Tharp elected as State FFA reporter

WORLAND - Chief Washakie member and Worland High School senior Skylar Tharp was selected as part of the 2021-22 Wyoming FFA leadership team earlier this month.

Tharp said ever since she was a seventh grader in Ten Sleep knew she wanted to run for state office after watching the officer election at that year's state convention.

Tharp said you are eligible for an office after earning your State FFA degree, usually as a senior. This was her year.

She submitted her application. She said there were 25 candidates for the nine-member leadership team. The met in Douglas prior to the state convention for interviews. The field was narrowed to 14 and ultimately the nine officers were selected.

Tharp said after the nine are selected they then place them into the offices that they feel are most appropriate.

The interview process, she said, was "intense but super fun." The interviews were in front of three FFA members and three adults and took place about 2.5 weeks prior to convention due to COVID precautions. Typically it is held during the convention but this year's convention was shortened.

The announcement of the leadership team was made at the convention. "All of us were dying trying to figure out who was selected," Tharp said.

She said selections were based on the applications, interviews and personalities to ensure a cohesive unit.

When the announcements came, Tharp was named the 2021-22 reporter.

The entire team is as follows:

President: Jonah Zeimens, Frontier FFA

Vice President: Kassidy Brooks, Casper FFA

2nd Vice President: Katie Vigil, Star Valley FFA

3rd Vice President: Rylee Helm, Pinedale FFA

Secretary: Raegen DeLancey, High Plains FFA

Treasurer: Siobhan Lally, Little Snake River FFA

Reporter: Skylar Tharp, Chief Washakie FFA

Sentinel: Shane Dawson, Lander FFA

Parliamentarian: Cambree Miller, Lovell FFA

Tharp will serve throughout her freshman year at Sheridan College where she will be studying agriculture. She said serving will basically be her "job" for the year. As the reporter she is the liaison between the state and national associations and helps spread the word about FFA.

How did it feel to finally reach a goal she had since seventh grade? "It's still sinking in. It's super cool. I'm excited to serve Wyoming FFA," Tharp said.

She said FFA is her favorite organization she has been involved with, noting, "I've always been a ag-oriented person, working on our family ranch," and FFA provides additional ag knowledge but it also provides valuable leadership skills and she has "met a lot of amazing people."

Tharp hopes to work toward her American FFA Degree, the highest degree an FFA member can achieve.

Her career goals at this time are to become an ag teacher and with Sheridan College not having an ag ed program she will have to look at transferring after earning her associate's degree.

Tharp is the daughter of Cal and Amanda Tharp of Hyattville. She currently serves as president of the Chief Washakie FFA Chapter.