Success within the Kingfisher FFA Chapter is not uncommon at the state, or even the national level.

However, it does not go without saying the journey to the chapter’s 18th consecutive state sweepstakes trophy included hours of study, hundreds of miles worth of road trips across the state, as well as neighboring states, and several learning curves along the way.

Not to mention two of the hardest working chapter advisers in the nation – Ryan and Lori Burns.

From Alva to Miami and from Warner to Lubbock, the chapter blazed a trail across the countryside during the 2018-19 FFA season, ending the year with more than 10 state competitors and teams from which emerged five state champion teams, one state champion speaker and the sweepstakes award for greatest overall chapter achievement in the state.

State champions included:

Agronomy – Chelsea Johnson, junior, first place high individual; Kaci Jackson, junior, third high; Colby Campbell, junior and Devin Diedrich, sophomore.

Meat science evaluation – Thomas Himes, junior, first place high individual; Peyton Burns, senior, third high; Braden Burns, sophomore, fourth high, Lane Dobrovolny, senior, seventh high.

Conduct of chapter meetings – Rebecca Auringer, junior; Cora Taylor, sophomore; and Dustyn McLean, Gretchen Garrett, Ali-Kate Themer, Kaden Kitchens, Ivy Hartman, Macey Gibson, Lily Fletcher and Leyla Avila, all eighth graders. Themer earned the highest test score and was named best debater.

Senior parliamentary procedure – Victoria Gerken, Harrison Themer, Elizabeth Per-due, Jentry Squires and Maxwell Hartman, all juniors, and Braden Burns, sophomore.

Marketing plan – Bree Taylor and Emily Garrett, seniors, and Jentry Squires, junior.

Jentry Squires also was named state champion speaker in the plant sciences division and second runner-up in the agribusiness division.

Ali-Kate Themer finished as runner-up state champion speaker in the eighth grade ag explorations division.

Other teams fielded by the local chapter included agricultural mechanics, where senior Kaleb Mercer was named fourth high individual, food science, agriscience, quiz bowl and agricultural communications.

Chapter members who earned State FFA Degrees, reserved for seniors and based on involvement within the chapter and state organization, as well as personal growth through their Supervised Agricultural Experience, include: Bree Taylor, Emily Garrett, Lakyn Karrenbrock, Peyton Burns, Kaleb Mercer and Lane Dobrovolny.

Taylor and Garrett also were FFA Academic Achievement Medal recipients in recognition of their grade-point averages and ACT scores.

“Lori and I are very proud of our chapter for all of their preparation and their accomplishments at the state FFA contest, as well as their success all spring long,” Ryan Burns said.