When most hear the letters FFA together, they tend to think that it only relates to farming and agriculture.

Warrenton senior Taylor Frye, who is the school’s FFA chapter president, said that the moniker is something of a misnomer, really, in encapsulating everything the group does for and means to its members.

“The Warrenton FFA Chapter’s mission is not just about agricultural education in a classroom setting,” Frye said. “It goes way beyond that, ensuring that our next generation of leaders are prepared with real-life skills that they need to be successful in the future.”

The program, which is currently led by Warrenton High School teachers Diane Miederhoff and Emily Holbert, was recognized at the Sept. 11 school board meeting for its contributions to the community.

Among the most notable of contributions is that Bailey Schneider’s selection as the 2025 Missouri State Fair queen marks the fourth such honor for a Warrenton student in the last 12 years.

“I was talking to someone about this,” said R-III Board President Jeff Schneider, who is Bailey’s father. “They said with four state queens being from Warrenton, there must be something in the water.”

The other winners of the queen competition have been Ashley Bauer-Slabaugh in 2013, Hannah (Keene) Pollard in 2014, and Kelsey Miller in 2023.

Bauer-Slabaugh commended her former adviser and the program itself for helping her reach the heights she has – first as a state fair queen and second as an adult.

“While Mrs. Miederhoff may not have helped me win the crown, she certainly helped prepare me for the competition by being well-rounded and knowledgeable about the agriculture industry,” Bauer-Slabaugh said. “FFA and 4-H speaking and judging opportunities played a huge factor in my success in the fair queen pageant in 2013. We sure have had a great group of young women make a great presence at the State Fair and, hopefully, make the county proud.”

Miederhoff, who has guided the program since 2006, said that seeing young ladies who represent Warrenton and the school’s program so well has, and continues to, fill her with the utmost pride.

“I was shocked when all four ladies were crowned queen,” she said. “The competition at the Missouri State Fair is fierce. I was fortunate enough to be present at the crowning ceremony when Miller and Schneider were crowned. I was overwhelmed with pride and excitement for these ladies. I was the crazy ag teacher/FFA advisor that jumped out of her seat, hollered loudly, and cheered them on. I was most excited because I knew they were going to represent Warren County with pride and had an amazing adventure ahead of them while serving as the Missouri State Fair queen.”

According to the FFA website, the organization teaches members skills in leadership, personal growth, and career success through hands-on agricultural education, fostering teamwork, communication, and entrepreneurship in fields ranging from farming to biotechnology and beyond.

The organization's mission is to develop students' potential to become premier leaders, grow personally, and find career success by providing experiences in the classroom, in the field, and through competitive events. 

Miederhoff echoed those ideals in terms of helping guide the Warrenton chapter.

 “The Warrenton agriculture education program strives to teach all students soft skills that will help them succeed after graduation,” Miederhoff said. “FFA is an intracurricular organization that has the power to influence students who enroll in ag education courses. FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. These young ladies, who earned the honor of serving as the Missouri State Fair queens, applied what they learned and continue to do so in their adult lives.”