ORLANDO — Glades County’s pride, the Moore Haven FFA Chapter’s Ag Issues Debate Team, took fourth place at the Florida FFA State Convention June 10-14 at the Caribe Royale Orlando.

Coordinator Phillip Cosby said Thursday: “We are looking forward to next year. Thank you, Samantha Rhymes, for your help and dedication.” Ms. Rhymes is an art and English teacher and Mr. Cosby teaches agricultural technology at Moore Haven Middle High School.

• Special to the Lake Okeechobee News/Courtesy of Moore Haven FFA
  The team brought home this fourth-place trophy.
• Special to the Lake Okeechobee News/Courtesy of Moore Haven FFA
  “Congratulations to Ross Perry for making the final four of the Ryan Rimmer Outstanding District Officer for Florida FFA,” said Mr. Cosby. His parents, Carl and Ronda Perry, were there.
• Special to the Lake Okeechobee News/Courtesy of Moore Haven FFA
  
  “We are very proud of Kerri Hines giving her speech and stepping out to run for District 11 secretary,” said coordinator Phillip Cosby. “The experience and knowledge gained through this process is invaluable.”
• Special to the Lake Okeechobee News/Courtesy of Moore Haven FFA
  Glades County Commissioner John Ahern (not pictured), who accompanied the group to Orlando, treated all the team members to dinner at Hurricane Grill so they could relax on Monday night, June 10, and bought them all pizza from Uno Pizza the night after the competitions.

Many folks in Glades and Hendry counties have been able to watch their mock debate, in which each student portrays a person holding one of the many diverse viewpoints surrounding water quality and quantity and all the agricultural/environmental issues facing residents in Southwest Florida. The teens staged debates to practice for the state competition before almost every local government and civic body in the Lake O region.

Members “had a enjoyable and rewarding experience” at the state convention, Mr. Cosby said. They brought home these recognitions:
• Ross Perry placed in the top four for the Ryan Rimmer Outstanding District Officer Award, was nominated for the FAAE Outstanding FFA member of the year and received his state degree;

• Kerri Hines ran for District 11 secretary, and also signed a letter of intent to become an agriculture teacher.

The Ag Issues Team posted updates from Orlando throughout the convention on their Facebook page.

Early Tuesday morning, June 11, Mr. Cosby announced: “The Ag Issues Team presented first thing this morning. Samantha Rhymes came out of the room so proud of the team. Said they nailed it. Waiting for the completion of the presentations.”

Glades County Commissioner John Ahern came along for the trip to Orlando and treated the kids to dinner at Hurricane Grill on Monday night. He had a lot of Uno Pizza on hand in their rooms waiting for them Tuesday night, and also bought them each a shirt and convention backpack.