Tamara McConnell

Writer

Cementing their leadership skills and expanding the group’s prestige, Marlow High School’s Future Farmers of America Opening Ceremonies team placed 2nd at the Waurika Region, qualifying them for the state contest held at Oklahoma State University for the first time in Marlow’s history.

In FFA, students can learn to develop their personal growth and lead more effectively through agricultural education.

Sophomore Taylor Battles explains as an FFA member what the organization does to help students.

“FFA helps young students grow as people, and also helps with leadership skills, not just in FFA, but in life as well.”

Battles also explains how being in FFA has shaped her confidence and developed her ambition.

“Being in FFA has helped me by showing that its okay to step out of your comfort zone,” said Battles. “ It has shown me that I can do whatever I set my mind to.”

As a member of FFA and the Opening Ceremonies team, Sophomore Kristany Travis further details her excitement over their stunning achievement, revealing how the event has motivated her to help and prepare the upcoming team for next year.

“It made me feel special, like I may have made a difference in something greater than me,” said Travis.

“It has motivated me to help the next year’s teams and hopefully advance and win state in another contest,” said Travis.

Another Sophomore and team member Kailey Griggs also expressed how making it to state has inspired her to spread Marlow’s name and what she has gained from the occasion.

“Making it to state for the first time in Marlow history motivated me to try my hardest to get Marlow’s name out there,” said Griggs. “I’ve learned to always try my hardest because you’ll never know the outcomes.”

Fellow FFA member and Sophomore AJ Brown recounts what he wants to take from the state event and the experiences he wishes to learn, explaining how FFA has transformed his future career goals.

“I just want to experience getting better at speech and coming out of my shell,” said Brown. “Before this, I would have never done anything for speech, but I decided to try something new and it paid off, “ said Brown. “Before my freshman year, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, now I want to pursue a career in agriculture and get better in livestock judging.”

Not only was the team thrill over their monumental feat, the student teacher of the agricultural program, Shawn Hammock, voiced how proud he was of the team.

“The kids performed excellently,” said Hammock. “They set a goal to make state, they worked hard to achieve it, and you couldn’t ask for more than that.”

Hammock also praised the students’ hard-work and dedication and commented on what he hopes the students will take from the experience.

“This group of kids worked tremendously hard and it paid off,” said Hammock. “I hope the students gained confidence and learned about the importance of the FFA Opening Ceremonies.

Hammock looks forward to the next year’s group and desires for the team to make friends outside of Marlow.

“It is important for them to make new friends from other FFA Chapters, not only in the Marlow area, but also from across the state,” said Hammock. “This contest will help them want to compete in future FFA events, and I hope the younger members of the Chapter will look up this group.”

Although the FFA team did not place at the state competition, the members remain excited for their upcoming activities. On October 29, the group will depart for their nationals convention held in Indianapolis, Indiana this year.