By Colby Jobinger —
O’NEALS — What’s better than one FFA Regional Officer? Two FFA Regional Officers!
Two members of Minarets FFA were recently selected to serve on the 2019-2020 Regional Officer team, which is the second highest officer position an FFA member can hold.
Junior Reiley Stenberg and sophomore Jake Dowell will assume their respective positions as East-Fresno Madera Vice President and Regional Sentinel for the school year starting in September.
The different tiers of office are as follow:
- Freshman year you can run for Greenhand office.
- You can continue your growth in the FFA by becoming a Chapter officer.
- The next highest is the Section which includes fourteen other high schools that can apply to be on this team.
- The next step of this process is Regional office.
Our region, known as the San Joaquin Region, is the second largest region in the state, behind only the Central Region. The San Joaquin Region has six Sections in it, which means competition for a spot on the team is very fierce. That’s why it is such a great accomplishment for our Minarets Mustangs. The final two steps after Regional Office include State and National Office.
Mustangs Reiley and Jake went through a rigorous application period, spending nearly countless hours on the process.
Once the application is submitted, applicants are selected to part take in an interview. If the interview goes well, an applicant will be slated, meaning selected for an office position and mounting an election to see if they are selected.
Prior to election, the slated members are asked two questions they must answer in under two minutes. Next, the would-be regional officers receive open questions from delegates.
“The funniest part of the Regional meeting was fielding the questions delegates asked,” Jake laughs. “I was even asked what part of a bicycle I would be if I had to choose!”
His was not the only amusing experience.
“During the questions a member asked if they could, ‘persuade me into believing water was sticky.’ That was pretty interesting,” recounts Reiley.
Following the questions, delegates vote and then results are announced, leaving some candidates’ dreams recognized and the dreams of others crushed.
“My devotion to the FFA and how I wanted to be in something bigger is what drove me to run for office,” says Jake, who will serve as the Regional Sentinel during his junior year. “I’m most excited to meet new people, get my name out there and grow as a leader.”
Stenberg is the East-Fresno Madera Vice President elect.
“I wanted to take the extra step and incentive to become more of a servant leader and impact more people on a different level than I am now,” says Reiley, explaining why she wanted to become a Regional Officer. “I’m excited to bond with my team and meet new people from the region.”
FFA adviser Jessica Sweet says she is extremely proud of everyone who ran for office this year.
“Congratulations to Jake and Rei on becoming officers!”
Colby Jobinger is a student at Minarets High School.
