FFA members return from national convention

Members of Hot Springs County High School's FFA program returned over the weekend from the 90th Annual FFA National Convention in Indianapolis.

While chapter members have gone to the convention in the past, this year was a special one since they were taking their booth to add to the Hall of States. They won the state competition with their booth, allowing them the opportunity to present it in competition on the n ational level.

"The expo hall was ginormous," FFA sponsor Britton VanHeule said. "They have an area set aside that is just for the Hall of States booths. Last year, there were 48 booths, but this year there were only 30."

Thermop FFA represented agriculture in Wyoming by handing out gourmet meats from Cody to folks who stopped by the booth along with honey candies from Lovell and the Pepsi Throwback bottled in Worland.

"The Pepsi Throwback is made with sugar beets, so it gave the kids the opportunity to tell people about the drink and about growing sugar beets in our area," VanHeule said.

It was pretty labor intensive for the kids, having to man the booth with at least two people from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. every day. With a record number of over 67,000 people in attendance, VanHeule said he thought they saw nearly every person who was there. Most days, they didn't get back to their hotel until after 10 p.m.

The Thermopolis students represented Wyoming well, placing fifth in the booth competition.

Taking a booth to Nationals is an expensive undertaking, too. They had to drive to Indianapolis in two Suburbans along with a trailer, which added four extra days to the trip.

"Normally, if I have a kid who is in the speaking competition, we hop on a plane and that's it," VanHeule said. "I'd like to do it again, but maybe every other year. I would really like to be able to take a judging team and other competitors, too."

Along with VanHeule, Strite Daniels, Audrey Axtell, Barbara Jean Kissel and Kaitlyn Schmuck attended, joined by 2017 graduate Jessie Pennoyer and her mother, Donna Pennoyer, who had done much of the graphics work for the booth.