Record number of American Degrees with 5,816 nationally and Missouri with 740, #1 in the Nation. 

Attendance at the 99th National FFA Convention—over 72,152 members and guests. 

 The highest number of American FFA Degrees by state – 740 recipients – Missouri ranks 12th in overall FFA membership. 

The American Degree is the Highest Degree that can bestowed on a FFA member – Less than one-half of 1% receive the degree. 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. 

 Honorary American FFA Degree – 13 recipients from Missouri 

Individuals who have provided exceptional service on a national level to agriculture, agricultural education, or FFA are eligible for the Honorary American FFA Degree. Additionally, teachers who have created high-quality agricultural education programs, which inspire and motivate their students to strive for success, are eligible. 

Friends of Missouri FFA— Greg Rotert, University of Missouri-Columbia; Rachel Kagay, Gallup Strengths Coach, Maysville; Beth Dampf, FFA State Chorus Director, California; Dr. Bryon Wiegand, University of Missouri-Columbia; Taylor Tuttle, Missouri Dept. of Agriculture, Jefferson City; Jonathan Ernst, Bayer Education, St. Louis. 

7 Teachers receiving Honorary American Degree – 

Jessy Rueterdahl, Macon; Alicia Corson-Peters, Fatima; Gary Morris, California; Clint Johnson, Lakeland; Mary Leykamp, Montgomery City; Amanda Sullivan, Montgomery City; Chad Cook, Monroe City. 

26 Chapters received the highest chapter rating awarded – 3 Star – (Ashland, Audrain Co. R-VI, Aurora, Boonville, Canton, Carthage, Centralia, Chillicothe, Climax Springs, Eldorado Springs, Elsberry, Farmington Nixa, Odessa, Paris, Republic, Savannah, School of the Osage, Seneca, Slater, Sweet Springs, Tipton, Trenton, Troy, Union and West Plains) 

10 Chapters received the second highest chapter rating awarded—2 Star – (Bolivar, Bowling Green, California, Carrollton Area Career Center, Hollister, La Monte, Louisiana, Montgomery co. R-II, Russellville, Santa Fe) 

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. 

The Centralia FFA Chapter was in the top ten in the nation in the Growing Leaders division of the National Chapter Award Program. 

Career and Leadership Development Events Summary

FFA members focus on skill development and career preparation through participation in Career Development Events and Leadership Development Events. These competitive events develop individual responsibility, foster teamwork and promote communication while recognizing the value of ethical competition and individual achievement. Successful members expand their knowledge base by interacting with peers, teachers, as well as business and community leaders to gain a complete and comprehensive knowledge about specific career and leadership areas. 

Individuals earning spots in the top 10 individuals also receiving a gold rating are as follows: 

7th place individual-Cooper Belt-North Shelby-Agronomy 

8th place individual-Domenic Williams-North Shelby -Agronomy 

6th place individual-Kolten Gilmartin-Hillcrest -Environmental and Nat. Resource 

5th place individual-Joseph Mahsman-Palmyra, Farm Business Mgmt. 

7th place individual-Grae Helland-Ashland-Floriculture 

9th place individual-Blake Cossey-Ashland-Floriculture 

3rd place individual-Adalyn Wiest-Neosho-Food Science 

7th place individual-Ryan Saffle-Forsyth-Forestry 

8th place individual-Carter Williams-Forsyth-Forestry 

4th place individual – Chloe Bruce-Fair Play-Meats 

5th place individual – Mekenzie Evans-Fair Play-Milk Quality 

3rd place individual – Emma Bourgeous-Carthage-Nursery 

2nd place individual – Lania Morgan-Neosho-Poultry 

8th place individual – Colby Mcgehee-Neosho-Poultry 

CDE/LDE Participants or teams rankings are as follows: 

 Ag Communications-Liberal-7thplace team, Gold 

 Ag Issues Forum-Centralia-3rd place team, Gold 

 Ag Sales – Chillicothe—Silver 

 Ag Mechanics –Hermann-10th place team, Gold 

 Agronomy – North Shelby- 3rd place team, Gold 

 Conduct of Meetings –Troy-Gold 

 Creed – Katherine Branham, Nevada–Bronze 

 Dairy Cattle – Fair Grove–Silver 

 Employment Skills-Mailey Alber, Pierce City-Silver 

 Environmental and Natural Resources—Hillcrest—Winner (team members-Logan Tipton, Kaden Creed, Kolten Gilmartin, and Michael VanBeek, Gold 

