Going for Gold
The Susanville FFA Chapter’s Advanced Parliamentary Procedure Team eating ice cream out of its state champion bowl.
Susanville FFA has won the California FFA Advanced Parliamentary Procedure competition for the first time in its chapter’s history. The work leading up to this victory, though, was colossal and riddled with difficulty.
The majority of this year’s team is all seniors, including Julia Bruce, Aurea Webb, Tyler Swayze, Abbie Hemphill and Peighten Butterbach, as well as one junior, Samantha Medvin. These members have dedicated years of their lives to hone their craft, and that practice definitely paid off.
For context, even the novice version of parliamentary procedure is incredibly difficult. All team members must work in sync, moving motions and setting each other up — all under 10 minutes. Each chair has to move a required motion, as well as an additional motion. The team members are judged by a panel of judges, who determine the logic of the motions passed during a round, debate scores and ask team members questions about parliamentary law once the round concludes.
Susanville FFA holding its team state champion ribbons and bowl.
Advanced parliamentary procedure is even more difficult because of how harshly the scores for logic and debates are determined. The Susanville FFA Advanced Parliamentary Procedure Team was largely successful this year leading up to state finals.
Susanville FFA parliamentary procedure team members before going in and competing at state finals.
The team placed first in the Intermountain Section Leadership Development Event (LDE) competition, and swept all six high chair awards. At regionals, it placed first high team and Julia Bruce won high chairman, Aurea Webb won high chair 2, Abbie Hemphill won high chair 4 and Tyler Swayze won high chair 5. Finally, at state LDE finals held at the Fresno State Campus, Susanville FFA won first high team, and Julia Bruce won high chairman.
The Susanville FFA Chapter’s advanced parli team taking a picture of its reflection in the state champion bowl.
Throughout the entire year, this team set a record of excellence, and demonstrated teamwork and compassion in everything it did. Team members spent countless hours practicing and memorizing motions, conditioning themselves to think on the spot and provide flawless debates, and even spent more than an hour a week at 7 a.m. reading through and memorizing Robert’s Rules of Order, which outlines everything about parliamentary procedure.
Every team member has learned valuable lessons from their time competing. “The team helped me understand how meetings run, government procedures and allowed me to meet so many new people across the state,” says Peighten Butterbach.
Abbie Hemphill also mentioned how “the team has taught me the skill of running meetings, being able to properly debate and has given me close friendships with all of her teammates.”
All of the team members note how important their coach, Mrs. Ammon, was in getting them to this point. This fall, the Susanville FFA Chapter’s Advanced Parliamentary Procedure Team will head to nationals in Indianapolis, where it will compete for and represent all of California FFA. While most of the team members admit that competing will be nerve wracking, many of them are extremely excited to meet new people, gain new opportunities and see national convention from a different point of view.
Team members hugging after they found out they won state finals.
When asked about what it meant to have a state-winning team for the first time in Susanville FFA history, Ammon said, “They showed commitment, perseverance and unity to reach a common goal. The character and compassion this group showed, along with the fact that they never complained and always completed tasks they were given, warmed my heart.”
Congratulations to Susanville FFA Chapter’s Advanced Parliamentary Procedure Team as it heads to nationals. We are all rooting for you! Go for gold!!
