COLUMBUS — The State FFA Evaluations were recently held at the Ohio FFA Center in Columbus. Several members of the Miami East-MVCTC FFA Chapter competed in various competitions. Members became eligible for State Evaluations by placing at District Evaluations in February.
Juniors Natalie Bair, Adam Bensman, Makayla Brittain, Libby Carpenter, Paige Pence, Rylee Puthoff, Lauren Wright and senior Elizabeth Bair submitted applications to receive the State FFA Degree. Their applications were approved, and they will receive their Degrees in May at the State FFA Convention in Columbus.
Graduates Liza Bair, Kylie Blair, and Zach Kronenberger applied to receive the American FFA Degree. Their applications were reviewed and will now be submitted to the National FFA Organization. If approved by National FFA they will receive their degree at the National FFA Convention in October.
Members applied for a district and state proficiency award. They were recognized for having an outstanding Supervised Agricultural Experience program in one of 47 areas. Four members who applied placed in the state and will receive an interview. They just received notice of interviews for being Top 4 in the State candidates. They will now prepare a display of their project, be interviewed by an industry panel of judges, and be recognized on stage at the State FFA Convention.
Lucas Gilliland has job placement at Stone Springs Shorthorns in Casstown. He works with the production of beef animals, feeds livestock, and assists with other farm production practices.
Michael Bair works on his family’s organic dairy farm. He assists in milking cows and caring for calves following organically raised farm practices. He attended rotational grazing clinics and mixes feed. Bair has job placement on his family’s dairy and poultry farm, and is responsible for milking cows, feed and caring for livestock, and gathering eggs to be sold. He also raises and markets “Michael’s Pasture Raised Poultry” through his on-farm sales and a local virtual market. He earned a National FFA Grant to purchase a freezer to store his product in.
Lauren Wright owns and operates Wright’s Sweet Corn, a 1-acre sweet corn patch. She markets her sweet corn through a roadside stand and at the Troy Farmers Market.
