Forty-five students from Pioneer Valley High School FFA recently competed against other area schools during the Santa Barbara Sectional Speaking Competition.

Pioneer Valley High School students, who participated in a recent speaking competition, gather for a group photo. (Courtesy photo)
A number of Pioneer Valley High School students will move on to the regional speakers competition in March. (Courtesy photo)

The competition involved more than 200 students from surrounding schools including Lompoc, Santa Ynez, Righetti, Santa Maria, Cuyama, Nipomo, and Arroyo Grande.

Divisions included Spanish and English Creed Recitation, Impromptu Public Speaking, Job Interview, Prepared Public Speaking, and Extemporaneous Public Speaking, said Panther Ag teacher Gabriel Ponce.

In the Spanish Creed Blue Division, Freshmen Daniela Diaz was the Sectional Champion, while the Gold Division featured Sectional Champion Uriel Mariscal, and runners-up Maria Serna Ruvalcaba and Jayline Montoya.

All these members will move on to the Regional Championships in March, representing the Santa Barbara Section.

English Creed showcased finalist Vanessa Cortes along with the following students who will be joining her at regionals:

Ashely Pantoja, Jazmine Rodriguez, Alisa Lopez Huerta, Alyssa Guerra, Jahayra Gonzalez, Lucas Rodriguez, Aaliyah Garcia, and Steven Gamboa.

The Impromptu Division featured sophomores Jaslene Castro and Itzel Cruz, who exceled as the Top 4 finalists. They will move on to regionals as well.

Prepared Public Speaking brought out the best of Emma Dworaczyk who was the runner up Sectional Champion. She will be joined by Abbygail Velazquez and Sara Rodriguez at regionals.

Extemporaneous Public Speaking results, featured Barbara Melchor, who will also represent PV FFA in King City in March.

The performance from Pioneer Valley’s members exemplified their FFA theme, “Unwritten.”

“I am so proud to be from Pioneer Valley and see our members begin to write their stories in our leadership program,” said Daniel Guadarrama, PV’s chapter vice president. “We had numerous members show up and show out in their blue corduroy jackets and compete.

“I also want to congratulate the other chapters and members who took this challenge in FFA and showed up to represent this organization. FFA is a great place to be, and this is just the beginning of our stories.”