Three southeastern Kansas FFA members won their respective proficiency award categories at the just concluded National FFA Convention in Indianapolis.
Agricultural proficiency awards honor FFA members who, through Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs), have developed specialized skills that they can apply toward their future careers. Students compete in areas ranging from agricultural communications to wildlife management. Proficiency awards are also recognized at local and state levels and provide recognition to members exploring and becoming established in agricultural career pathways.
The three from southeastern Kansas include:
Swine Production – Placement
Tucker Wayne Leck
Tucker Wayne Leck has been promoted from farm assistant to herd manager at Leck Family Showpigs during his three years working there. In addition to increasing his hands-on farm duties and livestock management skills, Leck has also handled marketing outreach and communication with buyers. Leck is a member of the Neodesha FFA Chapter in Kansas, and his FFA advisor is Emma Lehmann.
Beef Production – Placement
Cecillia LeaAnn Newby
Cecillia LeaAnn Newby works for Newby Show Cattle and D/N Cattle Company. Newby performs vaccinations, chooses sires for breeding, administers growth implants, and assists with artificial insemination and embryo transfers, among other things. With 10 years of livestock judging, Newby is skilled in finding new replacement animals to incorporate into the herd. Newby is a member of the Labette County FFA Chapter in Kansas and her FFA advisors are Kyle Zwahlen, Dustin Wiley and Keith Geren.
Fiber and/or Oil Crop Production – Entrepreneurship/Placement
Noah Wiley
Noah Wiley works on a farm consisting of 2,000 acres of highly productive crop ground that grows early soybeans as well as double-crop soybeans. Mowing, bean scouting, combine operation and maintenance, grain cart operation, and planting are just some of the duties Wiley performs. Wiley is a member the of the Labette County FFA Chapter in Kansas, and his FFA advisors are Rocky Becker, Dustin Wiley, and Kyle Zwahlen.
