Missouri FFA News Releases

COLUMBIA, Mo., April 16, 2009 – The Marshfield FFA Chapter placed first in the Floriculture Career Development Event at the 81^st Missouri FFA Convention. There were 50 teams in the competition.

The winning team members were Janessa Jones, Kelsey Kleeman, Blair Wilkerson and Kaci Wingo. Blair Wilkerson ranked first individual, Kelsey Kleeman ranked third, Kaci Wingo ranked ninth, and Janessa Jones placed eleventh out of 194 individuals. Marshfield’s advisors are Bill Roberts and Kyle Whittaker.

Competitors were asked to identify plants and were faced with decisions involving day-to-day problems that occur in the floral industry. Plant care and diagnosis, floral arranging and sales and product knowledge were tested in the event.

Sponsored by University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, this contest is one way the FFA prepares student members for career success. Career development events engage student learning and make a real connection to lifetime goals.

The Missouri FFA has 24,410 members representing 317 chapters. The national organization has more than 507,000 members representing 7,439 local chapters in 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands.

The FFA Mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

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