Fifty-two members of White County FFA recently attended the 97th Tennessee FFA State Convention. in Gatlinburg. The convention showcases individual, team, and chapter success throughout the year. Over 4,000 members from across the state attended the annual convention. White County FFA was very competitive and saw many successes for individuals and the chapter during the convention.
White County FFA Chapter was recognized at the State level for the following awards; Superior Chapter Award, National Three Star Chapter Award, and a Platinum PLOW Award. The Superior Chapter Award recognizes the chapters in the state that meet all qualifications for a quality program. While the Superior Chapter Award recognizes chapters that meet state qualifications, the National Chapter Award recognizes chapters that go above and beyond the standard qualifications for a program. Receiving the National Chapter Award means a chapter is preparing members to meet and succeed in the mission of promoting premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through fifteen rigorous standards and achievement goals.
For the past two years, White County FFA Chapter has won the highest National Chapter Award through FFA. The PLOW (Passing Literacy OnWard) award was developed to promote literacy and agriculture literacy among the state’s FFA members and their communities. White County FFA has developed a chapter library, promotes reading in the chapter and school, reads to local elementary schools, and works with the White County Fair Association and White County Farm Bureau to promote agriculture literacy to children across the county. The Platinum PLOW Award is the highest award given by the state. While the chapter as a whole had a very successful year, several of its members were equally successful during the event.
Junior Vice President Isabella Sackett was awarded to be part of the State Officer Nominating Committee. She completed an application and interviews to become part of the committee. She was one of only six FFA members and six adult industry leaders from across the state. Isabella spent a week helping the committee interview, observe, and evaluate 33 candidates from across the state of Tennessee vying for one of eight state officer positions. Isabella was thrilled for the opportunity to serve not only White County FFA but the Tennessee State FFA Association.
Additionally, four White County FFA members represented their chapter and community during the presentation of Proficiency Awards at the convention. Proficiency awards honor FFA members who, through supervised agricultural experiences, have developed specialized skills they can apply toward their future careers.
White County FFA members Katie Eller, Reese Selby, Marlo Selby, and Camden Ryan won proficiencies in their area for Middle Tennessee and were invited to the stage at the convention to discover their placing at the state level.
Sophomore Katie Eller won the Tennessee State Proficiency Award in Agriscience Research Integrated Systems for the skills she developed through her agriscience research project.
Senior Marlo Selby brought home state top honors for Swine Production Placement for her work at local producer Fancher’s Mill Farm and Provisions.
Camden Ryan, also a senior at WCHS, won the Tennessee State Proficiency Award for Wildlife Management for his project with TWRA on wild turkey population disbursement and nest predation.
All three of the state winners from White County FFA will compete at the National level this summer, and all four regional winners will be honored at the regional banquet, in May.
Each year, White County FFA members research, experiment, interview, and compete with Agriscience Fair Projects. This year, the chapter was proudly represented at convention by eight members with seven different projects.
Alexiah Prater conducted a social systems study on the difference in hunting/fishing game consumption over the past five years.
Sophomores Madlyn Savage and Karly Tylka conducted a study in social systems on the cost analysis of the beef industry over the past 10 years.
Mallery Riddle has conducted a two-year study on the most efficient diet for monogastric animals in the animal systems pathway. All three of the previously mentioned projects scored in the top 15 of the state at convention. As a sophomore, Hunter Rigsby placed fourth in the state for his study on synthetic and organic fertilizers in the Plant Systems Pathway.
Senior Breanna Powell placed third in the Tennessee State Agriscience Fair with her study on weld strengths based on TIG, MIG, and Arc.
Alivia Hart also placed third in the state contest for her two-year study on palatability and loss of feeds in livestock based on fines (waste).
Katie Eller won the Tennessee State Agriscience Fair with her project on nitrate runoff pollution of local waterways. She will advance to the national contest this summer for her project in the Environmental and Natural Resource systems.
All of the agriscience participants would like to extend a thank you to WCHS science teachers Wesley Martin and Teresa Buckner, along with all community members and businesses for their help and support in the research.
Finally, 15 White County FFA seniors received their State FFA Degrees, on Mar 25, 2025. The FFA state degree is the highest degree that
the state can bestow upon a member. Members must have met qualifications in the time and money spent in their SAE, agriculture coursework taken, FFA involvement, and community service. White County FFA proudly recognizes Max Baker, Griffen Burton, McKenna Hughes, Chase Lewis, Dillon Parrish, Tripp Pinion, Breanna Powell, Chelsea Reed, Camden Ryan, Marlo Selby, Austin Stebing, Collyer Steele, Will Stockton, Trey Whiteaker, and Madox Young for achieving this honor.
White County FFA would like to say congratulations to all the award recipients and thank you to all their supporters. White County FFA will be hosting their annual awards banquet, on April 29, and invite all members’ parents/family and supporters to attend.
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