INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011/National FFA Organization) – Cain Thurmond achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He earned numerous academic and leadership awards in high school and college. He’s served summer missions to Peru.
And now, he’s a National FFA officer.
As a conclusion to the 84th National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Thurmond was elected National FFA Southern Region vice president for 2011-12.
“My life has been shaped by the emptiness of the roads in my Jefferson, Ga., community on Sunday mornings, droves of people at Saturday Farmers’ Markets, dust-covered floors in agricultural education classrooms and the love and support from my family and my community,” he said. “I’m looking forward to taking my life experiences and helping lead the National FFA Organization as a national officer.”
For the next year, Thurmond and his national officer peers will be the face and spirit of FFA. Collectively, they’ll travel more than 100,000 miles throughout the country as they engage top leaders in business, government and education and lead a host of personal growth and leadership training seminars for FFA members. The team will also help set policies that will shape the future of the National FFA Organization and promote agricultural literacy in general.
Originally from Jefferson, Ga., Thurmond is the son of Phil and Susie Thurmond. He is a freshman at University of Georgia majoring in agricultural and applied economics. He is a member of the Jefferson High School FFA chapter in Jefferson, Ga., led by Ken Bray, David Calloway and Cliff Tippens.
“Representation is more than a title. It is dedication, loyalty and believing in the calling of your organization,” he said. “Nothing we do on Earth will last forever. But if I make a positive difference in the life of someone else, there is no limit to how far that good deed may last.”
Joining Thurmond to serve as national FFA officers for 2011-12 are Ryan W. Best of New Mexico as National FFA president, Jason Troendle of Minnesota as national secretary, Kenneth D. Quick Jr. of New York as Eastern Region vice president, Alicia Hodnik of Wisconsin as Central Region vice president and Seth Pratt of Idaho as Western Region vice president.
Formerly known as Future Farmers of America, the National FFA Organization provides agricultural education to 540,379 student members in grades seven through 12 who belong to one of 7,489 local FFA chapters throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
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