Imbler High School FFA adviser J.D. Cant, left, and J.W. Dippold, who served as state FFA treasurer, appear on stage at the state FFA convention in Redmond, which was conducted March 17-21, 2022. Dippold credits Cant’s encouragement as the source of his fulfilling involvement in FFA.

IMBLER — J.W. Dippold is thankful that six years ago, J.D. Cant, then his FFA adviser at Imbler High School, refused to take no for an answer.

Dippold believes that if not for Cant’s insistence that he participate in a livestock judging competition in Corvallis in 2016, he might never have become an FFA state officer and enjoy what he says was the experience of a lifetime.

“Serving as a treasurer was greater than I ever could have thought possible. I knew it would be a great experience but I had no idea how amazing the year would be,” said Dippold, a 2021 graduate of Imbler High School who served as state FFA treasurer from March of 2021 through March 21 of this year.

The many responsibilities of state FFA officers include putting on workshops for chapter members, meeting chapter members at their schools to promote FFA, working with current and potential sponsors, connecting business and industries with FFA and helping conduct the annual state FFA convention.

Dippold said the opportunity to meet and work with many remarkable people, some of whom he believes will be lifelong friends, are a big reason he will long treasure his year as an FFA officer. Dippold doubts he ever would have gotten deeply involved in FFA if he had not accepted an invitation from Cant to participate in the livestock judging competition in Corvallis six years ago. Dippold was a member of Imbler’s FFA chapter at the time but was not active in it.

Dippold initially said he did want to go to Corvallis but Cant kept encouraging him to come. Finally Dippold agreed to take part in the competition. Today he views the event as a turning point. It sparked a passion for FFA that helped him become a state officer.

“That contest is what started everything for me,” Dippold said. “I’m so thankful that J.D kept insisting that I go to Corvallis.”

He soon became a leader of the Imbler High School FFA chapter, helping keep it vibrant even during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Cant, who is still IHS’s chapter adviser and the school’s agriculture teacher.

Dippold and the other five state officers all played major roles in helping put on the 2022 state FFA convention, which was conducted in Redmond March 17-21. Each officer had to give several presentations at the convention.

Cant credits Dippold with giving some of the most compelling presentations.

“He drew students in,” the adviser said.

Dippold did so by discussing how FFA has improved his life and the challenges he has overcome. These include a childhood accident that damaged one of his legs so seriously that doctors were forced to amputate a portion of it. Dippold told people at the convention that he learned to treat the injury like a speed bump, never letting it stop him from doing anything, including playing for Imbler High School’s basketball program.

Cant said the inspiring way Dippold discussed the injury at the convention is an example of the young man’s optimistic approach to hardship, noting that Dippold does not feel he has faced more adversity than most other people.

“He says that we all carry burdens,” Cant said.

Imbler School District Superintendent Doug Hislop said Dippold is someone people look up to for at least two reasons, one is what he has accomplished in FFA, and the other is how he has dealt with the challenge of his leg injury.

“He is an inspiration to everybody,” Hislop said.

Dippold, the son of Katie Dippold and Andy Pereria, will attend Eastern Oregon University in the fall and plans to earn an entrepreneurial agriculture degree.

Following are the results of the 2022 FFA state convention for schools in Union County.

State Degree Recipients

Cove High School — Gavin Bakker, James Frisch, Kailee Mansveld, Collin Rovey, Caleb Wiggins.

Elgin High School — Kylee Bagett, Piper Banducci.

Imbler High School — Sadie Bingaman, Payden Bowles, Zoe Brown, Harvest Coston, Noah Insko, Ayssa Jennings, Kadyn Trick.

La Grande High School — Gwenyth Cooper, Marissa Lane, Alyssa Toney.

Powder Valley High School — Dallee Bingham, Ariel Pointer.

Union High School — Samuel Baxter, Jakob Graffunder, Delaney Klebaum, Paul Reed.

Career Development Events

Advanced Public Speaking — 3rd, Zoe Brown, Imbler High School.

Conduct of Chapter Meetings — 2nd, Imbler High School.

Ag Issues — 1st, Imbler High School.

Marketing — 2nd, Imbler High School.

Agriscience Fair Animal Systems —Division 2 winner: Ellie Turley and Keira Counsell, Imbler High School.

Plant Systems — Division 2 winner: Kellan DeLint and Dekker Adams, Imbler High School; Division 4 winner: Helen Gordon and Hunter Voss, Imbler High School.

Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Systems — Division 2 winner: Maggie Pahlow and Sonya Gordon, Imbler High School.

Food Products and Processing Systems — Division 2 winner: Jo Bingaman and Kadin Allen, Imbler High School.

Power, Technical and Social Systems — Division 1 winner: Ayden Lucas, Imbler High School; Division 2 winner: Eva Paulson and Paige Braseth, Imbler High School.

Social Systems — Division 2 winner: Madilyn Burright and Jeytt Cant, Imbler High School.

Scholarships

Washington Leadership Conference — Jayda Cant, Imbler High School.

Oregon Fairs Foundation — Kendra Counsell, Imbler High School.

2022 Chapter Book Results

Portfolio Advanced — Bronze: Delaney Klebaum, Union High School.

Technology Scrapbook — Gold: Imbler High School and Union High School.

Scrapbook — Gold: Imbler High School; silver: Union High School.

Secretary Books — Silver: Imbler High School.

Treasurer’s Book — Gold: Elgin High School.

State Convention Proficiency Results

Outdoor Recreation: 1st, Sarah Baker, Elgin High School.

Sheep Production: 1st, Delaney Klebaum, Union High School.

Beef Production-Entrepreneurship: 1st, Cierra Chastain, Union High School.

Specialty Crop Production: Nate Bingaman, Imbler High School.

Swine Production: 1st, Alyssa Jennings, Imbler High School.