Top FFA performers head to nationals
The Flathead FFA Chapter had several state champions at the FFA State Convention in Great Falls.
The state champion Livestock Evaluation team of Destiny Brewer, Emily Hilde, Karly Hanson and Livia Jackola will represent Montana at the National FFA Convention in Louisville, Ky., in October.
Individually, Brewer brought home third place in the event and Hilde was 10th.
Christina Fister earned a state title in the Secretary Book category.
The students were among 24 Flathead FFA members who attended the state convention.
“There are 90 FFA chapters in Montana and approximately 5,000 members,” Kalispell vocational agriculture teacher Justin Heupel said. “We are very proud to be among the top in almost every measurable category.”
Seven team members also were State FFA Degree recipients.
Heupel said this top designation requires students to meet academic, leadership, commitment, work experience and community service qualifications. Degree winners were Fister, Andrea Love, Kaestra Gorder, Gavin Ruud, Daniel Topp, Marcelle Tikka and Justine Hersey.
The team continued its legacy of excellence with a Star Chapter Award for ranking in the top three. The team will be recognized at the national level in the fall.
“This will be the 70th time for this national-level recognition since 1942 when the award program began,” Heupel said.
Many students tested their skills in Career Development Events and placed in the top 10.
The Agronomy team of Jayme Evenson, Raylene Kearney, Alexis Cahill and Kaitlin Uskoski won 10th place.
In Ag Mechanics, Ross VanLuven, Ruud, Topp and Scott Ferree placed eighth. VanLuven took third place individually.
The Ag Business Management team of VanLuven, Harris Wiegum, Cahill and Tikka came in sixth. Individually, VanLuven was fourth and Wiegum fifth.
Parliamentary Procedure team members Jacqueline Schauble, Brianna Erickson, Karly Hanson, Kaitlin Uskoski, Shanna Uskoski and Brock Reiner took fourth place.
Kaestra Gorder, Fister, Gabe Serrano and Brewer placed fourth in Ag Sales.