OCPS students bring home GOLD from National FFA Convention FFA Chapter earns Gold Emblem Award

Nov. 9, 2017 – Orange County Public Schools FFA students from multiple schools bring back national awards from the 90th National FFA Convention held in Indianapolis, IN. With over 67,000 attendees, FFA members from across the country came together attending leadership workshops, motivational presentations, business sessions, career expo and awards ceremony.

The Colonial High School FFA Chapter won the Gold Emblem Award and placed second in the nation. This is the highest award that an Orange County FFA Chapter has received in a national FFA career development event.

The team members (pictured in the top left photo) are: Ashton Santos, Jenna Ausburger, Sara Humphrey and Cameron Ramola. They are joined by the event coordinator (on left) and Orlando-Colonial HS FFA Teacher/Advisor, Ms. Caela Paioff (on right).

Colonial’s FFA Chapter first earned the state championship in the Environmental Science CDE (Career Development Event) last January, earning the opportunity to represent Florida at the national level. The purpose of the FFA Environmental Science Career Development Event is to stimulate student interest and to promote environmental and natural resource instruction in the agricultural education curriculum and to provide recognition for those who have demonstrated skills and competencies as a result of environmental and natural resource instruction.

Orange County FFA was well represented and received additional notable awards:  Ocoee High School FFA earned the national 3-star rating  SunRidge Middle School FFA and University High School FFA earned the national 2- star rating  Two FFA members from FFA and one FFA member from the FFA were awarded the American FFA Degree (highest membership degree in the National FFA Organization)

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