Edison FFA earns honors at Ohio FFA Convention

The Edison High School FFA attended the Ohio FFA Convention, where members participated in leadership and educational activities and earned honors for their achievements.

Eighteen members took part in activities April 29-May 1 in Columbus, including sessions featuring motivational speakers, a career fair and educational tours that highlighted opportunities in the agriculture industry. The Edison FFA also was recognized as a Chapter Trust Donor for contributing $1,000 to the Ohio FFA Foundation.

“The chapter also received recognition for its charitable efforts, including constructing and donating a blessing box for the Richmond Lions Club and providing fruit to the Amsterdam Food Bank,” adviser Kelli Pridemore said.

Several members also were honored for individual accomplishments, with chapter Treasurer Maddie Granatir earning a gold rating for her treasurer’s book and Lena Wagner receiving a gold rating for her work as chapter reporter.

The chapter celebrated the success of its state equine evaluation team, which placed second in the state competition. Team members Mimi Ault, Maddie Granatir, Ellie Richards and Leila Sudvary earned the achievement, which qualified them to compete at the World Paint Horse Judging Contest in Fort Worth, Texas, in June.

The convention concluded with the presentation of State FFA Degrees, and Bella Evans and Jon Whitlatch were among those recognized with the honor. The State FFA Degree is one of the highest honors a member can achieve at the state level and is awarded to students who demonstrate significant commitment to FFA through leadership, academic achievement and their Supervised Agricultural Experience programs.

To earn the degree, members must have been active in FFA for at least two years, completed agricultural education coursework and developed a successful Supervised Agricultural Experience program by earning or investing at least $2,500. Recipients also must demonstrate leadership skills, participate in activities beyond the chapter level and complete community service hours. Earning the State FFA Degree reflects dedication, hard work and excellence in agricultural education.

Pridemore said the group also visited ST Genetics, a research farm that houses more than 4,000 dairy animals.

“The students had the opportunity to observe robotic milking systems, interact with the cows and learn about the daily operations of a modern dairy facility,” she said. “They also visited the new Multi-Species Animal Learning Complex at The Ohio State University. This experience allowed students to explore the state-of-the-art facility designed to house multiple livestock species, as well as observe the university’s current dairy operation in action.”