Phillipsburg FFA finishes third at Northwest District Discussion Meet

On Monday, Jan. 26, five members of the Phillipsburg FFA chapter traveled to Hoxie to compete in the Northwest District FFA Discussion Meet. This leadership development event (LDE) brought together FFA members from chapters across the Northwest District to discuss current agricultural issues and work toward possible solutions.

The Discussion Meet consists of groups of five to six FFA members from different chapters who are given an agriculture-related topic or issue. During the contest, members communicated their ideas clearly, listened to others, and respectfully built off one another’s responses.

This LDE helps members develop important skills such as logical thinking, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and leadership. Participants are judged not only on what they say, but also on how well they engage with others and contribute to a productive discussion.

A total of 33 contestants competed from chapters throughout the Northwest FFA District, with five representing the Phillipsburg FFA chapter. The Phillipsburg members placed as follows:

• Mady Runyon – 4th Place

• Kinley Krafft – 8th Place

• Cody Summitt – Advanced to the semifinal round

• Lydia Walker – Advanced to the semifinal round

• Kalinda Mieli – Advanced through two rounds of discussion

Overall, the Phillipsburg FFA team placed third in the district competition.