Youth News
Oklahoma FFA Members Shine at the 2015 National Convention Held in Louisville
Mon, 02 Nov 2015 05:23:18
Oklahoma was well represented at the 2015 National FFA Convention- with William Maltbie of Burlington leading the long list of top achievers from the state- being named the American Star in Agribusiness on Thursday evening during the Stars Pagaent in Freedom Hall. The four Stars are the highest awards given to four different FFA members who have the top Supervised Ag Experience programs in the four different categories for that year. Maltbie is no stranger to the National Convention stage- having had his name called three different times before 2015 as a National Proficiency Award winner. Click here for our earlier story on his selection as the Star in Agribusiness.
Here in 2015, Oklahoma had 16 finalists vying for national honors in the Proficiency categories- and five of them were named national champions on Friday afternoon in Freedom Hall at the 88th National Convention. Oklahoma was tied for the third most National winners this year, with only Ohio (9) and Georgia (6) claiming more.
Placement proficiency awards are given to those whose SAEs are related to employment, apprenticeships, or internships at an agribusiness or agriculture-related organization. Entrepreneurship proficiency awards are given to those whose SAEs are related to ownership of an agribusiness or agriculture-related organization. Proficiency awards are given out at the local, state and national levels.
The five Oklahoma national champion winners include:
Megan Trantham, Boise City FFA- Agricultural Sales- Entrepreneurship.
Blake Goss , Leedey FFA- Turf Grass Management- Entrepreneurship.
Bayli Hyde, Burlington FFA- Home and/or Community Development- Entrepreneurship/Placement
Leza Stemple, Vinita FFA- Poultry Production- Entrepreneurship/Placement
Kaylee Brunker, Perkins Tryon FFA- Sheep Production- Entrepreneurship/Placement
Click on the name of the Award winner to read more about their project that earned them National honors.
All four of the Oklahoma individuals that competed in the national Career Development Events (CDEs) advanced into the second round of their respective contests and earned Silver Emblem status- highest placing that was announced came in the Job Interview CDE- Kalee Horn of Edmond FFA placed fifth nationally,
One Oklahoma team in the many CDE events placed first- winning a National Championship in 2015. The Ag Issues team from Kingfisher FFA won their contest- as they discussed drones in agriculture and examined the pros and cons of this new technology. Click here for our earlier story about the Kingfisher team that included Holly Barrow, Taylor Chapman Anna Crosswhite, Jace Karns, Kaci Pennington and Addison Themer.
Three Oklahoma squads were second in their contests- earning Runner Up National Championship status in 2015. One of those teams was the Horse Evaluation team from Locust Grove- placing second to Wisconsin and ahead of the team from Missouri. Team members include Colt Cunningham, Corey Pell, Trisha Meyer, and Rhett Pursley. Click here for the complete story from the National FFA on the Horse Evaluation contest. Trisha Meyer was the HIGH Placing individual in the 2015 contest- and was the National Champion Individual.
Also placing second in a judging CDE was the Kingfisher FFA chapter in Livestock Judging. The Oklahoma team from Kingfisher placed second behind a squad from Arkanas- and was ahead of third place team Fairfield FFA in Indiana. Team members of the Runner Up National Champions include Brayden Foley, Micah Mueggenborg, Sydnee Gerken, and Jason Murray. Click here for the story on the Livestock Judging contest from National FFA. Sydnee Gerken had the high score in the Livestock Judging contest- and was the National Champion Individual.
The third of the three Kingfisher FFA Chapter teams that represented Oklahoma in Louisville this year was the Parliamentary Procedure team- and they also were Runner Up National Champions- placing second to the FFA team from California. Members of the Kingfisher Parli Pro team include Brooke Cameron, Colton Smith, Jaryn Frey, Sarah Gruntmeir, Emily Murray, and Lane Holt. Click here for the news release from the National FFA on this contest.
Placing fourth nationally in the Meats Evaluation contest was the Tuttle FFA Chapter. Team Members include Emily Boyer, Samantha Burdick, Craig Dodson, and Jarrod Halphen. Click here for the news release about the Meats Evaluation contest at the National FFA. Emily Boyer of the Tuttle FFA was the second high individual in the national contest.
The Burlington FFA Chapter in Oklahoma has been named the 2015 National Model of Innovation Chapter Award winner in chapter development at the 88th National FFA Convention & Expo in Louisville, Ky.
The nation's top 10 three-star chapters in the chapter development division competed at the convention and expo. Burlington FFA was awarded a plaque in an onstage ceremony during the convention and expo's second general session on Thursday, Oct. 29. Top chapters were also selected from the middle school, student and community development divisions. Click here for our earlier story that features this national award given to the Burlington FFA Chapter.
A pair of Oologah FFA members won their division in the Agriscience Fair that was a part of the 2015 National FFA Convention. Logan Carter and Wyatt Hancock topped Social Systems, Division Three. For a complete list of the national Agriscience winners- click here.
We have more than two dozen stories about the National FFA Convention now posted in our Blue Green Gazette- click here for the full set of 2015 National Convention stories.
Our exclusive coverage of the 2015 National FFA Convention in Louisville is a service of ITC, Your Energy Superhighway. Learn more about ITC Great Plains, LLC by clicking here. We also appreciate the support of the Oklahoma FFA Association and the Oklahoma FFA Alumni Association. Click here for more information about one of the top states in the US in the FFA- the Oklahoma FFA Association. Oklahoma FFA impacts the lives of 27,154 members in 359 chapters across the state.
We are also posting pictures from the 2015 National FFA Convention- you can see all of those as we add them by going to our Flickr Album- it is available by tapping or clicking here.
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