Nevada Shines in 98th Annual National FFA Convention Contests

The 98th National FFA Convention and Expo took place in Indianapolis, Indiana, bringing together thousands of members from across the country. The week was filled with competitions, leadership workshops, and celebrations of hard work and dedication to agriculture. It was a chance for members to connect with others who share their passion for FFA and to represent their chapters on a national stage.

Nevada chapters had a strong showing this year, with several earning top honors. Silver Sage FFA placed Gold and finished fifth in the nation in the Agricultural Technology and Mechanical Systems contest. Zane Wines from Silver Sage also placed tenth overall in the same event. Silver Sage continued its success with silver ratings in both Conduct of Chapter Meetings and Marketing Plan. Winnemucca FFA also earned a silver rating in Horse Judging.

Other chapters made Nevada proud as well. Diamond Mountain FFA earned bronze in Parliamentary Procedure, Battle Mountain FFA took home bronze in Milk Quality and Products, and Sierra Nevada FFA received bronze in Nursery and Landscape. Silver Sage added another bronze finish in Veterinary Science.

Several Nevada members competed individually and represented the state with pride. Ethan Droegemueller from Northwest CTA FFA earned bronze in the Creed Speaking Contest, while Allie Fait from Churchill County FFA earned bronze in Prepared Public Speaking. Danielle Madalena from Battle Mountain FFA took bronze in Extemporaneous Public Speaking.

Wells FFA had a strong year as well, earning bronze in both Meat Evaluation and Livestock Judging. The chapter also earned silver in Farm Business Management and Agricultural Sales. From Oasis FFA, Brook Manski and Amberlyn Casey received bronze for their Agriscience Fair project, along with Mierra Cavanaugh and Reese Laca, who also earned bronze.

The convention concluded with one of the most special honors the FFA has to offer — the American FFA Degree. This award recognizes members who have gone above and beyond in their supervised agricultural experiences and leadership involvement. Nevada was proud to see four members earn this degree: Ryan Olson from Carson Valley FFA, Zoe Smith from Diamond Mountain FFA, Dayton McKnight from Ruby Mountain FFA, and Trent Sarman from Silver Sage FFA.