FFA gathering

National FFA representatives, local agri-business leaders, and state FFA officers gathered at the University of Maine at Presque Isle recently for a national workshop meeting. Once every 5 years, the national and regional leadership meets with each state to address priorities for strengthening local and statewide programs. At UMPI are, from left, front row: Whitnie Bradbury, Past State FFA President and Maine FFA Alumni; Kaley Norsworthy, Maine FFA State Vice President; Tom Hale, Maine FFA Alumni and Retired Agriculture Teacher/FFA Advisor, Caribou; Whitney Williams, Mars Hill FFA Chapters Advisor, junior high school and high school; Darick Williams, Maine FFA Alumni and Past State FFA President; and Richard Brzozoski, University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Back row: Barbara Blackstone, UMPI Interim Dean of the College of Education and College of Professional Programs; Doug Robertson, Maine FFA State Advisor, Maine Department of Education; Peter Hallowell, Vice President of Farm Credit East in Presque Isle; James Nelson, Farm Credit East; Janet Perry, Ashland High School FFA Chapter Advisor; George Criner, Associate Dean, College of Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture, University of Maine, Orono; Dayna McCrum, Maine FFA State President; Kevin Marquis, President Maine Association of Agricultural Educators; Sukhwinder Bali and Dr. Lakesh Sharma, who both serve as University of Maine Cooperative Extension Assistant Professors and UMPI Assistant Professors of Sustainable Agriculture; Dr. Jason Johnston, UMPI Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Dale Crabtree, National FFA Division Director, Convention and Related Activities and Services; and Kevin Keith, National FFA Local Program Success Specialist-New England. Not pictured is Josh Bledsoe, National FFA Chief Operating Officer. (Contributed photo/Josh Bledsoe)