 Extemporaneous Speaking –Bella Baker, Atlanta–Gold 

 Farm Business Management—Palmyra—4th place team, Gold 

 Floriculture – Ashland—3rd place team, Gold 

 Food Science – Neosho—2nd place team, Gold 

 Forestry – Forsyth-5th place team, Gold 

 Horse – Ashland – 7th place team, Gold 

 Livestock – McDonald County – Silver 

 Meats – Fair Play —5th place team, Gold 

 Milk Quality – Fair Play—4th place team, Gold 

 Nursery/Landscape – Carthage—4th place team, Gold 

 Parliamentary Procedure – Troy—3rd place team, Gold 

Poultry – Neosho—3rd place team, Gold 

 Public Speaking – 4th Place– Abby Dahlbeck-East Prairie 

 Veterinary Science – School of the Osage, Gold 

• The National FFA Agriscience Fair recognizes student researchers studying the application of agricultural scientific principles and emerging technologies in agricultural enterprises. The agriscience fair is for middle and high school students. Participation begins at the local level and progresses to state and national levels. • 14 Missouri FFA agriscience fair projects (with 23 participants) placed in the top ten in the nation. Those teams or individuals were: 
  

  Gracie Pulley	Pleasant Hope	Div. 5, Animal Systems	7th place
  Jaden Decker & Jensen Decker	Centralia	Div. 6, Animal Systems	4th place
  Chason Satterfield & Vincent Conger	Rolla	Div. 4, Environ. Services & Nat. Res. Sys.	8th place
  Ellie Samek & Garrett Samek	Bolivar	Div. 6, Environ. Services & Nat. Res. Sys.	5th place
  Sarah Ahart	Tuscumbia	Div. 3, Food Products & Processing Systems	6th place
  Alea Dawson & Kloie Richardson	Pleasant Hope	Div. 4, Food Products & Processing Systems	6th place
  Loraine Arciniegas & Maddy Alexander	Pleasant Hope	Div. 6, Food Products & Processing Systems	9th place
  Kyra Keeling & Darci Orbin	Pleasant Hope	Div. 4, Plant Systems	7th place
  Athena Wilson & Jaxon Marsh	Pleasant Hope	Div. 6, Plant Systems	9th place
  Henry Patterson	Tuscumbia	Div. 3, Power, Structural & Technical Sys.	9th place
  Alexis Peterman & Kaitlyn Trujillo	Pleasant Hope	Div. 4, Power, Structural & Technical Sys.	6th place
  Isabel Morris & Lucy Conger	Rolla	Div. 6, Power, Structural & Technical Sys.	2nd place
  Brody Swindler	Carrollton ACC	Div. 3, Social Science	10th place
  Kylie McRoy & Grace Tucker	Farmington	Div. 6, Social Science	8th place

North Shelby FFA won this competition with team members: Maren Yoder (High individual), Toby Copenhaver (2nd high individual), and Scarlet Yoder (3rd high individual) 

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 44 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. 

• 10 National Finalist – top four in the nation based on their work based program.  Agricultural Mechanics Repair & Maintenance – Placement – Tyler Fleming – Ashland 

FFA—NATIONAL WINNER 

 Diversified Crop Production – Entrepreneurship – Lane Carter- Audrain R-VI FFA—NATIONAL WINNER 

 Equine Science –Placement – Hunter Skouby– Ashland FFA—NATIONAL WINNER 

 Fiber and/or Oil Crop Production-Ent/Placement – Larson Hall – Clopton FFA—NATIONAL WINNER 

 Fruit & Nut Production-Ent/Placement – Cole Schweizer – Savannah—NATIONAL WINNER 

Proficiency Awards (all below were in the top 4 in the nation) 

o Agricultural Communications – Ent./Placement—Montgomery Ross-Carrollton ACC FFA o Agricultural Mechanics Design & Fab.-Ent/Placement—Logan Pinkham-Belton FFA 

o Dairy Production-Ent. – Jenna Brixey-Norwood FFA 

o Envir. Science & Nat. Res. Mgmt. – Ent./Placement – Lillian Floyd-Belton FFA 

o Grain Production – Ent./Placement – Marshall Kable – Centralia FFA 

 Talent Show—Missouri was well represented this year on the talent stage. 

o Emma Pitford-Clark County 

o Rhett Sneed-Chillicothe 

o Everly Moore-Higginsville 

o Nina Eddy-Milan 

o Leeanna Bell-Rich Hill 

 Chorus—Missouri had eleven participants including: 

Victor Salas, California; Riley Wilson, Boonville; Tony Jennings, Gilman City; Jayce Campbell, Eldon; Shyliah Robinson, Neosho; Mack Spencer, West Platte; Matthew Fahrendorf, Pilot Grove; Alana Kimmons, Willard; Josephine Gifford, Licking; Jess Medlin, California; Eleanore Gray, California.

 Band—Missouri had fifteen participants in the National FFA Band including: 

Fletcher Shoemaker, Oran; Kathryn Farmer, Polo; Kierstan Phaff, Monroe City; Kiya Hester, Monroe City; Addy Gaulke, Smithville; Weston Eifert, Lincoln; Taylor Lauer, Hermann; Truman Corbett, Hamilton; Lorelai Hutson, Silex; Olivia Welter, Stewartsville; Will Leabo, Santa Fe; George Perry, School of the Osage; Katherine Graeve, Cass Career Center; Zephyr Soice, Clark Co; Quintin Starks, Clark Co.