Proficiency awards winners announced

District VII of the Washington FFA Association stretches from the Cascade chapter in Leavenworth to the banks of Columbia River and North to Canadian border and encompasses 16 FFA Chapters from this diverse region.  The advisors from those FFA chapters met in mid-February to grade applications and select District winners to advance to the State level for consideration.   Agriculture Educators from across the state met recently in Moses Lake to select the state finalists and verify applications.   

Proficiency Awards winners applications are based on their Supervised Agriculture Education projects.  SAE projects are the extended learning opportunities for members outside of the regular school day.   Placement proficiency awards are based on student hours either paid or unpaid in one of 49 different award categories as determined by the National FFA Association.   

District VII is proud to announce the following winners:  In the area of Placement in Agricultural Processing 1st place Jose Nunez Bridgeport (State Finalist) and 2nd place Seth Smith Tonasket (State Finalist).  In the area of Placement in Agricultural Services Placement Zion Butler Tonasket was 1st place (State Finalist).  Placement in Equine Science first place went to Riata Marchant, Omak,  (State Finalist) and 2nd place went to Chandra Shibley also of Omak.  Hunter Swanson of Tonasket was the Placement in Fruit Production Winner and also a State Finalist.  Placement in Nursery Operations winner is Cassidy Gates, Omak, (State Finalist).   Placement in Veterinary Science winner was Bailey Strange-Covey, Omak.  

Entrepreneurship projects are those where member operate their own production operations raising crops or animals or operate their own agribusiness.   Kelsey Vejraska, Omak, was first place in Beef Production and also first place in Diversified Agriculture Production (State Finalist). In the area of Equine Science first went to Krista Marchand, Omak (State Finalist) and Shantell McCune, Omak, (State Finalist).  In the area of Home and Community Development Dawson Sasche of Omak was first (State Finalist).  In the Area of Sheep Production Jessie Oules of Chelan was first (State Finalist).  Second went to Bailey Strange Covey, Omak, (State Finalist) and Sarah Dixon, Okanogan, was third.   In the area of Wildlife Management, Kenny Reeves of Chelan was first (State Finalist)  State Finalists are in the top 3 applications statewide and will be eligible for cash awards and if they are selected as first they will advance to National Level consideration.   

To achieve the State FFA Degree members of the Washington FFA Association must meet the following minimum criteria:   Productively invest a minimum of $1000.00 in their SAE project; Earn a minimum of $1000 from their SAE Project;  Have been a member in good standing for the past 24 months;  Completed a minimum of 360 hours of systematic Agricultural Education instruction; Completed a minimum of 25 hours of community service in at least 3 different events; and  Participated in at least 5 activities above the Chapter level.   

District VII recognized two members to be the District VII Star in their respective project areas.  Stephanie Olivera of the Chelan FFA is the District VII Star in Placement, and Krista Marchand of the Omak is the District VII Star Farmer. Both were selected as Top 4 Finalists for the State Star Award.  These members will be recognized in the Stars Over Washington program at Saturday night at the 87th Washington State FFA Convention in May.   

The Chapters with members that are candidates for the State FFA Degree are Bridgeport: Jennifer Gomez, Samantha Martinez, Daniel Ibarra, and Elizabeth Carreon Cashmere:  Jade Jaspers Chelan:  Jessie Oules, Stephanie Olivera  Omak: Cassidy Gates, Chandra Shibley, Shantell McCune, Krista Marchand, Bailey Covey Tonasket:  Lucas Scott, Brendan Assmusen, Zion Butler, Lorena Sanchez, Hunter Swanson, Allie Marshon, Austin Rimestead, Connor Timm, Taundra Weber, Braden Landdeck  Wenatchee:  Brooke Gladsjo, Hope McPhetridge, Jessica Albin, Haley Lopeman