Montana FFA Members Recently Returned From Participation at the National FFA Convention and Expo

Montana FFA Members recently returned from participation at the National FFA Convention and Expo held in Indianapolis, IN. Approximately six hundred Montana students attended the convention where they engaged in competitions, leadership workshops, tours and educational seminars. This annual event attracted nearly 71,000 members from across the nation.

In the National Veterinary Science Competition, the number one team in the nation comes from the Missoula FFA Chapter. Missoula bested forty-five other state winning chapters to earn the title. Team members were Mary Catherine Nagel, Ivory West, Kinzey Clark and Collin Yoshimura. The National FFA Veterinary Science CDE is a competitive event that tests the participant's ability to apply veterinary science knowledge and skill in practical settings as well as identify breeds, parasites and equipment. Participants also complete a written exam and respond to scenario questions about current topics in the veterinary industry. Teams present to a panel of judges about the roles and responsibilities of the veterinary team in a variety of situations involving patients from companion animals to large animals. Other Montana teams placing in the top ten were the Big Timber Meats Evaluation team placing 5th, the Belgrade chapter placing 10th in the Food Science contest, and the Shepherd FFA placing 10th in Agricultural Communications event. Additionally, the Beaverhead FFA Chapter was named as a top ten finalist in the National Chapter Award Area. They were recognized in the Strengthening Agriculture section due to the work they have done with their chapter exchange project.

Perhaps the individual highlight of the convention was when Reagan Long from the Shields Valley FFA Chapter was named as the national winner in the Turf Grass Management Proficiency Award area. Proficiency awards recognize students who excel in their work-based learning experiences. Reagan is only the 9th individual from Montana that has ever won a national proficiency title. Other individual members that rose to the top in their respective competitions were led by Belgrade's Alex Tatarka who was named as the high individual in the National Food Science competition, Missoula's Kinzey Clark who placed 4th and Collin Yoshimura who placed 5th in the National Vet Science competition and Ella Young from Belgrade who place 9th in the Food Science event. Additional individuals from Montana that were selected for national participation were Zoe Larson from Roberts and Aubrey Kirschten from Baker who participated in the National FFA Chorus, Brand Melin from Colstrip who participated in the National Band and Goddy Bandola from Judith Gap who participated in the National Talent program.

The following are the results of how the other Montana chapters placed* during this year's national convention: Floriculture – Joliet – Bronze, Marketing Plan – Corvallis – Silver, Conduct of meetings – Miles City – Silver, Parliamentary Procedure – Kalispell - Silver, Creed – Dani Wester – Kalispell - Bronze, Extemporaneous Speaking – Trey Kinamon – Conrad - Silver, Employment Skills – Kate O'Donnell – Shepherd - Bronze, Prepared Speaking – Baker - Bronze, Forestry – Kalispell – Bronze, Agronomy – Shields Valley - Silver, Ag Issues – Baker – Gold, Vet Science – Missoula - Gold, Ag Communication – Shepherd - Gold, Horse – Lima – Silver, Ag Mechanics – Kalispell– Silver, Livestock – Mission Valley – Silver, and Poultry – Hobson – Bronze, Agriculture Sales – Kalispell – Silver, and ENR – Missoula – Silver, Farm Business Management – Kalispell – Silver.

*Note – Gold, Silver and Bronze ratings represent roughly the top, the middle, and the lower third of teams participating.

In addition to the contest placings, 36 members received the American FFA Degree. They are as follows: Ryan Bal – Park City, Ethan Bay – Kalispell, Faith Berow – Missoula, Shaun Billingsley – Missoula, Breanna Blain – Joliet, Summit Browning – Gardiner, Amy Chilcote – Missoula, Jacob Chulyak – Big Timber, Kara Conley –Missoula, Kyelynn Coombe – Joliet, Rory Cozzens – Fairview, Morgan Dawson – Gardiner, Owen Dunn – Corvallis, Nolan Forseth – Fairfield, Gavin Garrison – Dillon, Hannah Goffena – Roundup, Tyeson Gravenhof – Roundup, Jordyn Greene – Kalispell, Jenny Harris – Joliet, Evan Heupel – Kalispell, Julia Huls – Corvallis, Wyatt Isaacs – Miles City, Sydney Kostecki – Stevensville, Gunnar LaHaug – Mission Valley, Bailey Lake – Kalispell, Garrett Loraas – Corvallis, Rylee Mix – Hinsdale, Drae Nelson – Bainville, Shea Ostberg – Fairfield, Jaeda Paul – Plevna, Addie Pearson – Fairfield, Haley Rigler – Park, Maya Roginske – Joliet, Lance Rutledge – Big Sandy, Trever Severinson – Fairfield, Sydney Wolsky – Corvallis.

*The American FFA Degree is the highest degree that can be bestowed upon a member and represents at least five years of dedicated participation in the FFA organization.

Three individuals received the Honorary American FFA Degrees for their support of Montana FFA. They are:

-Mark Sinnard from Shields Valley who serves on the National FFA Marketing CDE Committee

-Matt McKamey from Cascade who serves as the director for the Montana Alumni Leadership Camp and coordinator for state officer selection

-Milford Wearley who recently retired as the Ag teacher in Choteau

The next event for Montana's FFA Members will be the Montana FFA Ag Expo, a regional activity set for Nov. 16th – 19th in Bozeman.