Lodi woman makes FFA history
Tokay High grad becomes first African-American woman to lead national FFA
Breanna Holbert, a graduate from Tokay High School, became the first African-American woman, first Lodian and sixth Californian elected as the FFA’s national president at the 90th annual National FFA Convention in Indiana last Saturday.
At the suggestion of her eighthgrade counselor, Holbert joined the FFA in 2011 as a freshman at Tokay High School, believing that it would be an easy class about gardening, she said.
“I don’t come from an agricultural background, I got into FFA on a whim. I wanted to play in the WNBA, and I thought this would be an easy A. I discovered later that it was really challenging, and allowed me to learn so much about agriculture. I stayed in, initially, because my advisor saw potential in me. She put me in speaking contests, which allowed me to grow into the person I am today,” Holbert said.
Rebecca Freeman, agricultural instructor and FFA advisor at Tokay High School, saw potential in Holbert and encouraged her to stick with the program. Holbert went on to serve as an officer at her school’s FFA chapter for three years, Freeman said, as well as a sectional and regional officer.
“If I were to describe Breanna, I would say she is the most authentic, genuine and kind individual I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Selfishly speaking, she has impacted my career immensely and makes me want to be a better person and teacher every day. I am absolutely blessed to have been her ag teacher for several years. I don’t know anyone more deserving of this position of National FFA President,” Freeman said.
Besides serving as a member of the floriculture judging team at Tokay High, Holbert also raised chickens and turkeys for an FFA project, according to Freeman. Tokay High School Principal Eric Sandstrom also spoke highly of Holbert, praising her work during high school and predicting that she will continue her streak of success in her new office.
“She was an outstanding student here, besides her involvement with the FFA and the ag world, she was the FFA State Secretary, elected by her constituents. She’s had a remarkable young career of representing others, representing students, representing her peers, representing ag. Plus, she’s from Tokay, so that’s pretty cool. She’s a quality person, she’s considerate, she has the right temperament for the job. She also does her homework, her fact finding and she listens to people. She’ll be a great representative for the nation, this is outstanding for her,” Sandstrom said.
After graduating from high school, Holbert took a year off from her studies to serve as the FFA’s California state secretary, before attending California State University, Chico to study agricultural education.
She is now taking the 2017-18 academic year off to serve as national president of the FFA before returning to her studies. She will be honored at a dinner held at Tokay High’s cafeteria on Nov. 18 at 6 p.m.
“I plan to continue working alongside my five other teammates from different backgrounds, using our different perspectives together to create positive change through positive action. I hope to do this by celebrating students of all different backgrounds, and highlight the diversity in our organization through speeches, workshops and interacting with our sponsors. After I graduate from college, I want to be an ag teacher in an urban area, and give students there the ability to learn more about agriculture and sustainable life,” Holbert said.