2010-2011 State FFA Officers
Austin James Steele of Miller FFA, LaRussell, Mo., was named 1st Vice President. Sonja Gjerde of Fair Play FFA, Dunnegan, Mo., was named Area 10 State FFA Vice President. Quaid Taylor of Ozark FFA, Ozark, Mo., was named Area 12 State FFA Vice President. Erin Woody of Mt. Vernon FFA, Stotts City, Mo., was named Area 11 State FFA Vice President. Tiffany Pemberton of Richland FFA, Richland, Mo., was named Area 13 State FFA Vice President.
Proficiency Awards
Eli Moran of Joplin FFA, Joplin Mo., received first place in Emerging Agricultural Technology; Heather Swearingin of Hermitage FFA, Pittsburg, Mo., received second place in Agricultural Communications; Emily Scott of Osceola FFA, Osceola, Mo., received first place in Agricultural Sales Placement; Jacob Pierce of McDonald County FFA, Anderson, Mo., received second place in Dairy Production Entrepreneurship; Ryan Gettle of Pleasant Hope FFA, Pleasant Hope, Mo., received first place in Dairy Production Entrepreneurship; Seleene Bunch of Logan-Rogersville FFA, Rogersville, Mo., received second place in Agricultural Education Entrepreneurship and Placement Combined; Levin Roweton, of Weaubleau FFA, Flemington, Mo., received second place in Agricultural Services Entrepreneurship and Placement Combined; Ethan Choate of Morrisville FFA, Halfway, Mo., received second place in Forage Production Entrepreneurship and Placement Combined; Jordan Meadows of Liberal FFA, Liberal, Mo., received first place in Agricultural Services Entrepreneurship and Placement Combined; Jon Bussey of Neosho FFA, Neosho, Mo., received first place in Forage Production Entrepreneurship and Placement; Austin Lair of Bakersfield FFA, Bakersfield, Mo., received second place in Agricultural Mechanics Repair and Maintenance Entrepreneurship; Chase McGahan of Bakersfield FFA, Bakersfield, Mo., received first place in Forest Management and Products; Briann Daniels of the Willow Springs FFA Chapter, Willow Springs, Mo., received first place in Home and Community Development; Mark Lewis Mareth, Monett FFA Chapter, Monett, Mo., received second place in Dairy Production Placement; Ashley Sherman, Wheatland FFA, Wheatland, Mo., received second place in Nursery Operations Entrepreneurship and Placement; Valentin Gradinariu of Miller FFA, Miller, Mo., received first place in Poultry Production; William Moore, Southwest FFA, Washburn, Mo., received second place in Home and Community Development; Kayla Griffith, Neosho FFA, Neosho, Mo., received second place in Veterinary Medicine Entrepreneurship and Placement; Jacob Shrable, Bakersfield FFA, Caulfield, Mo., received first place in Diversified Horticulture Entrepreneurship; Ed Salyer, Sarcoxie FFA, Sarcoxie, Mo., received second place in Diversified Horticulture; Preston Collins, Willow Springs FFA, Willow Springs, Mo., received first place in Diversified Livestock Production Placement; J.T. Kitsmiller, Northeast Vernon County FFA, Nevada, Mo., placed second in Swine Production Placement; Shyanna Wallace of Branson FFA, Reeds Spring, Mo., received first place in Equine Science Placement; Bryce Robertson, Liberal FFA, Liberal, Mo., received first place in Environmental Science and Natural Resources Management; Nate Bloss, Sarcoxie FFA, Sarcoxie, Mo., received second place in Swine Production Entrepreneurship; Jacob Nentrup of Lockwood FFA, Lockwood, Mo., received second place in Oil and Fiber Crop Production; Austin J. Steele, Miller FFA, from La Russell, Mo., received second place in Food Science Technology; Taylor Overman of the Liberal FFA Chapter, Liberal, Mo., received first place in Grain Production Entrepreneurship.
First Place in Career Development Events
Fair Play FFA placed first in the Dairy Foods Evaluation competition. Team members are Elisabeth Whaley, Michael Harris, Lane Rippee and Haleigh Bruce.
Purdy FFA placed first in FFA Knowledge. Team members are Jacey Staponski, Katlyn Brigman, Taylor Reynolds and Katelyn Carpenter.
Marshfield FFA placed first in Floriculture Evaluation. Team members are Haley Hines, Courtney Throne, Kaitlin Murgel and Brittany Heithold.
Neosho FFA placed first in Agronomy. Team members are Jared Sage, Stephanie Hancock, Whitney Gray and Jaycob Wilkins.
Ryan Carr, of the Carthage FFA Chapter, placed first in the Job Interview Career Development Event. Ginelle Esry, of the El Dorado Springs FFA Chapter, placed first in the Creed Speaking contest.
Honorary State FFA Degrees
Ted Probert, of Mansfield, Mo., is a University of Missouri Extension regional dairy specialist frequently involved in FFA and vocational agricultural educational activities and events.
Brent Evans, of Rogersville, Mo., has worked with FFA chapters and members in his roles as general manager of Burnidge Welding Supplies and now as vice president for Kirk Welding Supply.
Jason Haymes, of Mount Vernon, Mo., is an FFA advisor who has had many American FFA and State FFA degree recipients, and contest teams and speakers qualifying for district, state and national competition.
Randy Commons of Baxter Springs, Kan., worked as a diesel and ag mechanics instructor for three years at Crowder College, and he also worked for many years in Kansas as an agricultural education advisor. He farms his grandfather’s farm in Pittsburg, Kan.
Dedication and Distinguished Service Citation
Jim Bellis, of Aurora, Mo., was recognized for his service to FFA at the 82nd Missouri FFA Convention. Bellis started teaching agricultural education, then served as the district supervisor in southwest Missouri for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for more than 24 years. He is now the director of student services and public affairs at the School of Agriculture in the college of Natural and Applied Sciences at Missouri State University.
