2025 Chapter Officer Retreat

From July 15–17, 2025, the newly elected Holtville FFA officer team traded the summer heat of the Imperial Valley for the cool pines of Big Bear, gathering for their annual chapter retreat. This yearly tradition is more than just a trip. Retreat a time to grow closer as a team, develop leadership skills, and lay the foundation for the year ahead. This year’s retreat brought together nine officers and three dedicated advisors, each with the same goal, to leave stronger and more connected than when they arrived.

The adventure kicked off with a high-energy Escape Room challenge. This year’s theme for the escape room, “School Playground,” gave the team just one hour to solve puzzles, uncover clues, and work their way out. They pulled together and escaped with only five minutes to spare. It was a perfect reminder of the value of communication and teamwork right from the start.

Once settled into their cabin, the advisors surprised the officers with a super funny “Super Secret Spy” theme, complete with fake glasses, mustaches, and lanyards. Throughout the retreat, the advisors led engaging workshops on topics like understanding each leadership styles. These sessions not only helped officers better understand themselves, but also taught them how to “lift each other up” in both good times and challenges.

The atmosphere in the cabin was warm and inviting, and the bond between officers grew naturally. They worked side by side in team building activities, shared many laughs, and even made time for some unexpected moments of fun, like the night they built a giant blanket fort just because!

For Chaplain Raul Pasillas, the retreat held a special place in his heart. “Retreat was a moment I’ll remember forever. I was going through a lot and I wasn’t feeling the best, but going to retreat with what I now call my family was the best time ever, from the activities the advisors planned to the team bondings that had us bawling our eyes out,” he shared. His words captured the emotional experience that came with retreat. 

The final night was one of the most meaningful. Gathered around a bonfire under the stars, each officer shared their personal “why”,  the reason they chose to serve as a chapter officer. Some spoke through tears, others through smiles, but each story had value and deepened the sense of trust and commitment within the team.

On the last morning, President Loren Dhalliwal and Vice President Kyle Self led the retreat’s closing workshop, tying together everything learned over the three days. As the team packed up and said goodbye to Big Bear, they didn’t just leave with memories, they left with a stronger sense of purpose, a clear vision for the year ahead, and the confidence that together, they could accomplish anything to serve the chapter’s over 180 members.