RELEASE DATECONTACT:Kent Boggs
May 2, 2018405-743-5498
Fairview FFA Member Earns Diversified Agricultural Production State Proficiency Award
By Haley Ashwood, Media Intern
OKLAHOMA CITY — Maggie Martens of the FairviewFFA Chapter earned first-place honors in the 2018Oklahoma FFA Diversified Agricultural Production Proficiency Award area during the 92nd Oklahoma FFA Convention May 2.
Blake Failes of the Cherokee FFA Chapter and Trabor Mannering of the Thomas-Fay-Custer earned second- and third-place honors, respectively.
For her supervised agricultural experience, Martens works in the management of her family’s stocker cattle operation and wheat farm.
“I assist in the management of a 200-head stocker cattle operation and approximately 3,000 acres of wheat,” Martens said.
Martens said one of her most rewarding accomplishments was working her way to taking full responsibility for a small herd of five steers.
Martens said she has served as the Fairview FFA Chapter vice president, secretary and public relations committee chairman.
After graduation, Martens plans to attend Oklahoma State University and pursue dual degrees in Agricultural Education and Agricultural Communications.
The diversified agricultural production proficiency award is designed to recognize students who are involved in a supervised agricultural experience using the best management practices available to produce and market efficiently a combination of two or more livestock- and crop-related proficiencies. The student must be involved in at least one livestock proficiency and one crop-related proficiency.
The 19-year-old FairviewFFA member is the daughter of Erland and SusieMartens. Her agricultural education instructors are Vince McGolden and Jerrod Lundry.
Virgil and Renee Murray, Kurt and Debbra Murray, Jim and Carla Pilkington, and Canadian Valley Ranch sponsor this award on the state level. The national sponsoris Ram Trucks. The $1,000 state winner scholarship is sponsored by Nelda Matthews in memory of Bill Matthews.
FFA is an integral part of the Agricultural Education division in the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education system. With nearly 27,000 members and 360 chapters, the Oklahoma FFA Association is the fourth-largest state FFA association. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. To learn more about the Oklahoma FFA, visit okffa.org.
###
CUTLINE:
Maggie Martens (not pictured) of the Fairview FFA Chapter captured first-place honors in the 2018Oklahoma FFA Diversified Agricultural Production State Proficiency Award area. Nelda Matthews (right) congratulatesBlake Failes (second from left) of the Cherokee FFA Chapter and Trabor Manneringof the Thomas-Fay-Custer FFA Chapter, who received second and third place honors, respectively.
Virgil and Renee Murray, Kurt and Debbra Murray, Jim and Carla Pilkington, and Canadian Valley Ranch sponsor this award on the state level. The national sponsor is Ram Trucks. The $1,000 state winner scholarship is sponsored by Nelda Matthews in memory of Bill Matthews. The awards were presented during the 92ndOklahoma FFA Convention in Oklahoma City May 2.