Two Graham FFA teams advance to state

Graham FFA will be sending two teams to the State competition after they had top two finishes in the Area IV Leadership Contest in Mineral Wells Monday, Nov. 25.

Graham High School FFA Advisor Jacob Lange said Graham sent seven teams consisting of 22 students to area after they qualified in the Nov. 11 Oil Belt District Leadership Development Contest.

“This is the most kids and teams and success we have had in the last six years,” Lange said.

He said there were 12 teams participating in 16 different event from the 98 school area on Nov. 25 in Mineral Wells and only two teams advance from each event.

“At the State contest there is 12 areas in our FFA divisions and each one will send two teams to the state contest,” Lange said. “So, right now they are in the top 24. I kind of relate it to college football rankings where the top 25 have a little number beside their name. I tell them right now we have a number that says 24.”

He said there will be two heats of 12 in the state competition and they have to place in the top 5 of their heat to make the finals.

The Ag Issues team of Yanelie Ramirez, Nayeli Ramirez, Travis Anderle, Luke Holland, Cade Anderson, Mason Reese and Leah Holland finished as runners up in the area round and will advance to the state competition.

“The Ag Issues team is debating, it is a formal stage debate where we have two students speaking about the pros of topic and two speaking about the con side of the topic and our situation we have two moderators that review and discuss and help separate the discussion,” Lange said. “Our topic this year is hemp as an agriculture commodity.”

He said the topic is very current and it is expected to have seven to 10 teams presenting on the same topic.

The radio team of Jade Jordan, Creed Jordan and Joey Todd were the area champions and will also advance to the state competition.

“Our radio team is doing a broadcast or a talk show just like it would be on the radio, in terms of an ag topic,” Lange said. “Their topic is wild hogs and wild ways to get rid of them and they talk about how we see hogs around Graham and the challenges they present to people in town as well as farmers and ranchers. Then they go into ways to get rid of them.”

He said they also talk about the new passing of Texas Law which does not require hunters to have license to kill feral hogs.

The state competition will be Friday, Dec. 6, and Saturday, Dec. 7, at Sam Houston State University in  Huntsville.

For the full story, see the Wednesday, Dec. 4 edition of The Graham Leader.