County FFA students, chapters recognized at state convention

Several Houston High School students were recognized with awards at the annual Missouri FFA state convention April 21-22 in Columbia.

Houston High School senior Rae Ann Kirkwood received the second-place Missouri FFA Forage Production Entrepreneurship and Placement Combined Proficiency Award at the 88th Missouri FFA Convention, April 21-22 in Columbia.

Kirkwood’s supervised agricultural experience program (SAE) comprises working on her family farm as well as operating a custom baling operation. She has learned many skills related to forage production, including developing and implementing plans for fertilization and plant production.

Kirkwood plans to study agricultural education at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Proficiency awards recognize FFA members who excel as agricultural entrepreneurs, employees or volunteers while gaining hands-on career experience. The Forage Production Entrepreneurship and Placement Combined Award is sponsored by Northcutt Financial Services and is one of 48 FFA proficiency awards presented at the state level.

Kirkwood is the daughter of Van and Rebecca Kirkwood.

Her award was one of several for HHS FFA members:

•Tim Schmutzler, Rae Ann Kirkwood and Vanessa Kirkwood were named members of the state FFA choir.

•Alyssa Hayes, Abby Ice, Tayler Ward and Sierra Keller placed 18th in ag sales.

•Zach Gregory, Trenton Adey, Lewis Miller and Kyle Moore were 21st in ag mechanics.

•Natasha Seurer, Caleb Robertson, Caleb Rippinger and Kaleb Silveus competed in dairy cattle.

•Rippinger, Ice and Rae Ann Kirkwood received state degrees.

Missouri Department of Agriculture Director Richard Fordyce presented the Houston and Cabool FFA chapters with Building Our American Communities Grant awards.

Missouri FFA has 25,920 members representing 340 chapters.

The national FFA organization has more than 629,000 members representing 7,757 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.