FFA set for convention in Brookings on April 16-18

Event will be on South Dakota State University campus

Posted

BROOKINGS — The South Dakota FFA Association will host the 95th Annual South Dakota State FFA Convention on April 16-18 on South Dakota State University’s campus in Brookings.

The 95th State FFA Convention with the theme of “Reflect, Take Action,” will be led by the State FFA officers include president Ella Stiefvater, Salem; vice president Megan Sanders, oral; secretary Kathryn Rausch, Hoven; treasurer Jacob Olson, Aberdeen; reporter Sidney Peterson, Sturgis; and sentinel Caleb McGregor, Webster. The State FFA Convention is like the “state championship” of FFA, that highlights the successes of South Dakota’s FFA members.

Throughout the three-day convention, over 2,500 FFA members, advisers and guests will:

  • Participate in a Career Carnival with exhibits from 50 ag industry leaders and colleges
  • Package 50,000 meals for a Meals of Hope, which will be provided to Feeding SD
  • attend leadership workshops hosted by First Dakota National Bank, the Agtegra Innovations Center, SD Agriculture & Rural Leadership, Summit Carbon Solutions, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
  • Showcase agricultural skills by competing in hands-on Career Development events in Agricultural Business Management, Ag Communications, Agricultural Technology and Mechanical Systems, Agronomy, Dairy Cattle Evaluation, Floriculture, Food Science and Technology, Horse Evaluation, Livestock Evaluation, Meats Evaluation and Technology, Milk Quality and Products, Natural Resources, Nursery/Landscape, Range Plant Identification and Veterinary Science.

 Three award sessions — Sunday evening, Monday evening and Tuesday morning — will include:

  • Bestowing the State FFA Degree on 276 members, the highest degree of members in the SD FFA
  • Recognizing outstanding FFA members for their Supervised Agriculture Experience projects in the STARS Pageant (Star Greenhand, Star in Agriscience, Star in Ag Placement, Star in Ag Business and Star Farmer) and proficiency awards
  • Awarding scholarships to graduating seniors and postsecondary students studying agriculture
  • Hearing inspiring messages from the State FFA Officers and National FFA Eastern Region Vice President, Gracie Murphy, from Illinois
  • Announcing Agriscience Fair winners in Animal Systems, Plant Systems, Food Products and Processing Systems, Social Sciences, Environmental Sciences/Natural Resources Systems, and Power & Technical Structures Systems
  • Commending members for their success in agricultural career development events, as they advance to national competition in Indianapolis this fall
  • Recognizing SD’s American Degree recipients
  • Honoring supporters with the Honorary State FFA Degree and Distinguished Service awards
  • Thanking past state FFA officers and the FFA Foundation board
  • Recognizing FFA chapters that have demonstrated outstanding involvement in building leaders, growing communities and strengthening agriculture with the National Chapter award
  • Installing the 2023-24 State FFA Officers and Ambassadors

All award sessions will be broadcast live. Watch anywhere NewsCenter1 TV is found. For a full list visit sdaged.org/state-convention Watch online: sdaged.org,  Newscenter1.tv,  ConnectCenter1.tv