FFA members to attend Greenhand conference

Three thousand five hundred first-year agricultural students from over 230 Missouri high schools had a chance to meet and work with the national officers of the National FFA Organization during the annual Greenhand Motivational Conferences held January 8-11.

The conferences were sponsored by MFA, Inc. and Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. Greenhand is the first of four degrees offered by the FFA.

Conducting the conferences were the six national FFA officers: President Dane White, Eureka, Calif.; Secretary Robin Niehaus, Hillsboro, Ill., Central Region Vice President Amber Haugland,

Ambrose, N.D.; Eastern Region Vice President Elio Chiarelli, Jr., McDonald, Penn.; Southern Region Vice President Barrett Keene, Plant City, Fla., and Western Region Vice President Abbie Kammerzell, Colfax, Wash.

The national officers take one-year leaves of absence from their college careers to travel on behalf of the FFA. At the Greenhand Motivational Conferences, they helped the new agriculture

students to set goals for their education, their careers and their FFA projects.

The conferences were held at six different locations throughout the state: Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg; Parish High School, Paris; University of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla; Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, Springfield; and Missouri Western State College, St. Joseph.

The following Gallatin R-5 FFA members attended the District Greenhand Motivation Conference: Chris Barnes, Gilbert Brady, Cassie Carder, Erin Croy, Nathan Curtis, Stefanie Dowell, Aaron Everly, Jake Gardner, Emily Gay, Lee Grawe, Matt Hostetler, Garett Houghton,

Klint Kloepping, Becky Macy, Chris Mazur, Tim McCann, Alecia McKee, Jon Parker, Kelsie Parker, Rachel Peery, Andrew Rainey, John Runde, Zack Vanderslice, Kathy Walker, Sean Wood, Brian Eskridge, Joe Davis, Ryan Swindler, JoAnn Tummons, Sheila Smith, Lindsey

Love, Bryan Loucks, Corwin Horvatin, Ashley Hogan, Sara Friesz, Kim Clevenger.