A large group of teens in FFA jackets pose for a photo in front of a "New Mexico FFA State Convention" banner alongside a female sponsor and two male sponsors.

Activities in Action: Over busy summer, FFA racks up honors at State Convention, Eddy County Fair; BPA earns four Top-10 placements at Nationals; DECA, HOSA attend first international conferences

Brienne Green

September 2, 2026

FFA

PICTURED: Above, members of Artesia FFA pose for a photo at the State Convention in Las Cruces.

Summer vacation is more of a theoretical concept for FFA chapters. Agriculture students stay hopping throughout the "off months", competing at the state convention, in county fairs, and for high-level offices, as well as preparing to hit the ground running when the new school year actually arrives.

The end of May found Artesia's chapter at the New Mexico State Convention, where they kicked off a spate of honors and achievements by being one of 12 chapters statewide to receive Superior distinction. Artesia FFA additionally rated Gold Status from Fresh Country Fundraising for generating more than $10,000 in profit during their fall fundraising efforts. Earning State Degrees were Kyle Bean, Jace Deans, Sophia Estrada, Sam Fodge, Garrett Gutierrez and Bailey Trujillo, and the chapter was also recognized by New Mexico Ag in the Classroom for its stellar participation in the Seeds to Salsa ag literacy program.

Receiving a Gold Rating for Goat Production Proficiency Award, as well as being named State Star Farmer, was Trujillo, who also earned a Silver Rating nationally for her Goat Production Proficiency Award. J'Lee England and Maddisun Mancha received Silver Ratings for Agriscience Fair Project and Diversified Livestock Proficiency Award, respectively. Competition placements included:

Second Place
• Conduct of Chapter Meetings Team
- Kaydence Klontz, Garyn Usherwood, Klanclie Conklin, Allie Elkins, Hartley Gutierrez, Jenna Marbach, Jaylee Joy
Fourth Place
• Chapter Prepared Public Speech
- Bailey Trujillo
Fifth Place
• FFA Creed
- Garyn Usherwood
• Greenhand Quiz
- Klanclie Conklin, Allie Elkins, Hartley Gutierrez, Jenna Marbach
• Scrapbook
- Sophia Estrada

Next up was the hustle and bustle -- and heat -- of the 81st Annual Eddy County Fair, where the long line of livestock shows began with the Dairy Heifer event. Grand Champion honors this year went to Makayla Monk, while Daleigh Bean showed the Reserve Grand Champion.

A teen girl stands next to a black-and-white cow while a man and woman hold banners beside her.

A teen girl stands next to a black-and-white cow while a teen boy holds a banner beside her.

Jaylee Joy had a banner day, literally, in the show ring during the goat shows, earning both the Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion awards in both the Meat Goat show and the Breeding Doe show!

A teen girl holds the head of a white goat. Behind her stand multiple people, three of whom are holding banners.

A teen girl holds the head of a white-and-brown goat. Behind her stand multiple people, three of whom are holding banners.

A teen girl holds the head of a white-and-brown goat. Beside her stand a man and a woman holding a banner.

A teen girl holds the head of a white-and-brown goat. On either side of her stand two men, one of whom is holding a banner.

Also picking up two banners was Sam Fodge in the Horse Show, who came away with Reserve Grand Champion Prospect Yearling and Reserve Champion 2-Year-Old Futurity.

A teen boy in a suit jacket and cowboy hat holds the rein of a grey-and-white horse. Beside him stand a man and a woman, both holding banners.

A teen boy in a black cowboy hat holds the rein of a tan horse and a banner. Alongside him stand several people, two of whom are holding a banner.

In the highly competitive Market Swine Show, the Grand Champion animal was shown this year by Jules Cortese, while Mason Golden showed the Reserve Grand Champion swine.

A teen girl stands behind a black-and-white pig with several people standing alongside her.

A teen boy stands behind a black pig with several people alongside him, three of whom are holding banners.

Makayla Monk had a big day in the poultry ring, taking home Reserve Champion Broilers, Reserve of Barn and Best Commercial White Leghorn Rooster, Reserve Commercial Rhode Island Red Hen, and Reserve Duck (White Call).

A teen girl and a man hold a banner alongside two other teen girls, also holding banners.

A teen girl stands in a barn filled with chickens in cages. She holds a banner in front of the cage of one chicken that is also adorned with ribbons.

