REDMOND, Ore. — Julia Scolari said Coquille, Ore., used to have an FFA chapter until the 1980s, when it fell victim to budget cuts.

“I’m teaching in the same high school I graduated from. It was an opportunity I never got,” Scolari said.

The program returned this year, however, thanks to a push from the community and the district’s new superintendent.

“Students were beyond excited. They thought there was something missing from their education,” said Scolari, an ag teacher and FFA advisor.

Coquille and four other new chapters — Alsea, Condon, Creswell and Helix — were welcomed into the Oregon FFA during the organization’s 96th annual convention in Redmond, Ore., last weekend.

More chapters to come

Oregon FFA CEO Phil Ward said the five new chapters are more than have been chartered in recent years.

“It’s an indicator there’s a lot of demand for high school ag programs in the state,” Ward said.

And he expects the organization, which now stands at about 120 chapters, to continue to grow in the coming years.

Oregon currently has a record 16,600 FFA members, a 55% increase since 2019. Ward expected membership to increase to nearly 17,000 for the official count at the end of the school year.

Ward said there’s been a renewed emphasis and investment on career technical education in Oregon, and students who take CTE courses have higher graduation rates.

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“I think there’s a really strong future ahead for these types of programs in Oregon,” Ward added.

Helix Charter School ag instructor and FFA advisor Cassie Castle said it was important to bring FFA back to the Umatilla County town, because agriculture is so important there.

“The community wants ag, and the kids want ag, too,” added the first-year teacher. She said the impact was immense, with students loving hands-on learning.

Patrick Doyle, Creswell High School teacher and FFA advisor, said there was plenty of interest from students to start a chapter, so he got an ag teaching endorsement.

Doyle sees the benefits of the organization. “It creates a culture, a culture of belonging. Kids that might not have a connect through other aspects can thrive in FFA,” he said.

FFA student perspectives

Isabel Machado, a Creswell freshman, said FFA is fun and it feels like being part of a family. “Part of a school-family kind of thing,” she clarified.

Angelina Bunch, a Coquille High School freshman, wants to become a veterinarian, and said FFA will help her pursue her career.

Classmate Hudson Fisher joined FFA for other aspects. “We live in a rural town, so I feel like it helps you friendship-wise,” said Fisher, who lives in Myrtle Point.

Colter Raymond, a sophomore in Helix, said almost all the high school students there participate in FFA, even though it’s new.

Ethan Reeder, president of Helix FFA, said he joined to get more social and leadership skills, and he may go into agribusiness.

Classmate Cameron Weidert of Pendleton has a precise focus for his ag learning — his family farms about 1,500 acres of wheat, and he hopes to take charge of the operation one day.