By: Ainsley Hall
MARTINSBURG — The Spring Mills FFA chapter was recognized during the Berkeley County Board of Education’s regular meeting on Monday for its huge accomplishments at the West Virginia FFA State Convention.
New board President Jacqueline Long and Vice President Melissa Power welcomed Spring Mills FFA advisor Tyler Butts to share more about the contest.
The West Virginia FFA State Convention took place July 10-13 in Ripley, and the Spring Mills FFA chapter was recognized as a Gold Emblem chapter for its fifth consecutive year. Several students won in their categories, including Makenzie Stout, state champion in employment skills; Mya Stine, state champion in upperclassmen creed speaking; Caleb Chandler, state champion in zero-turn tractor driving; and Reagan Barrett, second place in prepared public speaking.
“The kids keep a record of any of their agriculture enterprises,” Butts said. “It can be a variety of things. The kind of ones that raise livestock are working in an agriculture enterprise. That is the second-highest degree that a student can achieve.”
The students who earned their state degree included Isabelle Bolyard, Caleb Chandler, Amelia Dugan, Lexi Ebberys, Kailin Golden, Tory Henry, Morgan Ketterman, Brenna McTighe, McKenzie Phebus, Hayley Silkworth, Faith Welsh and Declan Werner.
“A lot of those kids were seniors and are now in college, but I wanted to touch on a few of them,” Butts said. “We had a livestock judging team which, as I’m sure Dr. Saxe knows, is the ultimate FFA contest, and three of those kids are now on a full-ride scholarship — two in Texas and one in Oklahoma judging livestock. We were second in the whole country. Reagan Barrett, who Dr. Saxe mentioned a little bit ago, was No. 1 in oral reasons in the entire country and No. 2 in the entire contest.”
Butts was also joined by Spring Mills FFA Chapter Vice President Silkworth and its secretary, McTighe, who shared some of their accomplishments in FFA. They both talk about how FFA encouraged them to get outside their comfort zone and learn valuable skills for their future.
Silkworth talked about how she competed in a prepared public speaking competition, where she memorized a 6-8-minute speech and presented it to the judges. She came in second place at the regional level and competed on the state level. She also joined the dairy evaluation team during her junior year.
“Through FFA, it’s been a pleasure, and it’s something that I’ve learned how to grow through leadership abilities, standing up here talking to you guys this evening, and it’s been great,” Silkworth said.
McTighe shared that she was very shy her freshman year of high school, but FFA helped challenge her. Just a few days before a dairy cattle judging competition, Butts reached out to McTighe asking if she wanted to join. She ended up in second place and her team won the contest.
The Spring Mills FFA chapter is building up successful students and giving them the chance to push themselves to learn new skills. The chapter is looking forward to another great year as students start school again.