COOKEVILLE, TN—Averi Cole of the Covington Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter is Tennessee FFA’s 2015 Star Greenhand. The Star Greenhand is awarded to the top student who best demonstrates superior FFA involvement, introductory supervised agricultural experience (SAE) work and a hard work ethic during the first year of FFA membership. Her SAE project is agricultural communications and diversified agricultural production.
Averi was named the Tennessee FFA Star Greenhand earlier this March at the Tennessee FFA State Convention in Gatlinburg. Averi is an extremely active FFA member competing in the Opening and Closing Career Development Event, the FFA Creed contest and attending Tennessee FFA Leadership Training Camp.
Averi is the daughter of Bryan and Michelle Cole. Averi participates in showing goats as well as planting corn and Christmas trees to create a diverse but impressive SAE. She is the Covington FFA Reporter and hopes to continue to develop as a leader in the FFA over the next few years.
For her achievement, Averi was honored last month during the weeklong Inaugural Tennessee FFA Star Tour presented by Farm Credit Mid-America. The trip was centered on Tennessee agriculture; students got a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit agribusinesses, meet key industry leaders and showcase their superior projects.
The tour began in Doyle at Camp Clements FFA Leadership Training Camp where Farm Credit Mid-America presented each of the Stars with $1,000 scholarships. The tour included a visit to the Cookeville office of Farm Credit Mid-America, dinner with the Commissioner of Agriculture and staff at Ellington Agricultural Center, and a breakfast program at First Farmers & Merchants Bank in Columbia. The Stars also visited Krone, Thompson Machinery and Tosh Farms in West Tennessee. The tour ended with a night of “Underwater Bowling” and celebration at the new Bass Pro Pyramid in Memphis.
FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. Nationally, there are 610,240 FFA members, aged 12-21. The Tennessee FFA Association is comprised of more than 13,000 members from 214 high school chapters, seven middle school chapters, and eight collegiate chapters across the state of Tennessee.
Photo caption: As the Tennessee FFA Star Greenhand, Averi Cole of the Covington FFA chapter speaks to a group at Farm Credit Mid-America about herself and her passion for agriculture and the FFA during the Inaugural Tennessee FFA Star Tour presented by Farm Credit Mid-America.