A busy weekend at the Missouri FFA Convention resulted in high recognition for Mid-Missouri chapters and members.
At the national chapter award program, Tipton placed ninth and Russellville placed 36th out of 347 chapters in the state, earning top chapter awards.
Both will compete among the top 10 percent of state chapters for the National FFA Chapter Award in the fall.
Russellville adviser Ellen Amos, local business owner Michael Wyss and marketing specialist Taylor Tuttle were named Honorary State FFA Degree recipients.
The Missouri FFA Association awards honorary degrees to individuals for their efforts to serve the organization and share agricultural education.
Amos graduated from Russellville and returned to teach agricultural education. Wyss is the manager of The Covered Bridge Market. According to a press release, he has trimmed county fair hams and helped train local FFA meats evaluation teams.
Tuttle is a marketing specialist with the Missouri Department of Agriculture; she said her experiences as an FFA member were second-to-none.
Area students who received awards included: Caleb Porter, California, Area 8 Star Farmer; Jackson Johnson, California, second place, agriscience research integrated systems proficiency; Hunter Oliver, California, fourth place, division II prepared public speaking leadership development; Kaylee Gengler, Tipton, Missouri agribusiness academy; Amanda Stover, Missouri agribusiness academy; Taylor Case, Russellville, first place, Growmark essay contest; and Alec Krum, Nichols Career Center, sixth place, advanced prepared public speaking leadership development.
Team awards included: California agricultural issues forum, second place; Tipton agricultural sales team, third place; Russellville food science career development, third place; and Russellville FFA food science and technology team, third place.
Missouri FFA has 25,375 members. On a national scale, more than 669,000 members represent 8,630 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.