HOWARD — Twenty-three members of the East Knox FFA recently attended the 97th annual Ohio FFA convention on May 1 and 2 in the Celeste Center at the Ohio Exposition Center in Columbus.
Chapter members attended sessions, listened to keynote speakers, received awards, and attended the trade show.
The members attending were Peyton Harris, Blake Elliott, Mackenzie Wilson, Hayden Baker, Dylan Springer, Ava Page, Miranda Fawcett, Braxton Lahmon, Will Stokes, John Schillinger, A.J. Salmons, Nealie Oliver, Wyatt Baker, Madisyn Frost, Alexia Wine, Breidyn Burch, John Chadwick, Rhyan Williams, Aiden Kapper, Ariana Talbott, Ariel Atkinson, Jasmine Smith, Hailey Frazee, and Jesse Wolford.
2024-2025 secretary Mackenzie Wilson, treasurer Blake Elliott, and reporter Aiden Kapper received their gold-rated officers awards on-stage from the state officers.
The state FFA degree, awarded to only about 2% of the state membership, was presented to East Knox FFA members Hailey Frazee and Jesse Wolford.
The chapter was awarded their first-place banners for winning the state Forestry Career Development Event and the Nursery/Landscape CDE.
The Forestry team members are Dylan Springer, Hayden Baker, Aiana Talbott, and Aiden Kapper and the Nursery/Landscape team members are Arianna Talbott, Ava Page, Aiden Kapper, and Madisyn Frost.
Ariana Talbott was also awarded the first-place state individual plaque for Nursery/Landscape.
These two teams will represent Ohio at the National contest next October in Indianapolis. The chapter also received the Charitable Giving Award for donating at least $500 to organizations.
National FFA Secretary, Luke Jennings, from Ohio and State FFA President Anna Moeller were keynote speakers for the convention.
Over 9,000 FFA members, parents, and guests were in attendance during the two-day convention.