Members of the Veterans Memorial FFA Chapter attended, and competed at the 86th Annual Texas FFA State Convention held in Fort Worth, Texas.
Edward Moreno competed in the Spanish FFA Creed Speaking contest and placed second in the state. He advanced to state by placing first in the Rio Grande Valley District. A total of 47 competed in this specialty. The FFA Creed is a five-paragraph statement recited by members to reflect their growing belief in agriculture and agricultural education. The Creed delivery and a five-minute question and answer period are conducted entirely in Spanish.
Rene Olivarez competed in the Extemporaneous Speaking contest, placing in the top 20 in state. He advanced to state by placing first in the RGV District and second in the Area 10.
Roy Guerrero received a Lone Star Degree. This is the highest degree bestowed by the Texas FFA. The Lone Start FFA Degree recognizes FFA members who have received the Chapter degree, been active FFA members for a least two years, completed at least four semesters of agricultural science at or above the ninth grade level, maintained a supervised agricultural experience program, demonstrated their leadership skills and have shown a commitment to the FFA through involvement at the chapter level and above.
Other Veterans Memorial FFA Chapter members who attended are: Zenaida Alaniz, vice president; Samantha Diaz, secretary; David Bazan Jr., treasurer; Isabella Farias, sentinel; Kendra Garcia, chaplain. Roy Guerrero also represented the chapter as president.
Members of the agricultural youth leadership organization spent the their time at the convention 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 104,000 members and 1,045 local FFA chapters. FFA gives students the opportunity to apply practical classroom knowledge to real world experiences through local, state, and national competitions. It has evolved from an organization focusing primarily on production agriculture, to a broader-based encompassing organization that addresses the needs and interests of students in urban and suburban schools, in addition to the rural communities from which FFA rose in 1929.
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