82nd Annual State FFA Convention a Success

More than 3,000 students, advisors and guests attended the Tennessee FFA Association state convention, March 29 – March 30. Students from across the state gathered in Gatlinburg to celebrate the accomplishments if the past year.
 
Twenty-six candidates vied for the chance to become the 2010-2011 state FFA officers. After a series of interviews and tests, the new team was announced: President – Emily Buck, Wilson Central; East Tennessee Vice President – Westlee Walker, Cumberland Gap; Middle Tennessee Vice President – Julie Ozburn, Page; West Tennessee Vice President – Syrena Flowers, Liberty; Secretary – Caycee McDonald; Treasurer – Heath McLean, Dyer County; Reporter – Marissa Sealy, Cookeville; Sentinel – Todd Baker, Dyersburg.

Besides a new team being elected, individuals were also honored for their supervised agricultural experience programs, in which the student develops an agricultural project and builds on it to have a hands-on application of skills learned in the classroom. Star Greenhand – Casey Goins, Hendersonville FFA; Star in Agriscience – Syrena Flowers, Liberty FFA; Star in Agricultural Placement – Alyssa Fee, Liberty FFA; Star in Agribusiness – Garrett Weidner, Gallatin FFA; Star Farmer – John King, Sullivan East FFA.  
 
The following were winners of individual career development events: prepared public speaking -Peyton Graham, Munford FFA; extemporaneous public speaking – Drew Nash, White House Heritage FFA; creed speaking – Sara Ramsey, Sneedville FFA. McEwen FFA won the parliamentary procedure competition. There were many more career development events in agriculture communications, agriculture issues, farm business management and various other leadership topics. All in all a very special convention with chapters attending motivating sessions to further develop their leadership abilities.