Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
The Colton High School FFA completed one of its most successful state conventions ever with three state placers May 14-16 in Pullman.
Senior Savannah Chadwick took first in the state in the Extemporaneous Public Speaking Career Development Event and will represent the state of Washington at the National FFA convention in Louisville, Kent., in October.
Extemporaneous speaking requires participants to draw three topics related to agriculture, select one and then take thirty minutes to prepare a 4-6 minute speech to a panel of judges before answering five minutes of questions. Topics are unknown to participants before the contest, but students are allowed to bring materials with them to prepare their speeches.
Lane Moore, another Colton senior, took first place in completing a “Nutrients for Life Helping Communities Grow” grant, winning $3,000 for his chapter.
The Helping Communities Grow fertilizer and soil nutrient community outreach program is administered by the Nutrients for Life Foundation and is offered to FFA chapters in good standing.
Moore, a three-year Colton FFA chapter officer, will be a freshman at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla., this fall.
Luke Moore, a sophomore, was named the Washington State FFA State Star Farmer, the highest award one can win in the Entrepreneurship Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE).
The state of Washington is divided into nine FFA districts, with each determining their star farmer. The nine district stars are then trimmed down to four state star finalists. The overall State Star Farmer is chosen by the Washington State FFA Board of Directors.
Chadwick is the valedictorian of Colton’s class of 2015 and will be a freshman at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Calif., next fall. A three-year Colton chapter FFA officer, she also placed eighth in Prepared Public Speaking Career Development.
In this event, students prepare a 6-8 minute speech on an agricultural topic and then answer five minutes of questions relating to it.
Gar-Pal Results
The Garfield-Palouse FFA chapter claimed several state champions and placers in Pullman.
Senior Gabe Cocking was named Star State Farmer in Placement while the team of Daniel Orfe, Emily Bagott, Katie Arrasmith, Seth Thompson, Payson Griner and Evan Weaggraff took first in Novice Parliamentary Procedure (Rituals).
Other team placers include Holly Brown, Wyatt Griner, Hunter Woltering and Foster Marcus-Nelson, who took second in Ag. Sales.
Holly Brown finished as High Individual for Ag. Sales.
Also in second was the First Year Greenhand Team of Payson Griner, Jackson Gordon, Emily Bagott, Travis Knauff and Katie Arrasmith.
In third place was another of Gar-Pal’s First Year Greenhand team: Daniel Orfe, Seth Thompson, Evan Weaggraff and Chad Hanson. Another third was the Ag. Marketing team of Libby Akin, Gabe Cocking and Mitch Jamison.
Taking fifth place in Food Science was Riley Marcus, Quentin Neumann, Ian Niebergs, Mitch Dymkoski and Austin Morotto.
In fifth place for Farm Business Management was Gabe Cocking, Travis Knauff, Sebestian Mondragon, Erik Anderson and Riley Marcus.
Receiving their state FFA degrees were Gabe Cocking, Hunter Woltering, Joseph Wilcomb, Jacob Arlt, Holly Brown, Wyatt Griner, Quentin Neumann, Mitch Dymkoski and Ian Niebergs.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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