Every year at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, the FFA holds the annual MidWinter Convention. This year, seven Newport FFA members received their jackets: Freshmen Maryana Aldrich, Case Barkley, Kaylee Bell, Emily Cawldwell, Jameson Cummins, Elexus Dishman, and Elizabeth Hoover. 

This year was a record-breaking year for the number of jacket recipients at the convention – a total of 970 jackets were distributed to the first-year members. The floor went from a sea of white to national blue, the official color of the jackets. Elizabeth Hoover said, “I was overjoyed to get my FFA jacket and thought watching everyone put it on was a really cool experience.” To earn the jacket, they must write a letter to a sponsor.

Seniors Lillian Plank and Lillee Shull also received their Keystone Degrees at the Farm Show. The presenters announce every single student in the state who receives this award. To be awarded this degree, the student must be a junior or senior, 24-month active member, have received their Greenhand and Chapter degrees, must productively make and invest at the minimum $1,000 and work 300 hours, and finally prove FFA involvement with 25 hours of community service, followed by 10 chapter activities and 5 above the chapter level.

Plank explained, “We worked really hard to achieve the goal of reaching this degree since it takes multiple years of work since freshman year.”