At this year’s State FFA Convention, three Franklin Monroe-MVCTC FFA members received their State FFA Degrees. Blake Addis, Mason Lair, and Dalton Winterrowd all walked across the stage and accepted this prestigious award.
The State FFA Degree is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon an FFA member at the state level. This award is based on several different criteria that include leadership, scholarship, and community service. A student also has to keep records on an outstanding SAE throughout their involvement in the FFA. In order to be eligible, a student must attend several different leadership events, participate in a minimum of 25 hours of community service, and maintain excellent records on their agriculturally related SAE.
Throughout his membership in the FFA, Blake Addis has been heavily involved both with leadership and through his SAE project. He served as an officer for three years. He was a member of several Career Development Event teams, including the Parliamentary Procedures Team and the Poultry Evaluation Team. His SAE consists of raising turkeys that he exhibits at both the county and state levels. He has had much success with his turkeys winning numerous grand and reserve grand champion banners throughout the years. He was also lucky enough to show for Grand Champion at the Ohio State Fair last year.
Mason Lair has also been heavily involved with the FFA chapter since he became a member as a freshman. He has served as the chapter President for the last two years and has attended many events, including both the State and National FFA Conventions. Mason has also been a leader of several Career Development Event teams over the last three years. As a member of both the Ag. Mechanics Skills, and Outdoor Power teams, he has helped those teams earn 3rd place in a tough District 5. He was also the 2nd place individual and traveled to Wooster to compete in the state event. His SAE has consisted of a job placement experience with a local ag producer.
Much like the other two individuals, Dalton Winterrowd has been heavily involved with the FFA chapter throughout his high school career. As an officer, he has taken advantage of several leadership opportunities, and he has also participated in CDEs such as the Parliamentary Procedures contest. Along with working on the family farm, Dalton has also exhibited meat rabbits at the Darke County Fair as part of his SAE. His experiences with his SAE have led him toward a career choice in the area of agronomy.
All three of these young men have taken advantage of many of the opportunities that the FFA has to offer. They have grown through these experiences and have served as an example for others to follow.
They are all continuing to work with their SAEs and have a goal of achieving the American FFA Degree at the National FFA Convention someday.
