The Patrick County High School FFA attended the 92th Virginia State FFA Convention held in Blacksburg on the campus of Virginia Tech on June 18 through June 21.
Attending the convention were advisors Jonathon Wood and Wendell Terry, along with students Chaney Merritt, Briana Mabe, Bridgette Vipperman, and Arthur Dawson.
At the convention, Merritt received the coveted State FFA Degree which awards years of dedicated service to the FFA organization at the local level and beyond. During her high school career, Chaney held several offices and led the local FFA as club president the past two years. She has also competed in various contests including Soils, Nursery/Landscape, and Floriculture at both the state and national levels. She will continue her agricultural education experience at VT this fall.
While at the convention this year the students competed in the state Floriculture contest. Participants are responsible for identifying 120 different floriculture plants, must take a 50-question general knowledge exam, and prepare a floral arrangement according to prescribed guidelines given them at the contest. This year’s PCHS Floriculture team placed second in the state.
Mabe was sixth high individual; Vipperman was fifth high individual; and Merritt was second high individual. The second place finish qualifies them to attend and compete at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Mass. in September.
