomlinson said he never complained.
