Indianapolis – The Amanda-Clearcreek FFA Chapter continued its tradition of excellence at the 97th National FFA Convention and Expo, where its Agricultural Communications team earned ninth place in the nation and received a prestigious gold rating.
The Agricultural Communications Career Development Event (CDE) challenges FFA members to showcase their skills in communicating with industry professionals through various media formats. This year’s team included Cate Buckley, Maddie Cordle, Haley Robinson, and Emma Strickler.
Having won the Ohio state competition in February, the team dedicated countless hours to prepare for the national event. This year’s competition featured a new format, designed to simulate real-world scenarios in agricultural communications. Participants began with a written exam on Associated Press materials, followed by three hours to develop a communications plan. In addition, team members completed four individual practicums, including creating a feature story, magazine layout, broadcast production, and social media plan, all based on a press conference they attended.
This marks the second consecutive year the Amanda-Clearcreek FFA has sent an Agricultural Communications team to the National FFA Convention. Since 2000, the chapter has produced 11 teams that have won the Ohio state championship and competed at the national level. The team expressed their gratitude for the opportunity and credited their success to the unwavering support of their advisor, Scott Sharp.
The skills gained from this competition will serve the team members well in their future endeavors, both within the agricultural industry and beyond.