Jaylee Joy also took Grand Champion honors in the Market Lamb show, while showing the Grand Champion Breeding Ewe was Swayzee Folmar.

A teen girl holds the head of a shaved sheep. Several people stand behind her, three of whom are holding banners.

A teen girl holds the head of a shaved black-and-white sheep. Two females stand behind her holding a banner and one male stands to the side.

Finally, in the cattle shows, Katie Dowell came away with the Grand Champion Breeding Heifer, while Sam Fodge showed the Reserve Grand Champion Market Steer.

A teen girl stands beside a brown-and-white cow. A man stands behind the cow, and three girls stand to the side holding banners.

A teen boy stands beside a large black steer. Several people stand behind him, three of whom are holding banners.

Artesia FFA was honored in early August as a National Two-Star Chapter for the second consecutive year, as was Chance Boans as a recipient of the prestigious American FFA Degree.

Prior to the start of the school year, the chapter elected its officers, which include Kaydence Klontz, sentinel; Jenna Marbach, reporter; Swayzee Folmar, treasurer; Hayden Treadway, secretary; Kyle Bean, vice president; and Bailey Trujillo, president.

BPA

A group of male and female teens in business-casual attire pose for a photo in a hotel hallway.

Artesia High School Business Professionals of America (BPA) closed out the 2025-26 school year with some incredible results at the National BPA Leadership Conference in Nashville. Three individual students and one team placed in the Top 10 in the nation in their respective disciplines, including Eden Barrera, fourth place in Database; Nabil Flores, sixth place in Ethics and Professionalism; Sophia Hammer, eighth place in Health Administration; and the Administrative Support Team of Jazmin Acosta, ZaLeigh Greer, Halle Harris and Charles Moreau, fourth place. Three more students made the Top 20: Charles Moreau, 12th, Advanced Office Systems; Taylor Salter, 12th, Parli-Pro Concepts; and Zachary Sedillos, 17th, Integrated Office.

A teen boy in a suit and tie poses for a photo in front of an NMBPA backdrop.

A teen girl in a blouse and suit jacket poses for a photo in front of an NMBPA backdrop.

Artesia BPA was also excited to see Jonah Doporto elected as the New Mexico BPA state president for 2026-27 and Alexandra Galvez Anabia as state vice president of membership. Anabia also had the opportunity to attend the Seventh Annual Women's Leadership Summit in Albuquerque, where she educated attendees on the impact of and advocated for the support of Career Technical Student Organizations (CTSO).

A teen girl in a red pant suit and jacket stands alongside a BPA banner.

A teen girl in a black-and-grey pant suit holds a certificate, surrounded by four women.

Finally, BPA member Nykol Duncan, above, placed 10th in the nation in June at the 2026 Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Championships in Nashville. Duncan qualified for the event as New Mexico's state champion in Microsoft Excel 2019, earning the highest score in the state on the Excel certification test.

DECA

A large arena is pictured, dark and illuminated by blue and pink lights.

A teen girl in a pant suit stands in front of a water feature in front of a large building reading "Mercedes-Benz Stadium".

Two-time state champion Nykol Duncan, who placed first in both rounds of Virtual Business Finance at the state conference in March, moved on to represent Artesia High School DECA in Atlanta in April during the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC). Additionally, as the summer began, Jesus Pacheco was selected by Artesia Ford to participate in the New Mexico Junior College Ford ASSET Automotive Program, providing him with a leg up toward becoming a Master Certified Ford Technician.

A teen boy stands alongside two men beside a vintage Ford automobile.

Two long rows of male and female teens stand across from one another and shake hands.

As the 2026-27 school year begins, DECA students have already been hard at work perfecting their pitches, above, learning how to combine solid conveyance of their ideas with the creativity to make them stand out. The organization still currently has students seeking work in the community. Employers interested in hiring DECA students are encouraged to contact sponsor Kendra Janway at kjanway@bulldogs.org.

HOSA

Four teen girls in business-casual attire stand alongside a banner reading "Welcome International Leadership Conference".

Four teen girls in business-casual attire stand in front of a display case holding an image of a skeleton.

Four teen girls in business-casual attire stand in front of a large, ornate fountain in front of a building.

Last school year marked the first for Artesia High School's participation in Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) - Future Health Professionals, and June saw its Bulldog representatives attending the International Leadership Conference in Indianapolis. Artesia's CPR/First Aid team advanced to the second round of competition, and the group is now looking forward to an exciting second year of helping local students grow and invest in the health-care industry.