FFA team awarded multiple honors

By Jimmy LaRoue

Published: June 20, 2008

Members of the Fort Defiance High School Future Farmers of America team came away with six state titles and numerous individual honors during the State FFA Convention that took place earlier this week at Virginia Tech.
FFA students took first-place statewide in livestock, farm business management, extemporaneous public speaking, dairy showmanship, natural resources and agriscience.
As part of Fort’s farm business management team, Christian Deavers, a freshman, was one of four teammates involved in the first-place effort.
“It doesn’t happen too often that freshmen are successful at a senior level contest,” said Fort FFA advisor and agriculture teacher Elizabeth Williams.
She said the school has a tradition of being FFA centered.
“Our [agriculture] program and FFA mesh very well,” Williams said. “As we have kids in the classroom, the things they learn can be applied to their FFA contests.”
Individually, Sam Cupp, a rising senior, placed first in the farm business management category; while another upcoming senior, Jordan Kristoff, took first in extemporaneous public speaking. Rising junior Ashley Rubush won for dairy showmanship and Bob Michaels, who just graduated, won a state title in natural resources, with Molly Borden (fourth), Jessica Liskey (fifth) and Greg Wright (sixth) also placing in the same category.
“While not every team was a state winner, all the students made me proud with their efforts,” Williams said. “Their goal was to do their personal best in the contests.”
Williams said some of the students, who by winning first place honors automatically qualified for nationals, came to school Friday to start preparing for the FFA National Convention, which takes place Oct. 22-25 in Indianapolis.
“We just look forward to them participating in additional activities and competitions in the future,” Williams said. “It’s exciting to have our Fort program recognized – what a strong program we have at Fort — and what great students we have.”

Fort Defiance High School winners at the State Future Farmers of America Convention

State winners in livestock:  Paige Redifer (rising sophomore, third high overall individual), Morgan Slaven (rising senior, fourth high overall individual), Danielle McPherson (graduate, second overall high individual) and Bly Patterson (rising junior, fifth overall high individual)
State winners in farm business management: Emily Howdyshell (graduated, sixth high individual), Sam Cupp (rising senior, top placing individual), Jessica Talley (rising senior, eighth high individual), and Christian Deavers (rising sophomore, third high individual)
Second place in dairy foods: Angel Merritt (rising senior), Staci Quick (rising seniors), Desiree Messick (rising seniors), and Whitney Norcross (rising senior)
State winner in extemporaneous public speaking:  Jordan Kristoff (rising senior)
State winner for dairy showmanship: Ashley Rubush (rising junior)
State winner in natural resources: Bob Michaels (graduate, first place overall individual), Jessica Liskey (graduate, fifth overall individual), Molly Borden (rising senior, fourth overall individual), Greg Wright (rising senior, sixth overall individual)
State winner in agriscience: Katie Dunsmore (rising junior) and Ashley Hill (rising senior)

Others participants
Horse hippology team: Morgan Diehl (rising sophomore), Jessica Arnold (rising sophomore), Kayla Spooner (rising junior) and Madelyn Cooper (rising senior) (rankings not announced)
Job interview: Katie Dunsmore (rising junior) (ranking not announced)
Junior livestock: Christian Deavers (second high individual), Erik Rubush (rising sophomore) (fifth high overall individual)
Agriculture mechanics junior team: Logan Turner, Bryan Lambert, Logan Morris (all rising sophomores)
Agriculture mechanics senior team: Matt Barnes (rising junior) and Adam Powell (rising junior)
Third place in agriculture issues: Emily Tutwiler (rising sophomore), Holly Wagner (rising sophomore), Megan Wagner (rising sophomore), Michaela Craun (rising sophomore) (third in state)
Fifth place agriculture sales: Jessica Arnold (rising sophomore), Ellena Hull (rising sophomore), Morgan Diehl (rising sophomore), Kristen Meeks (graduate) (fourth place overall individual)
Will Earhart (graduated in 2006) will be Virginia’s candidate to run for a National office. He was a past Virginia state FFA president, studying engineering at West Virginia University.