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Sectional FFA Speech Contest Success
speech
Placing in a variety of competitions at the recent FFA Delta-Cal Section Speech Contest were, from left, Darian Caton, Natalie Bianchi, Rachel Swift, Colten Watson and Elliott Mello. Photo Contributed

On Wednesday, Dec. 10 the Escalon High FFA Chapter took 11 students to the Delta-Cal Section FFA Speech Contest hosted by Linden High School. Students who competed in the FFA Creed Recitation included freshmen Elliott Mello, Sophia Rexin, and Mary Adams. The contest also includes answering questions relating to the Creed and agriculture from the panel of judges following the recitation. Mello placed ninth overall out of 28 contestants.

Sophomores Julia Orlando, Cydney Keener, Rachel Swift, and Natalie Bianchi competed in the Impromptu contest. In the Impromptu contest, contestants draw a topic, all relating to Agriculture and the FFA, and must speak, on the spot, about that topic for two minutes. Bianchi placed first and Swift fourth overall out of almost 30 contestants. Junior Joe Teixeira participated in the prepared speech contest, which involves preparing and delivering a 3- to 5-minute speech addressing a problem in agriculture then answering questions about the topic. Nick Russell competed in the Extemporaneous contest, which involves drawing an agriculture-related current event and writing a speech in 30 minutes. After the contestant delivers the speech, the judges then ask questions.

Seniors Darian Caton and Colten Watson both competed in the Job Interview Contest where contestants submit a résumé and cover letter as if applying for a fictitious agriculture job. Additionally, they participate in a mock interview and fill out a job application in a timed period. Caton was first and Watson fifth overall in a full contest of over 30 contestants.

The final contest of the night is the Farm Cooperatives contest. Students take a test on farm co-ops, their history, and how they operate. The team, consisting of Carlesse Mims, Jacob Alvarado, Krysten Rocha, and Marcos Saldivar, placed fourth as a team, with Alvarado placing seventh as an individual.

After placing in the top four of their contest area, Caton, Bianchi, and Swift will now move on to compete at the regional preliminary contest, which will be hosted by Galt High School in February.