High school FFA members from around the state filtered in and out of WSU buildings wearing their trademark blue blazers this week, competing in various events during the 79th Washington State FFA Convention from Thursday to Saturday.

The FFA promotes leadership, growth and agricultural education among high school students around the country. More than 7,000 FFA chapters are dispersed throughout the nation, 200 of which are in Washington state alone. More than 150 of those chapters attended the annual convention held at WSU.

This year’s convention featured career-developing events for members including leadership activities, educational workshops and motivational public speakers to inspire students to excel in their futures.

Other events included potato and apple judging, a student dance held in the CUB Senior Ballroom and an FFA Creed competition, which involved FFA members reciting the organization’s mottos and principles.

“I had to memorize five paragraphs of FFA information for the creed,” said Megan Croser, a junior from Cashmere and a member of FFA’s Wenatchee chapter.

Croser said she worked especially hard to make it to the state competition this year. She joined FFA because she liked how it brought her entire community together, she said. Apples from Croser’s family orchard were also judged in the apple judging event.

Wayne Gillman, FFA advisor for Washington state, ran around campus managing the convention events.

“It’s good to see youth take a positive stance on the issues at hand and watch them develop through character building skills they’ve learned through FFA,” he said.

Gillman said state-level conventions are very important because the new state officers are elected.

“This year there are 24 candidates who’ve met the necessary credentials needed to compete for a position, and the winners will be unveiled at the convention’s close,” he said.

State officers complete a year of service, traveling around representing FFA by teaching what they’ve learned since becoming a member of the organization, Gillman said. They must also come up with a theme for the state convention, with this year’s being “Operation Blue Thunder.” “The officers came up with the idea, explaining that FFA is the lightning that comes after the thunder of agricultural issues we face today,” he said.

Gillman said he sees potential and creativity in the students. He said the FFA members competing at the state-level conference are the best in their chapters and the top 25 winners in various categories will be eligible to compete at the National Conference in September, which will be held in Alabama.

“This year’s convention had many students eager to learn,” he said. “And with the number of insightful workshops available, each will leave with a better outlook for their future.” Jodi Monroe, executive secretary for the state organization, said she had high hopes for the convention. Monroe said she was particularly pleased about the convention being held on the WSU campus.

“It is a positive atmosphere for the students to get to see the campus and experience WSU’s agricultural education program first-hand, as it is the only one in the state of Washington,” she said. “In fact four out of the six state officers will be WSU freshmen in the program this upcoming fall.”