During the 85th annual National FFA Convention held in Indianapolis, IN, Oct. 24-27, thousands of students from across the country competed in 23 different career development events (CDEs), six AgriScience Fair categories, and 49 Proficiency areas testing skills for more than 300 agricultural careers. Events focused around the theme "GROW".

Results from South Dakota include:

National Finalist Proficiency Awards:

Ag Education Entrepreneurship/Placement ($500): Beth Mayrose, McCook Central

Agricultural Sales Placement ($500): Nick Mueller, Garretson

Diversified Horticulture Entrepreneurship/Placement ($500): Alex Braun, Harrisburg

Outdoor Recreation Entrepreneurship/Placement ($500): Marshall Spaans, McCook Central

Sheep Production Entrepreneurship/Placement ($500): Alicia Rist, Viborg

Specialty Animal Production Entrepreneurship/Placement ($500): Abby Flanders, Harrisburg

Wildlife Production & Management Entrepreneurship/Placement ($500): Gavin Gassman, McCook Central

Career Development Event Results:

GOLD Emblem Teams and Individuals:

9th Place Ag Communications – West Central Team; Rachel Schartz, Melinda Knuth, Liz Renner

Dairy Cattle Handlers' Activity – Kayla Harringa; Deubrook

7th Place Environmental & Natural Resources – Philip Team; Wyatt Johnson, Avery Johnson, Jade Berry, Nicholas Hamill

6th Place Food Science – Milbank Team; Miranda Holtquist, Kylie Hagen, Brandi Niedert, Kasey Schmidt

SILVER Emblem Teams and Individuals:

Agricultural Issues – Wall Team; Brett Gartner, Elsie Fortune, Emily Linn, Jennifer Emery, Josie Blasius, Kaden Eisenbraun, Kailey Sawvell

Agricultural Sales – Newell Team; Makayla Heisler, Alisha Sheeler, Casey Bauer, Seth Mccann

Agronomy – Redfield Team; Ashlyn O'Daniel, Brendan Roth, Cully Williams, Jordanne Howe

Creed Speaking – Kiera Leddy; Milbank

Dairy Cattle – Lennox Sundstrom Team; Hannah Kidd, Kirsten Klinger, Tara Kuper, Madalyn Plucker

Farm Business Management – Willow Lake Team; Wyatt Warkenthien, Mindy Grensberg, Logan Tonak, Jaxon Schmidt

Floriculture – Hitchcock-Tulare Team; Erika Roeber, Heather Barrie, Kara Brock, Kira Tschetter

Horse Evaluation – Lennox Sundstrom Team; Josephine Eli, Katelynd Whitehead, Jessica Herrboldt, Jordan Wittrock

Livestock Evaluation – Beresford Team; Jessica Bogue, Levi Vander Laan, Bradford Bogue, Maggie Vander Laan

Marketing Plan – Mitchell Team; Kaelyn Dammann, Bailey Magstadt, Katelin Theunissen

Meats Evaluation & Technology – Hitchcock-Tulare Team; Cassie Binger, Nicole Hamilton, Paige Binger, Trent Hofer

Milk Quality & Products – Garretson Team; Cheyenne Edmundson, Shane Mueller, Cody Larson, Caitlyn Thorson

Prepared Public Speaking – Joellen Gonsoir; Groton

BRONZE Emblem Teams and Individuals:

Ag Technology & Mechanical Systems – Webster Team; Brandon Eisenbraun, Laren Johnson, Ryan Shepard

Extemporaneous Public Speaking – Cheyenne Leonhardt; Groton

Job Interview – Kelsey Repenning; Mitchell

Nursery/Landscape – McCook Central Team; Jacob Kelley, Cole Lauck, William Gottlob, Cordell Wobig

Parliamentary Procedure – McCook Team; Natasha Krempges, Melissa Nelson, Kelsi Kampshoff, Emily Schallenkamp, Stefani Matthies, Jean Skoglund

Agriscience Fair:

Jeanette Klein, Deubrook – Animal Systems Division 1: 17th place, Silver

Shane Mueller, Garretson – Animal Systems Division 2: 11th place, Silver

Craig Reiter and Patrick Reiter, Florence – Animal Systems Division 4: 12th place, Silver

Taylor Knudson, Florence – Food Products & Processing Systems Division 1: 1st place, Gold

Elizabeth Anderson and Sierra Stotz, Bowdle – Food Products & Processing Systems Division 4: 7th place, Silver

Ben Hummel, Florence – Plant Systems Division 1: 18th place, Bronze

Evelyn Klein and Ashton Buller, Deubrook – Plant Systems Division 4: 5th place Gold

Beau Wensing, Florence – Power, Structural & Technical Systems Division 2: 10th place, Silver

Brook Thorson, Florence – Social Systems Division 1: 5th place, Silver

National Chapter Award:

3 Stars – Arlington, Garretson, and McCook Central

2 Stars – Howard, Lake Preston, Lennox-Sundstrom and Viborg

1 Star – Bowdle

National Officer Candidate: Jamie Flint, Viborg

National Chorus Participants: Natasha Borah and Jamie Mundwiler, Milbank; Allison Cimpl, Wagner

National Band Participants: Kayla Nuese, Deubrook; Hope Goode, Garretson; Rachel DeBoer, Milbank

Honorary American Degree: Mr. Dave Olilla, Mrs. Holly Marshall-Heber

State Booth: Kimball

–SD FFA