INDIANAPOLIS — The 89th National FFA Convention & Expo, Transform FFA was hosted in Indianapolis Oct. 19-22, drawing delegates from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
The National FFA Foundation announced Oct. 20 on the convention’s main stage it had raised a record-breaking $21 million, topping last year’s record by about $1.5 million.
Funds raised by the National FFA go toward scholarships, recognizing member achievements and supporting national programs, competitions and conferences.
National officers
FFA is a long-standing tradition in Ohio, and from the first set of national FFA officers in 1928 to today, Ohio has been represented at the national level. Leading the nation in most national officers, Ohio has had 33 serve the organization. Next in line is California with 29 and Texas with 25.
This year, Ohio’s Sydney Snider served as the eastern region vice president.
Originally from Moscow, Ohio, and an agricultural communication major at The Ohio State University, Snider is a former Clermont County Pork Producers Queen, a member of the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow and was a 2015 Ohio State Fair Ambassador for the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation.
Within FFA, she was the Ohio FFA president, and the president, secretary, reporter, and student adviser of the Felicity-Franklin FFA.
Her supervised agricultural experiences included beef, swine and goat production and work in the Agriculture Education Placement for the Felicity Agriculture Education Department, where she developed and presented lessons on agriculture and FFA and served as a peer mentor.
Snyder gave her retiring address to the convention, See Hope, Be Hope (starting at 2:07 in the recording). You can watch her and other happenings of convention at www.FFA.org/broadcasts.
History
Ohio has had 10 American Star Finalists, just behind Wisconsin with 20 and Oklahoma with 18.
Ohio members have been honored with the American FFA Degree in all 89 conventions they have been awarded. Since 1928, Ohioans have received 6,885 American FFA Degrees; 345 of those were awarded this year Oct. 22.
Pennsylvania has had 11 national officers, the last of which held the office in 2001-02; and seven American Star finalists, the last of which was in 1979.
Pennsylvania nears the top of the list with the second most American Star Farmer winners, tieing Nebraska and Kansas with six and following Oklahoma, which has had nine.
Pennsylvania brings home 46 American FFA Degrees this year; since 1930, Pennsylvania members have been awarded 1,806 American FFA Degrees.
2016 winners
Ethan Kaper, Liberty Union FFA, Ohio, won the National Agriscience Fair in the category of Plant Systems, Division 1.
Joseph Glassmeyer and Jared Hamilton, Felicity-Franklin FFA, Ohio, won the National Agriscience Fair in the category of Power, Structural and Technical Systems, Division 3.
In the national career development events, three local FFA’ers brought home top honors.
National Agronomy CDE second place was awarded to Ohio’s Todd Peterson, Garrett Hagler, Cody Clyburn, and Nick Elrich, all of Miami Trace FFA.
National Dairy Cattle Evaluation and Management third place honors went to Ohio’s Sarah Lehner, Hannah Edelblute, Macee Burke, and Donald Smith, all of Buckeye Valley-DACC.
National Dairy Cattle Handlers Activity first place was awarded to Chase Eller of Northern Bedford FFA, Pennsylvania.
Alumni
Roland L. Fisher, Newton FFA Alumni Chapter, Ohio, won the National Outstanding Alumni Award.
Fisher supports the alumni and local FFA chapters through financial support for fundraising projects, events, travel experiences, and the needs of FFA members.
In addition to receiving the Ohio FFA Alumni Horizon award and the Ohio FFA Alumni Outstanding Achievement award, Fisher was also the vice president of the Ohio FFA Alumni Council.
At a national level, the life member of the National FFA Alumni Association has served a leader and volunteer for the National Days of Service and at the National FFA Alumni booth.
Indianapolis hosted 64,940 FFA members, advisers, sponsors and guests this past week, slightly under the 65,173 in attendance in 2015.
Next year’s convention is set for Oct. 25-28, 2017.
Ohio National FFA Officers
Lawrence Augustine — 1928-29
Ralph Bender, Waldo — 1930-31
Bobby Jones, Radnor — 1933-34
Stanley Tschantz, Wanye County JVS — 1935-36
William Stiers, Twin Valley South — 1937-38
Carl Fought, Fremont — 1941-42
Philip Shober, Mohawk — 1946-47
Glenn Lackey, Berlin Township —1949-50
Dallas High, Van West-Marsh — 1951-52
Dale Ring, Wooster — 1955-56
Jerome Donovan Jr., Delaware-Willis — 1960-61
James Stitzlein, Loudonville — 1965-66
Keaton Vandemark, Elida — 1966-67
Dennis C. Sargent, Bradford — 1971-72
Doug Loudenslager, Ridgedale — 1975-76
Richard (Rick) McDaniel, Wynford — 1976-77
Rob Hovis, Lakota — 1977-78
Mark Sanborn, Grand Valley — 1978-79
Susie Barrett, Warrensburg — 1980-81
Bruce Kettler — 1982-83
Warren Boerger, Fairbanks — 1988-89
Dan Schroer, New Bremen — 1989-90
Rick Perkins, Sentinel — 1992-93
Lee Schroeder, Leipsic— 1994-95
Holly Bentley, East Clinton — 1996-97
Shannon Wilcox, Upper Scioto — 1997-98
Emily Buxton, Riverview — 1998-99
Joe Shultz, Indian Lake — 1999-00
Katy Poth, Liberty Union — 2000-01
Julie Tyson, Hillsdale — 2002-03
Anne Knapke, Talawanda — 2003-04
Hannah Crossen, Hillsdale — 2008-09
Sydney Snider, East Central — 2015-16
Pennsylvania National FFA Officers
Malcolm Wilkins, Troy — 1930-31
Donald Gantz, Washington — 1931-32
George Myers, Conococheague — 1934-35
David P. Jameson, Laurel — 1944-45
Richard Waybright, Battlefield— 1950-51
Victor Cappuci Jr., Tunkhannock — 1956-57
Dean Hoffer, Manheim — 1959-60
Harold J. Brubaker, Elizatethtown — 1966-67
Glenn Weber, Grassland — 1968-69
Doyle Waybright, Battlefield — 1973-74
Elio Chiarelli Jr., H.G. Parkinson — 2001-02
