Imperial FFA teams complete opening rounds for nationals

    Two Imperial FFA state champion teams have completed opening rounds of competition for nationals.
    Imperial’s senior parliamentary procedure and marketing plan teams gave their presentations virtually the past several days, one as recent as Monday, said FFA Advisor Jason Speck.
    Now, they wait to see if they have advanced.
    The National FFA Organization is hosting an in-person convention & expo, its 94th annual, in Indianapolis Oct. 27-30, with some of it provided virtually. There was no on-site convention in 2020.
    Jeremy Vlasin coaches both Imperial teams, and said they were to find out Wednesday this week if they advanced to the semi-finals.
    The semi-finals and finals of all contests will take place at the convention, Vlasin said.
    Parli Pro team members include Carter Leibbrandt, Kade Anderson, Elizabeth Reeves, Madelynn Hanes, Colin O’Neil and Morel Jurado.
The 2021 state championship was the school’s sixth in parliamentary procedure in the last 12 years. Imperial didn’t field a team in four of the other six years.
The chapter won the national FFA parliamentary procedure competition in 2019, but all of the participants on this year’s team are competing for the first time.
    Members of the marketing plan team are Nickolas Rau, Kambree Meeske and Morayah Cupp.
    It was also the first year competing in market plan for the 2021 team. This year also marks the sixth state championship for Imperial in market plan.
    Speck said he plans to attend the national convention with several FFA members. Vlasin will attend if one or both of the teams advance.
American FFA Degree
    Only one FFA member in Chase County will receive the American FFA Degree this fall.
    Cord Lee, a UNL sophomore and Wauneta-Palisade FFA member, met the requirements for the coveted degree.
    Imperial has no American Degree recipients this year.