FFA Ag. Communications wins first in nation

L to r: Natalie Wheeler, Aly James, Kendra Cranston and Halley Ogan proudly display their award for first place in Ag. Comm. Not pictured is Tyler Swenson. 

(Kendra Cranston photo)

by Rachel Ranfeld

After competing in the FFA state competition in April earlier this year, two teams from Montezuma advanced to the national competition in Indianapolis, Indiana. Wednesday, Oct. 19 through Friday, Oct. 21, the two FFA teams of Ag. Communications and Business Management were hard at work, earning the positions in the top five. 

“We really showed what a little town in Iowa can do by placing first and third in the nation,” said Kendra Cranston.

Aly James, Natalie Wheeler, Tyler Swenson, Halley Ogan and Cranston make up the Ag. Communications team. They received first in the nation. 

The team attended a mock press conference and took notes to later aid them in completing their individual practicum. The practicum was different for each member. James wrote and recorded a two-minute radio broadcast.  Wheeler wrote a 300 to 400 word press release while Cranston wrote a story to be published in the newspaper. Ogan designed a three-page magazine layout whereas Swenson designed a website for the company that put on the conference. 

Individually, Ogan placed first in the nation and Swenson got tenth.

Meanwhile, the Business Management team got third in the nation, which consisted of Kendra Doty, Carrie Graham, Nathan Wheeler and Stephen Vavroch. 

This team was given the financial records of the past five years to an actual business in the United States. Then, they took a three-hour written examination where they interpreted and applied financial concepts to those records.

They also had to calculate the tax records and the financial records for the business as well as evaluate the budgets and determine the proper marketing strategies. 

Many FFA members have said this was the hardest test they had ever taken. However, Graham walked away with second in this competition.

This was the eighteenth time that the Business Management team and the seventh time that the Ag. Communtications team made it to nationals. 

This year marks the second time that the Ag. Communications placed first in the nation. The only other time Montezuma FFA achieved this was in 2004.