Submitted PhotoLowndes County FFA excels at the state convention. 

MACON — Lowndes County FFA members excelled at the recent state convention of the Georgia FFA Association. 

Lowndes FFA members had a combined 23 state wins in several competitions, school officials said. 

Clay Parker, LHS FFA member, completed his year of service as a Georgia state FFA officer.

Parker was elected in 2018 as the Georgia FFA state secretary. While at the convention, he presided over a general session of the convention and assisted in various ceremonies. 

His retiring address was titled, “Be Intentional.” He challenged the 6,000-plus attendees of the convention to be intentional in using the time now to make good choices, school officials said.

Four students won proficiency competitions based on their supervised agricultural experience programs: Dawson Peek, outdoor recreation, Joe Corbett, agriscience research plant systems, Ellis Pitchford, agriscience research animal systems, and Cedric Montgomery, agriscience research integrated systems. 

Also competing in proficiency competition were Zach Gay, second place, turfgrass management, and Emily Stone, third place, diversified livestock production.

Lowndes also dominated the agriscience fair: (System – Division, Winner (School) Animal – 1, Britton Davis (Lowndes Middle School); Food – 2, Rylen Mercer and Johnathon Rivers (LMS); Social Systems – 2, Jordan Brown and Gracie Sutton (LMS); Animal – 5, Elizabeth Fisher (LHS); Environmental – 4, James Jones and Madison Webb (LHS); Environmental – 6, Zachary Gay and Cedric Montgomery (LHS); Plant – 4, Joseph Corbett and Cayden Mathews (LHS); Plant – 6, Dawson Peek and Gabriella Daugherty (LHS); Social – 4, Connie Rogers and Ty Parks (LHS); Power – 3, Zachary Daw (LHS); Power – 6, Madison McDonald and Alexis Herring (LHS), school officials said. 

Paige Jones (LHS) won second place in the environmental systems division.

Lowndes had two students place in the prestigious “Final Four” for leadership competitions. 

Bianca Anderson was state runner-up in the junior prepared public speaking competition. Cedric Montgomery was awarded in the discussion meet competition.

Gabby Daugherty, Zach Gay, Liz Fisher, Emily Stone, Cedric Montgomery, Dawson Peek received their state FFA degrees. State degrees are awarded based on excellence in leadership and agricultural experience.

Cedric Montgomery was the South Region Star in Agriscience winner and was a state finalist.

Allie DeMarco and Simffani Thompson of Pine Grove Middle School were named the Georgia Area VI winners in the Middle School SAE Recordbook competition in home and community development/leadership division.

Two FFA chapters from Lowndes Schools were recognized for 100 percent membership: Hahira Middle School and LHS.

The Lowndes Middle School Veterinary Science Team of Ellison Shiver, Abigail Griffin, Lacey Montgomery, Liliana Nolan was recognized as third place in the state competition. 

Abbey Kinneman of the Hahira Middle School chapter was recognized for individual honors earning second place in the state horse judging competition.

The following Lowndes County delegates were chosen to represent their chapters in the official business meeting: Lowndes Middle School – Lacey Montgomery, Abigail Griffin; Lowndes High School – Cedric Montgomery, Zach Gay; Pine Grove Middle School – Kayla Martinez and Jayda Spell; and Hahira Middle School – Pate Langdale and J.T. Haskard.

Alexis Herring served as a member of the ambassador team for the Georgia FFA Foundation. She assisted foundation sponsors as needed.

Also attending the convention were Lowndes Middle School – Kaitlin Hurst, Suzanne Lloyd, Kaylee Montgomery, Bradley Terry; Hahira Middle School – Abbey Kinneman, Pate Langdale, Emily Javenes, J.T. Haskard, Mary Schroer, Summer Crosby; Pine Grove Middle School – Kadence Fruth, Noah Wright, Hogan Wright and Robert J. Flynn.