November 29, 2023
By BARTON HENLEY
Rutherford County Schools
Earlier this month, students from Eagleville, Oakland, Riverdale and Stewarts Creek spent time in Indianapolis for the National FFA Convention & Expo that was held at the Indiana Convention Center and Lucas Oil Stadium.
Below are the highlights from the convention.
National Chapter Award
The National Chapter Award Program is designed to recognize FFA chapters that actively implement the mission and strategies of the organization. These chapters improve chapter operations using the National Quality Chapter Standards (NQCS) and a Program of Activities (POA) that emphasize growing leaders, building communities and strengthening agriculture. Chapters are rewarded for providing educational experiences for the entire membership.
National 3-Star Chapters: Oakland High School and Stewarts Creek High School
National 1-Star Chapter: Eagleville High School
Agriscience Fair
The National FFA Agriscience Fair recognizes students who gain real-world, hands-on experiences in agricultural enterprises. Students use scientific principles and emerging technologies to solve complex problems related to agriculture, food, and natural resources.
The agriscience fair is for middle and high school students. Participation begins at the local level and progresses to state and national levels.
(Eagleville) Skilar Burch and Sarah Marshall placed Eighth in the Environmental Services and Natural Resource Systems Division 4
(Riverdale) Casen Rooker and Dylin Shaffer - Fourth in the Nation - Power Structural and Technical Systems Division 6
(Stewarts Creek) Ella Hasty – National Runner Up Social Systems Division 5
(Stewarts Creek) Karlee Dunn - Fifth Place - Plant Systems Division 5
(Stewarts Creek) Ariana Mota and Kasen Miller - Third Place Social Systems Division 4
(Stewarts Creek) Eli Dunn and Brady Lee – Plant Systems Division 4 – National Winners
(Stewarts Creek) Harley Huber - Seventh - Place Animal Systems Division 5
Proficiency Award Areas
Agricultural Proficiency Awards honor FFA members who, through supervised agricultural experiences, have developed specialized skills that they can apply toward their future careers.
Nationally, students can compete for awards in nearly 50 areas ranging from agricultural communications to wildlife management (see areas below). Proficiency awards are also recognized at local and state levels and provide recognition to members that are exploring and becoming established in agricultural career pathways.
Only four members from across the nation are chosen to be national finalists in each proficiency division.
(Stewarts Creek) Allen Johnson - National Agricultural Proficiency Finalist in Landscape Management - Entrepreneurship. Only four members from across the nation are chosen to be national finalists in each proficiency division.
(Stewarts Creek) Brycen Dozier - National Finalist in Diversified Horticulture - Entrepreneurship Placement.
(Stewarts Creek) Ella Hasty - National Finalist in Agriscience Research-Integrated Systems Proficiency.
(Oakland) Camden Thomson – Agricultural Processing Silver Metal
National FFA Band and Chorus
National FFA Band and Chorus members have claimed some of the best seats at the National FFA Convention & Expo for more than 70 years – right on stage! The National FFA Band and Chorus feature musically talented FFA members from across the nation and is sponsored by Corteva Agriscience™.
(Stewarts Creek) Kendall Beard - Band
(Stewarts Creek) Daniel Light - Chorus
Career Development Event Teams:
The Conduct of Chapter Meetings Leadership Development Event (LDE) introduces FFA members to parliamentary procedure as they learn how to conduct efficient meetings and build their communication skills.
Designed for FFA members in seventh, eighth and ninth grade, this LDE challenges a team of seven students from one chapter to demonstrate correct use of FFA opening and closing ceremonies. Students will learn to communicate and participate effectively as a team while growing skills in effective decision making.
Members assume various officer duties (president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, reporter, sentinel and advisor) during the event presentation that is evaluated by a team of judges. Additionally, each participant is challenged by a written exam about officer duties, meeting room preparation and parliamentary procedure.
(Stewarts Creek) Conduct of Meetings
Catherine Denton,Tyler Sallee ,Kasen Miller, Josie Blanks, Ty Hall, Tristan Hall, and Will Hasty
Silver Team Award
Students competing in the Agricultural Sales Career Development Event (CDE) gain experience and skills essential to the production and marketing of agricultural products. The team event illustrates related careers and offers a firsthand look at developing product knowledge and driving sales.
Each team in the Agricultural Sales CDE consists of four students with each person’s effort contributing to the team’s final score. Teams are provided a example product, product information and customer profiles at the start of the event from which they collaboratively develop a sales plan. Judges then evaluate the collaboration process and the team’s final sales plan. Individuals also complete a written exam that tests sales concept knowledge.
(Stewarts Creek) Agricultural Sales
Trevor Culbertson - Bronze Award, Jaylyn Dearsman - Silver Award,
Brett Mann - Gold Award, Eli Dunn - Gold Award
Silver Team Award
Students participating in the Extemporaneous Public Speaking Leadership Development Event showcase their agricultural knowledge and ability to think on their feet by giving a speech and answering questions with limited prep time.
During this event, participants draw from 18 agricultural topics then select three of interest. From those three, a student selects the topic of their speech and has 30 minutes to prepare using five resources. Participants then present a four to six-minute speech on their topic to a panel of judges. After their speech, students answer five minutes worth of questions on the topic they just presented.
(Stewarts Creek) Extemporaneous Public Speaking
Ella Hasty – Semi Finalist
The Floriculture Career Development Event (CDE) requires students to identify plants, judge flower arrangements and solve problems. Participants also demonstrate skills in flower arranging, propagation and the preparation of floral and foliage products for sale.
This four-person team event is designed to create an interest in career preparation for all current and future aspects of the floriculture industry through leadership development and hands on technical skill development using industry standards that are delivered through the agricultural education curriculum. Teams are judged on their ability to perform an assignment similar to one routinely performed in the floriculture industry. Additionally, individual members are called up to contribute to the team’s effort by completing events such as a general floriculture examination, an identification of plant materials and equipment, a problem-solving exercise, a practicum, a job interview and a floral arrangement.
This event builds skills that are important to careers in greenhouse and field production management, garden center and floral shop management and floral design management. Students who excel show a well-rounded knowledge of horticulture, the cultivation of flowering and ornamental plants and the floral industry.
(Riverdale) Floriculture CDE: Bronze Team Ranking
Kaitlyn Robichaud- Bronze
Ashley Gum- Bronze
Amira Horsley- Bronze
Dorique Insisenmay- Bronze
American FFA Degree Recipients
As the highest degree achievable in the National FFA Organization, the American FFA Degree shows an FFA member’s dedication to his or her chapter and state FFA association. It demonstrates the effort FFA members apply toward their supervised agricultural experience and the outstanding leadership abilities and community involvement they exhibited through their FFA career.
American FFA Degree recipients show promise for the future and have gone above and beyond to achieve excellence.
(Eagleville) Chloe Stuard
(Eagleville) Mady Richter
(Eagleville) Foster Wingler
(Eagleville) Rhiannon Hutchinson
(Eagleville) Madi Owen
(Oakland) Alvin Bandon
(Oakland) Madison Downing
(Oakland) Lilly Elam
(Oakland) Addison Medlin
(Oakland) Tylar Moorehead
(Oakland) Marley Poole
(Oakland) Sarah Best West
(Riverdale) Alexis Mears
(Riverdale) Zach Fox
(Stewarts Creek) Culann Brown
(Stewarts Creek) Brycen Dozier
(Stewarts Creek) William Johnson
(Stewarts Creek) Zoe Raney
(Stewarts Creek) Kaitlin Schuler