Staff and students to represent BUHS at FFA State Leadership Conference
IMPERIAL – Brawley Union High School (BUHS) will be represented at the FFA State Leadership Conference with Ruben Villa’s nomination for State Star Support Staff Award and the musical participation of students Emma and Clara Walker at the event happening in Ontario, California from March 16 to 19.
BUHS security guard and Imperial Valley resident Ruben Villa received an email from California FFA State Advisor Charles Parker notifying Villa that he was one of six staff finalists for the State Support Staff Award; this is his second nomination for State Support Staff Award.
Villa said he is the first staff member in Brawley FFA’s history to be nominated for this award.
“It’s a huge honor to represent our school and our town like this it’s a tremendous honor,” Villa said in an interview with IVP on February 20.
There are six regions in California FFA and each recipient is selected from each region, Villa said.
“Ruben has been selected as a Star Support Staff person for the Southern region, which is compromised much all Southern California, out of San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, Southern Los Angeles, and Imperial County,” Michelle Taylor, BUHS Agricultural Instructor and FFA Advisor, said.
To qualify for the award at the beginning of the school year, Chapter Officers select one staff member to be part of the program, staff members’ contributions, participation, and involvement in the chapter are documented throughout the year, Villa said. In January, Brawley FFA Chapter Officers work on the application, where there is a checklist of what the staff participated.
“To qualify for possible state recognition, staff must have 20 items checked off on the application,” Villa said.
“Brawley FFA officers and advisor must type an essay detailing the staff member’s contribution and involvement in the program.,” he said. “Once finished they submit the application and a committee in Sacramento reviews it.”
Villa acknowledged Brawley FFA advisors Michelle Taylor and Alicyn Monita helped him prepare for this nomination.
“I can’t take all the credit, it’s the advisors Ms. Taylor and Ms. Monita, the officers, it’s them that helped me get there,” Villa said.
“It would show how much dedication and hard work there is in this town,” Villa said when asked what the award means to him if he was selected.
“It’s not just me, it’s everybody in our chapter,” Villa said. “It shows a team, what we’re able to accomplish together and everything that we do every day.”
Taylor thinks Villa was nominated for this award because he has a heart for students.
“He enjoys working with them but he also has a draw for leadership,” Taylor said. “He’s brought a lot of his wisdom and knowledge and being involved with those as well to see kids succeed to the best of their ability.”
Taylor said that State Support Staff Award finalists will be interviewed in Ontario and their applications will be judged and based on the combined results a state winner overall will be selected.
“So he is one of the top six in the state as of right now,” Taylor said.
The State Winner will be announced at the conference on March 19.
BUHS Senior student Emma Walker and junior student and sister Clara Walker will display their musical talents at FFA Got Talent on March 17.
Taylor said that Emma Walker was selected to perform the National Anthem at the FFA State Leadership Conference on March 16.
“We are so excited and surprised,” Emma Walker said. “We were so excited to get the news we were overjoyed.”
According to Walker, both sisters applied nearly a month ago, where they made a video playing a song; Emma was playing the bass, and Clara was playing the guitar.
During the finale weeks of February the sisters were notified about performing at the conference.
“It is so amazing being in FFA and able to represent Brawley High School; it’s so cool, we hope we represent them well,” Emma Walker said.
“Don’t be afraid to do what you like and go outside of your comfort zone, even at a State level,” she said. “It might be scary but I say just do it to try it.”