Highland FFA

Today, Highland FFA hosted our annual Summer Solstice Show! ☀️🐑🦃🐐 From Turkey, Lamb, and Goat exhibitors to both our Novice and Advanced divisions, it was a great day of competition, learning, and showing off the hard work our members have put in.

Thank you to everyone who came out and supported our members, and congratulations to all of our exhibitors on a successful show!

Your 2026-2027 President is Erik Menees!
Erik is a junior going into his 3rd year in the Highland FFA program. Throughout his time in FFA he has had the opportunity to have multiple SAE projects. Currently, he is raising a Market Heifer (Lafonda) and a Market Turkey. Erik has also competed in many CDE’s and LDE’s and plans on competing in the Ag Mechanics CDE and the Job Interview LDE this year where he aims to further develop his quick thinking, communication, and adaptability skills.

His favorite memory so far has been meeting new people and creating amazing memories during FFA trips. In his free time you can catch Erik joking around with his friends, listening to music, or hanging out with family all over the state.

Erik’s main goal this year is to meet as many people as possible while also creating more leadership opportunities to help members reach their full potential. Don’t be afraid to come up to him and introduce yourself!!

Your 2026-2027 Chapter Vice President is Adan Chavez!

Adan has been enrolled in FFA since freshman year and is being closer involved in the FFA Chapter for his final year. Adan has taken on numerous SAE projects, from growing herbs, volunteering at CALM, and raising livestock. For his 4th year in Highland FFA, Adan is raising a goat named Skiddo, along with 2 chickens, which include a Buff Orpington named Lemon and a Barred Plymouth Rock named Tes. Adan has been involved in many FFA competitions over the years, such as Creed Speaking, Vegetable Crop Judging, Milk Quality and Dairy Judging, and Best Informed Greenhand.

Adan has many favorite memories involved in FFA, with the chapter events being his highlight. Adan highly values the community and friendships built within our chapter and how the events our school offers help strengthen everyone’s bonds with each other. Outside of FFA, Adan is also part of the AVID club student body, where he acts as treasurer. Adan constantly tries to find new ways to help out his community, volunteering at his church, helping with events at schools, and setting up for the Kern County Fair. Adan also enjoys ceramics, as well as exploring nature and watching birds.

Adan’s goal for this year is to have better promotion of events and add more community service opportunities. He also wants to make sure all the members are pleased and heard, so don’t be afraid to go up and talk to him. You can usually find him after school at the farm either feeding his goat, playing with his chickens, or just sitting on the bench relaxing. Adan may seem a bit quiet and kept to himself, but once you get to know him more, he’ll always have your back!

Introducing your 2026–2027 Chapter Second Vice President, Elijah Hernandez!

Elijah is stepping into his third year in FFA and his senior year of high school. Throughout his FFA journey, he has competed in Opening & Closing Ceremonies, Ag Issues, Ag Sales, and El Credo. Alongside serving as Second Vice President for Highland, He will also serve as the Kern-Inyo FFA Sectional President.

His SAE experience includes a paid placement at Grimmway Farms, and raising a turkey to show at the Kern County Fair. Outside of the FFA, he is a concurrent enrollment student at Bakersfield College, pursuing associate degrees in Liberal Arts and Architecture.

As the Second Vice President, Elijah’s goal is to strengthen our chapter through greater member involvement and creating new opportunities for our students.

Don’t be shy, be sure to say hi!

This is Aubrey Kimmel’s 3rd year in the Highland FFA Program. Throughout her time in FFA, she has discovered a passion for the livestock industry, especially showing and raising goats. This year, she is raising a Market Boer Goat named Johnny Cash, she is excited to exhibit at the Kern County Fair. Along with her market project, Aubrey has also started her own Boer breeding project, giving her the opportunity to expand her knowledge and experience within the livestock industry.
This year, Aubrey is honored to serve not only as Highland FFA’s 2nd Vice President but also as the 2026–2027 Kern Inyo FFA Section Sentinel. Through these leadership positions, she hopes to connect with members, encourage participation, and help create an environment where everyone feels welcomed and supported.

One of Aubrey’s favorite parts of FFA has been the friendships and experiences she has gained along the way. FFA has become a second family to her, providing her with a place where she feels encouraged to grow, try new things, and discover her passions. One of her main goals this year is to help other members find their own passion within FFA and remind every member that they have a place in this organization.

Outside of FFA, Aubrey enjoys spending time with her family and friends and making memories with the people she cares about most.

Throughout the year, don’t hesitate to introduce yourself and say hi to Aubrey, she is always excited to meet new people, make connections, and share the experiences that make FFA so special!

Ice Cream Social is almost here! 🍨Join us August 19th at 5:00 PM to kick off the year, meet fellow members, and enjoy some free ice cream. We can’t wait to see you there! 💙💛

Jasmine also known as Jazzy has the pleasure to introduce herself as your ‘2026-27’ chapter Secretary. This is Jasmine’s 2nd year in the Highland FFA Program. During her First year in FFA she has competed multiple of CDE’s such as Spanish Creed, Opening Closing, BIG, and AET. Her current SAE that she is working on is showing her Mini Lop Buck Zeus at the kern county fair.

This year Jasmine is honored to work with her team on not only making an impact on the chapter but to also inspire those to do more than what they do now

She’s worked in the lamb breeding project last year and has high hopes on working with it again on the goat breeding project with Whitesell with Vlad being my inspiration on being part of this project. On all things aside she has high hopes on being an inspiration herself to all new members to the FFA program.

This year, serving as your 2026 - 2027 Chapter Treasurer is Thomas Helman! Being both a returning officer, and having been a member of the FFA since the he set foot in highland, He enters his senior year diligent and eager to improve his chapter and embolden his community.

Thomas is entering his last year of Highschool having worked on and completed several SAE projects, including raising a baby goat, various metal fabrication projects, and various seasonal gardens. Thomas has performed in many CDEs and LDEs as well, with experience doing opening and closing, crop judging, and AG mechanics. Thomas has attended multiple FFA conferences and events, that scale from sectional leadership conferences, state wide conventions and leadership workshops, to even the FFA national convention!

But the most important aspect of Thomas is his glorious mullet, most prized possession. Make sure to say hi to Thomas when you see him!

Your 2026-2027 Reporter is Sarai!
This is Sarai's second year in the Highland FFA program and her first time serving as an FFA officer. During her first year at Highland Highschool, she completed her Farm Assistant SAE with over 25 hours, assisting with taking care of the greenhouse, orchard and animals on the farm. She competed in multiple LDEs such as Open and Closing and Creed, while also participating in the BIG and Dairy Quality CDE's and will be entering more competitions her sophomore year.

Her favorite part of FFA is getting to meet and connect with new people at different competitions, conventions and events throughout the year. Her favorite FFA event was FFA on Ice, which she will be organizing this school year. Outside of FFA and school, she is at the library, bookstore, helping at church or hanging out with friends and tamily.
Sarai's main goal for this year is to spread the love and the joy the FFA has brought her to others in increasing chapter attendance and to serve her chapter by teaching others the importance of community and Agriculture.

Don't be afraid to say hi! She loves to talk and connect with others! Sarai is incredibly excited to serve as Highland FFA's 2026-2027
Reporter and can't wait to meet and serve all the new and current members.