This year’s FFA Sweetheart candidates were chosen at the monthly FFA meeting on January 13, 2020. Every year a student is elected to run from each class, however, this was the first year FFA did not have a junior accept a nomination for running for Sweetheart. So the President of our FFA chapter, Cassiana Rolicheck, decided we could have two senior candidates run for the sweetheart position.

The candidates this year were Jocelyn Vierra from the freshman class, Brynn Wilkin from the sophomore class and Katie Rasey and Lexi Cook from the senior class.

All of the girls did an amazing job at promoting our FFA chapter by selling balloons to hundreds of people, living both in or out of Los Banos. The four candidate flyers for balloon sales were put up in most stores in Los Banos and around school. The tireless energy from all of the girls brought our FFA chapter $69,000 dollars this year. The money will be going towards future events such as the FFA California State conference, May Day Fair, and many different conferences held all over California.

Not only did the girls sell to our community, they also raised enough money to visit Valley Children’s Hospital in Fresno, California to donate 1,000 balloons to the patients of Valley Children’s. The tradition was carried on this year by taking trailer loads of balloons to help put a smile on the faces of all patients, as well as the nurses and doctors of Valley Children’s.

After the sales, the Sweetheart Banquet was held on February 13, 2020 to announce the winner. Jocelyn Vierra was named the FFA Sweetheart for 2020. The winner was crowned, received a sash, a sweetheart belt buckle and a scholarship.

The dedication from all of the girls was much appreciated by all of those in the Los Banos FFA chapter and thank you to all of those in our community who helped donate to Sweetheart Balloon Sales.