The West Holt FFA Chapter’s gym banner is unveiled during a public celebration of the national champion team.
If you would have told the eighth grade girls who entered Mr. Gibbens’ classroom in 2021 that they would become national champions just two short years later, they never would have believed you. What started out as a dream soon became a reality for these members who worked hard to achieve this goal.
Although winning a national competition is an accomplished feat, there were many other benefits these members gained while preparing and competing. In the time that’s followed their championship, there has been a long-reaching impact on the West Holt FFA Chapter in Nebraska.
Members Aleigha Ogden, Cale Deseive, Ava Hoffman, Madalyn Pistulka, Monica Chavez, Taylor Walnofer, Pavan Larson and Morgan Mitchell first competed at the Nebraska FFA state convention in the Conduct of Chapter Meetings Leadership Development Event (LDE) in 2022, where they received fourth place as eighth graders. They returned their freshman year and were named state champions, qualifying their team for nationals. There, they advanced from the preliminary round to semi-finals and the finals. They won the final round and were named the National FFA Conduct of Chapter Meetings LDE winning team in 2023.
They credit much of their success to the help of their “phenomenal advisor” David Gibbens. He helped prepare the team members through the summer and school year. Gibbens is grateful for this event and the impact it has had on the members in his chapter.
“The work of the eight members of the team has gone beyond the event and helped them to become leaders in the chapter and community,” he says. “It is rare for this size of a group to stay together and be so dedicated to a goal for as long as they did.”
Team members present proper meeting procedures to school board members.
When talking to member Taylor Walnofer, who served as her chapter’s advisor on the national champion team, she said, “As younger junior high kids, we always dreamed about being able to lead, but never had the opportunity to. When we had our unit on Conduct of Chapter Meetings in our agriculture class, we loved it. This was the perfect opportunity to be able to do more and prove ourselves as eighth graders who didn’t often have this opportunity.”
Not only has this been a phenomenal experience for these members to compete and show their knowledge of parliamentary procedure, but it has also helped shape great leaders for the West Holt FFA Chapter. Five of the eight girls who were members on the team are currently chapter officers, and the other three serve as committee chairs.
The team members have all contributed to the success of the chapter in planning and carrying out West Holt FFA Chapter’s Program of Activities. They were instrumental in completing requirements for the National Chapter Award Program application, which has earned West Holt FFA a three-star rating for the first time in chapter history.
“Not only has winning nationals helped me become a better leader in our chapter, but it has also improved my communication skills and helped me to be more confident,” says Cale Deseive, who served as the team’s vice president. “This not only helps with the competition, but it also will continue to help me in all my future endeavors.”
