By Brandie Gay
The Missouri State FFA Convention is an annual event organized by the Missouri FFA Association. This convention brings together FFA members from across the state to celebrate their accomplishments, conduct association business, elect new officers, and participate in leadership workshops.
The convention typically includes various activities such as award presentations, workshops, and networking opportunities for students interested in agriculture and related fields.
This year, the 96th Annual State FFA Convention was held in Columbia, Mo., from April 17 to April 19, 2024. The convention theme this year is “Open the Door…,” which reflects the organization’s commitment to providing opportunities for students to develop knowledge and skills in applied science, technical and employability skills, and learn about agriculture—our nation’s No. 1 industry.
FFA has evolved over the years, opening doors for members to become leaders and innovators within the industry. During the convention, Missouri FFA members will be recognized and rewarded for their hard work and achievements throughout the past year. For the Van-Far students these are the highlights of the convention. Night one of the Missouri FFA State Convention
• Clara Wallace received the Youth in Ag Scholarship from the Missouri State Fair
• Carmen Wilburn, Katelyn McCurdy, Kayla Heaton, and Makayla McCurdy were recognized for placing 2nd in the Swine Facility Management competition this past fall
• Erin Childs represented the chapter by receiving our chapter rank! We ranked 31 out of the 370+ chapters in the state.
State Convention Day 2
• The Soils team competed and placed 7th overall out of 48 teams. They received a group 1 team rating. Brandon Kurz, Carmen Wilburn, and Jackson Fischer received individual group 1 ratings. Reece Culwell received a group 3 rating.
• Clara Wallace was recognized for her Area Winning Beef Ownership Proficiency Award. This is a tough category and we are proud of her representation.
• Carmen Wilburn is a STATE CHAMPION Swine Production Placement Proficiency winner!! Her application will represent Missouri at Nationals this summer.
Final day of Missouri FFA State Convention.
• Members that competed on a contest spent the morning at the career show, and many sessions
• We watched Carmen Wilburn be installed as a 2024-2025 Missouri FFA State Officer.
• Katelyn McCurdy, Kristen Shaw, Clara Wallace, and Carmen Wilburn received the State FFA degree. This is a highly competitive and sought out award for our students.