06/12/2026
From June 7th to 11th, the South Laurel FFA attended the 97th Kentucky FFA State Convention in Lexington, KY. TWENTY-TWO members that had competed at the regional level during the 2025-2026 school year had qualified for the state level, the largest group in our chapter’s history!
As posted yesterday, more history was made as Mallie Johnson was named the State Star in Agribusiness!
For the second year in a row, our chapter received our Gold rating award, the top rating available, and was named one of the top 19 chapters in the state, allowing us to now apply for a National Chapter rating.
Marli Hale represented our chapter and region as a member of the nominating committee that interviewed and selected the 2026-2027 Kentucky FFA State Officer Team. Marli showed up early to spend Sunday and Monday participating in this process!
Several members advanced to the state level for their proficiency applications, a contest in which they describe the scope, responsibilities, and skills learned through their respective SAE projects. Two members placed in the top 3 at the state level. Henry McWhorter placed 2nd in Beef Production Entrepreneurship and 3rd in Landscape Installation. Mallie Johnson placed 2nd in Agricultural Processing.
We are also extremely proud of the members that competed in team and individual contests and the work they put in to represent our chapter so well. Those teams and members are:
-Parliamentary Procedure (Team members were Tanner Sams, Logan Kilburn, Marli Hale, Alli Baker, Jannah Baker, Hailey Anderson and Scarlett Jones)
-Conduct of Meetings (Team members were Zoey Roark, Aleigha Eaton, Hailey Mills, Logan Joseph, Raelee Coots, Skyler Troutman and Kayleigh Dillon)
-Agriculture Sales (Team members were Marli Hale, Waylon Joseph, Logan Kilburn and Abigail Rogers. Waylon was the 12th high individual in the state!)
-AIC was Marli Hale
-Talent was Jannah Baker
-Quiz Contest was Hope Angel
-Prepared Public Speaking was Mallie Johnson
-Crop Prepared Public Speaking was Piper Blankenship
-Floral Prepared Public Speaking was Nora Clark
-Nursery & Landscape Prepared Public Speaking was Kayleigh Dillon
We were also represented at the Business session by delegates Piper Blankenship and Kayleigh Dillon. Our members also served as volunteers for courtesy corps at the Middle School competitions on Monday.
Mr. McWhorter was recognized on stage for receiving the Golden Owl Award for the Kentucky River Region.
Finally, we had six senior members receive their State FFA Degree. Those members were Hailey Anderson, Marli Hale, Mallie Johnson, Abigail Rogers, Tanner Sams and Connor Warren.
As we told the members when we arrived back home yesterday, this marks the last official activity for the 2025-2026 year and our senior members. Thank you to all of the members for representing our chapter so well and thank you to their family’s and community’s support for allowing us to have such great experiences with these future leaders! We are proud of this year’s accomplishments and already planning and looking forward to what is to come this year!
