It was a banner day for Garden Spot FFA members of Lampeter-Strasburg High School at the PA FFA Mid-Winter Convention Jan. 6 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex.

Garden Spot FFA celebrated members receiving their first blue corduroy jacket and others achieving the milestone of earning their Keystone Degree.

"The receiving of their Keystone Degree is a marker of success and reflection," adviser Katie Ranck said. Six Garden Spot FFA members received their Keystone Degree. To be able to receive the Keystone Degree, members had to have invested over $1,000 or have over 300 hours invested into a supervised agricultural experience (SAE), completed at least 30 hours of community service, participated actively in their FFA chapter events, and held various leadership roles. FFA members Sarah Firestone, Ava Immel, Brianna Shaffer, Audrey Wagner, Ian Lyons, and Owen Williams all met these requirements. 

"It was definitely a lot of hard work with the FFA," Immel said. "I started my freshman year and was a jacket recipient. It's been an agricultural journey. My freshman year, I was not a public speaker, and through the FFA I've developed my voice in agriculture. It's a testament to what working in FFA can do for you."

Immel, who has been riding horses since she was 7, completed supervised agricultural experiences, journaling her time spent training horses, feeding the horses, and mucking stalls.

Immel raised two sheep for the West Lampeter Fair, competed in the national convention in agriculture sales, and was the runner-up in extemporaneous speaking at the state convention. She also earned a spot in the state fair queen competition after being named West Lampeter Fair Queen.

This year, FFA Alumni and Supporters donated 1,369 jackets to Pennsylvania FFA Members, setting a new record for the highest number of jackets donated to date. Local donations were made possible by chapter supporters Anita Martin, Donald and Emily Welk, Franco Family LLC, Jeri and Molly Ross, Josh Brian, Joshua Weaver, Kim Rubincam, South View Farms, Jay Sangrey, Jessica Thomas, and Brian Weldy.

Among the recipients, 15 Garden Spot FFA members were proud to receive and zip up their FFA jackets during the convention. They were Alex Franco, Sarah Conrad, Ashlynn Frey, Zach Heil, Ashlyn Donaldson, Olivia Rubincam, Trent Thomas, Landon Giberson, Khloe Parsons, Kinsley Ferreira, Kylie Dyer, Lillie Byers, Maddy Albright, Rex Giberson, and Sebastian Delgado. To receive a jacket, members were evaluated on their participation in the FFA and had to fill out an online application. "Every step in this journey may not be easy, but the hard work you put in will present opportunities and shape your future," PA FFA Alumni president Sherisa Nailor told the crowd at the 96th Mid-Winter Convention. 

Freshmen jacket recipients Frey and Conrad share a similar story. "I was really looking forward to it ever since my older sister (Kayla) got hers (in 2020)," Frey said. "I went to Mid-Winter Convention one time, and she was receiving her jacket. I was watching her and watching everyone get up and put theirs on, and I was just thinking, 'That's going to be me one day, for sure.'"

Conrad said, "When I was in middle school, I remember my brother (Jonathan) going to all FFA events (in 2020), and he always came back so happy. I was thinking, 'Oh, yeah. I want to do that.'"

"It's neat because those ladies both had an older sibling who paved the way for them," Ranck said. "They were also very active in our Junior FFA program, which is our middle school club. They come up one time a month and are taught lessons by our current officers."

Frey plans on getting even more active in the group. "I'm looking forward to becoming more involved with FFA over the next couple years, running for officer, getting my Greenhand Degree (the first level degree as a high school student)," she said. After the Greenhand Degree comes the Chapter Degree, Red Rose Degree, and Keystone Degree. There is also an American Degree, which must be completed three years after leaving high school.

"Less than 1% of FFA members earn (the American degree)," said Ranck. But Immel has beaten the odds before. She has been accepted to Delaware Valley University, where she will study animal science and pursue an FFA American Degree. Once afraid to speak in public, Immel now excels at it.

"FFA has really laid a foundation for her to be successful," said Ranck.

Pennsylvania FFA hosts the state Agriculture Issues Leadership Development Event (LDE) at the PA Farm Show annually. Due to the winter weather, the competition was postponed. The Garden Spot FFA Agricultural Issues Forum Team has been preparing for the past semester to present on the topic of "The Effects of Proposition 12 on Farmers." The team of seven consists of Rex Giberson, Sarah Firestone, Ashlynn Frey, Ava Immel, Landon Giberson, Brooke Rubincam, and Jack Ross.

The chapter's accomplishments go beyond this convention. Garden Spot FFA alumni Sydney Albright and Jaclyn Martin are state FFA officers this year, helping run the Mid-Winter Convention and handing out degrees. Garden Spot FFA president Sarah Firestone is working with the 2025 Junior Farm Show Committee, continuing to represent the chapter's involvement in agriculture.