(A scene from a 1953 Cover by Paul Wehr that appeared on "Country Gentleman Magazine.")

Hopkins County Youth Attend
Texas State FFA Convention
In Texas Panhandle

by: Bobby McDonald

 

Lubbock, Texas, is the site of the 77th Annual Texas FFA Convention that will begin with opening ceremonies on Tuesday, July 12th, in the Lubbock Convention Center. The annual state convention is a highlight for FFA members and rotates to cities around the state.

Richard Watson, Vocational Agriculture Teacher at Miller Grove and a former Vo Ag Teacher in Sulphur Springs, denoted, "The state convention is an opportunity to reward those students that have been involved all year, with a trip to a different part of the state, where they can attend tours, learn about the agriculture in another area of the state, and enjoy seeing something new."

Watson will be taking five students from the Miller Grove Chapter: James Weaver, Brandon Roberts, Leslie Wagley, Callie Smith, and Amanda Sims.

James Weaver, a chapter officer in the Miller Grove FFA Chapter,
is looking forward with anticipation of the trip to Lubbock, where
he will be able to see other forms of agriculture, such as feedlots,
and hopes to tour the Ranching Heritage Center located there.

Mike Teague, Vocational Agriculture Teacher at Saltillo, stated that he would be taking his students on several tours that were not on the "official" schedule of the convention. "I feel that the trip to state convention allows me to take my students to places that they might not otherwise get the opportunity to see, like feedlots and other agricultural enterprises. One day, we plan on going to a manufacturing company that makes cotton gins. That should be a change for students in East Texas," denoted Teague. "But, it gives them the opportunity to see another aspect of agriculture."

Teague will be taking a delegation of seven students: Jeff Chandler, Jocsan Gamez, Billy Sinclair, Stephanie Methe, Jessica Sparks, Daniel White, and Trey Thompson. Thompson and White will be receiving their Lone Star Farmer Degrees at the state convention in Lubbock, which is the highest degree offered by the state organization.

Likewise, Michael Bowen, Vocational Agriculture Teacher at Como-Pickton, plans to take his students on some additional tours. "We plan on taking a trip to Muleshoe, where we will tour a large dairy operation that is owned by former Como residents David Lawrence and Alan Caddell," stated Bowen. "Then, we plan on going to the Ranching Heritage Center and attend the Texas FFA Rodeo Finals, too!"

Bowen will be taking a large delegation of students: Amanda Mitchell, Gayle Spearman, Ashley Mowat, Bethany Stinson, Quinton and Spencer Wicks, Alex Mowat, Jill Sturgill, B. J. Sharp, Bridget Coke, and Martha Vellenga. Vellenga will be receiving her Lone Star Farmer Degree in Lubbock, also.

Quinton Wicks, a sophomore student at Como-Pickton, will be among the delegation from Como-
Pickton Vocational Agriculture Department that will be spending this week in Lubbock at the
State FFA Convention.

Dan Froneberger, Vocational Agriculture Teacher at SSHS, will be sponsoring four students to go to Lubbock for the State FFA Convention. They will be: Alina Tatum, Sam Dolan, Kattie Foster, and Candace Vanwinkle. Alina Tatum will be representing Area VI FFA in the Talent Competion at the convention, and hopes to win the top spot in the state, for the organization. Her competition is scheduled for Thursday night.

Sam Dolan, one of the Sulphur Springs FFA Chapter officers, will
serve as a voting delegate for the local chapter and hopes to attend
several interesting sights while in Lubbock this week.

From choosing a state sweetheart, a state talent winner, and the naming of proficiency award winners, as well as the many tours of High Plains Agriculture, the voting delegates from each chapter will participate in some important by-law changes that will determine how future state officers are elected, and tend to other business of the 77 year old organization.

Students from North Hopkins FFA, Cumby FFA, and Sulphur Bluff FFA will also be attending the State Convention. Johnny Lennon serves as the advisor for North Hopkins. Dwight Clifton is the Vocational Agriculture Teacher at Cumby, and Brian Wright is the advisor at Sulphur Bluff.

For many, many years the annual trip to the State FFA Convention has served as a "right of passage" for students in Hopkins County, and the trips hold fond memories for those who participated.