Madison Roggenkamp, Ruby Plummer, and Hannah Burch

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - The Jefferson High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter won top honors at the Northeast Region Leadership Development Event hosted by Spring Mills High School. JHS students Luke Viands, Chris Croson, Grace Ott, Maci Dunn, Hailey Owens, Abigail Shanley, and Briley Bauer helped secure the team's first-place win in the Code of Conduct division.

"The FFA Leadership Development Events provide our students with the tools needed to be involved citizens within our community and help them to develop communication and parliamentary procedure skills,” said Katlin Grantham, Agriculture Teacher and FFA Advisor at Washington High School.

Washington High School students Madison Roggenkamp and Ruby Plummer also secured first-place wins in the competition. Roggenkamp won in the Upperclassman Creed Speaking division, while Plummer dominated Prepared Public Speaking.

Students from both high schools represented Jefferson County Schools at the event, with six winners across four divisions. Additional winners from JHS included Grace Ott (third place, Freshman Creed Speaking), Trevor Watts (third place, Upperclassman Creed Speaking), and Hannah Goode (third place, Prepared Public Speaking). Hannah Burch from WHS won third place in Extemporaneous Public Speaking.

Roggenkamp, Plummer, and members of the Code of Conduct team will represent their respective chapters at the State Convention in July, with a chance to represent the state of West Virginia at the national level. 

Photo: (from l.): Madison Roggenkamp, Ruby Plummer, and Hannah Burch represented Washington High School at their regional FFA Leadership Development Event.