CP High School FFA students receive national recognition

Education | Como-Pickton

COMO-PICKTON — Como-Pickton has some dedicated and hardworking students in their Future Farmers of America chapter. They were recently awarded honors at the 91st annual Texas FFA Convention held July 15-19 in Fort Worth.

Presley Cummins, Summer Gilbreath and Kara Tifft served as Texas FFA Foundation Ambassadors, and Sydnee Neal returned as a senior ambassador.

The Foundation Ambassador program serves as the official liaison to sponsors, special guests and dignitaries on behalf of the Texas FFA during the convention.

Cummins, Gilbreath and Tifft were three of more than 60 FFA members selected to serve as a Foundation Ambassadors. Neal was one of 20 ambassadors asked to return to the program and provide guidance.

Ambassadors underwent a competitive application process and extensive training specifically focused on donor relations, personal skills development and professional networking. Foundation Ambassadors also studied the history of the Texas FFA Association, Texas FFA Foundation and the records of sponsors’ commitments to agricultural education and the Texas FFA.

Many Ambassadors were matched with representatives from the Texas FFA Foundation’s corporate sponsors and individual donors, while others assisted in the logistics of the annual VIP Breakfast or helped organize sponsors’ availability for stage appearances during convention general sessions.

Four other CPHS FFA students — Kayleigh Brewer, Daniel Galvan, Jesus Gonzalez and Kobie Miller, of the Como-Pickton FFA Chapter — were awarded the Lone Star FFA Degree, Texas FFA’s highest degree.

The Lone Star FFA degree recognizes FFA members who have received the chapter degree, been active members for at least two years, completed at least four semesters of agricultural science at or above the ninth grade level, maintained a supervised agricultural experience (SAE) program, demonstrated leadership skills and have shown a commitment to the FFA through involvement at the chapter level and above. Brewer, Galvan, Gonzalez and Miller were four of more than 2,400 FFA members to receive this esteemed degree.

“This is a very prestigious award given to students who have had an outstanding FFA career through agriculture education, the FFA and a supervised agriculture experience,” said CPHS agriculture teacher and FFA advisor Chanda Neal.

During the annual convention, more than $2 million in scholarships were awarded, and more than 2,500 students were recognized on stage for their accomplishments at the state level.

The 91th annual Texas FFA Convention recorded approximately 12,000 members and guests. Members of the state’s largest agricultural youth leadership organization spent the week attending leadership workshops, participating in events and activities, being recognized for their achievements, and serving as the legislative body for the Texas FFA Association.

The Texas FFA is the nation’s largest state FFA association with a membership of more than 130,000. FFA gives students the opportunity to apply practical classroom knowledge to real world experiences through local, state and national competitions. For more information about the Texas FFA, visit www.mytexasffa.org.