Blue Ridge FFA Earns Prestigious Top 10 National Ranking and Elite Honors

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BLUE RIDGE, Ill. (WCIA) — The Blue Ridge FFA Chapter has achieved remarkable recognition, standing out among over 9,000 high school FFA chapters nationwide. Recently, this dedicated group was honored as one of the top 10 chapters at a prestigious national convention.

During the 98th National FFA Convention & Expo, which took place from October 29 to November 1 in Indianapolis, the Blue Ridge FFA Chapter was celebrated for its excellence, earning the title of a Top 10 National Model of Excellence Chapter. Since 2020, the chapter has consistently been distinguished as a 3-star chapter, the highest accolade an FFA chapter can receive.

Carmen Ellis, the chapter’s president, expressed the significance of this achievement, stating, “It’s incredible. We live in a really small town, and nobody knows where we are, so having a name at that national level is amazing.”

The chapter shared their excitement on Facebook, describing the experience as unforgettable and expressing deep gratitude for the opportunity. They highlighted the joy of delivering an outstanding presentation on the finals stage and the honor of participating on the national stage. The memories from this convention, they noted, will be cherished for years to come.

“It’s incredible,” Blue Ridge FFA Chapter President Carmen Ellis said. “We live in a really small town, and nobody knows where we are, so having a name at that national level is amazing.”

On Facebook, the chapter said this experience is one for the ages and one they will never take for granted. They said they are grateful for everything, including an incredible presentation on the finals stage and going to the nationals stage. The chapter said they will treasure the memories from this year’s convention.

“It’s really cool to see all of our hard work here locally be recognized at the national level and hear all of those chapters hear about us at the national convention” said Presley Hardesty, Blue Ridge FFA Chapter Vice President.

The chapter members said their growth as an organization can be attributed to their advisors and the continued passion they have for agriculture. Ellis said carrying on the traditions they’ve held for years has allowed them to find success time after time.

And one current member has advice for those interested in but maybe on the fence about joining their local FFA chapter.

“I would say just do it, just try it,” said Shawn Christie, active member of the Blue Ridge FFA Chapter. “Coming into high school, I never did Ag in 8th grade so, I would say just try it. I didn’t know what I was going to do when I got in high school, and now, through FFA, I learned that I want to survey for the rest of my life.”