Members of the Sulphur Springs FFA Chapter, representing the local chapter at State Convention
in Corpus Christi, pause near a battleship and the skyline of one of Texas' most scenic coastal cities.
Members attending are front row, left to right, Allie Vasquez, Brittani Bailey, Caleb Frazier, Talon Bell,
and Colton Froneberger, and back row, Jace Orren, Colby Parker, Dylan Dannheim, Jackson Massey,
and Micah Stalcup.
Hopkins County Area FFA Students
Representing Northeast Texas at
82nd Annual State FFA Convention
by: Bobby McDonald
Representatives from Sulphur Springs, Como-Pickton, Miller Grove, Saltillo, Sulphur Bluff, Cumby, and Yantis have joined hundreds of other youth from across the state, in Corpus Christi, this week, as they are delegates to the 82nd Annual State FFA Banquet, hosted in American Bank Center, within walking distance of the Gulf of Mexico. The convention, scheduled from July 13-16th, is a fun filled week of excitement, that includes trips to the ocean at nearby South Padre Island, visits to great seafood restaurants, learning about agriculture in the Coastal Bend Region of Texas, and the FFA Rodeo. Also, convention attendees were treated to a "Red Dirt Country Music" concert by Kyle Park, a new artist who has been compared to Jason Boland, Randy Rogers, and Stoney LaRue.
Kyle Park, who headlined this year's concert billing, has made popular his songs "Cold in Colorado," "Don't Look," and "Living Room Lovin'," just to name a few of his recent hits.
Sulphur Springs FFA member, Dylan Dannheim, was a competitor in the calf roping segment of the FFA State Rodeo, advancing to the finals competition.
Vocational Agriculture Teacher, Amber Norris, sent this photo of Dylan Dannheim competing
in the roping finals at the State FFA Rodeo.
Meanwhile, five Sulphur Springs FFA members, Brittni Bailey, Dylan Dannheim, Allie Vasquez, Caleb Frazier, and Kasey Blezinger, were to receive their Lone Star Farmer Degrees, the highest state level award, received by FFA students in Texas.
Sulphur Springs FFA member, Colten Froneberger, received first place in the agriculture engineering competition, at the Agscience Fair, winning a $1000.00 scholarship and advancing to the national competition in October.
Jace Orren and Brittni Bailey received 2nd place in the fair with their botany project and Colby Parker received a 2nd place in the environmental science competition.
Complete results of the other chapters from the Hopkins County area will be published as the results continue to unfold and the youth compete!
Another first for this year's convention was the "El Credo De FFA" Competition, where students recite the FFA Creed in Spanish, and answer questions about the official statement of the organization. The creed was adopted in 1930 at the third annual National FFA Convention, and penned by Wisconsin teacher educator, Erwin Milton Tiffany, a son of a Kansas farmer. However, the competitions have always been in English only. Well, when the last census in Texas showed that 29% of the Texas households had Spanish speaking individuals within their walls, the FFA, thinking ahead, designed the contest in Spanish. "When it's predicted that sometime between 2025 and 2030, that more Texans will be Spanish speakers, than solely English speakers, it was time to prepare our youth for the marketplace in which they will be competing," state organizers of the contest. "This is the environment our youth will be leading, serving, and building careers in, so they need to be prepared.
Congratulations Northeast Texas FFA members!!!
_____
