The Ellsworth FFA chapter cinched a threepeat, bringing home the Bob Garlow Triple Crown from the Kansas FFA Convention in Manhattan.

“This is our third time in a row winning back-to-back,” FFA sponsor Karl Dawn Stover said. “It’s really hard to do — Kansas is a very competitive FFA state. From all parts of the state, it’s extremely competitive.”

The award is the fourth time in five years the Ellsworth chapter has captured the title.

Going into the state convention, which was held May 31-June 2, Stover said she knew the club was in the top 10.

“They tell you who is in the top 10 before you get to convention, just so you prep your kids and have them ready for that piece of it,” she said. “I’m always proud when we make the top 10 because it means we’re doing the right thing.”

The winner is determined by several areas: building community, strengthening agriculture and growing leaders.

This year, Ellsworth FFA continued its support of the Ellsworth County Cancer Fund, raising about $1,200 for the project.

“That’s one my students are passionate about,” Stover said.

The group came up with a new project this year: Bike Safety Day for Kanopolis Middle School.

“Last summer, my FFA officers noticed some younger kids being really unsafe on bikes,” Stover said. “They came up with this idea, trying to target this group who is out riding bikes. That was fun and a new activity.”

The students also hosted Party on the Prairie, with a BBQ and slip-n-slide, for about 180 students from Ellsworth Jr./Sr. High School.

When Ellsworth won the Triple Crown for the first time in 2019, it ended an eight-year winning streak by Chapman.

Several clubs have previously won back-toback years including Wilson, Riverton and Arkansas City. Holton captured the title four consecutive years, from 2001-04.

“It’s an honor to have a three-peat and win four times in the last five years,” Stover said. “It’s pretty awesome.”