When Lucy Chorman put on her very own FFA jacket for the first time almost five years ago, she said she felt excited for the opportunities to come.
“For myself and thousands of other FFA members across the country, the blue jacket gives us an opportunity to be a part of an organization that is fighting for agriculture, moving ahead and having a hand in developing the next generation of leaders,” she said.
Chorman, like many other students in the First State, were able to receive their blue corduroy jacket thanks to the Delaware Farm Bureau’s Blue Jacket Bonanza (DEFB). This year, the organization provided 99 students with their own iconic jacket.
DEFB President Bill Powers and First Vice President Steve Breeding attended the Delaware FFA’s 94th State Convention Tuesday, March 5, at Delaware State University to personally present the jackets to those students.
“It’s a privilege to be able to do this for. . . quite a few years. Steve Breeding and I were both state FFA presidents. That was 48 years ago in this room and Steve was a state officer in 2000,” Powers said, tying experiences from both organizations together.
On stage, Powers donned his own blue jacket for the FFA students in attendance who erupted in applause at the sight.
“It felt good putting that on to show the students. I have a lot of great memories from my time in the FFA and my kids were in the FFA, too. My jacket sat in a time capsule for years. It felt special taking it out of there just like it felt special putting it on in front of the FFA members,” he said.
Students who received their first FFA jacket through the Blue Jacket Bonanza came from across the state with a variety of experiences already under their belts and more to come, Chorman suggested.
“One of my favorite parts of the National FFA organization is that it doesn’t wait for leadership to find you. Instead, it recognizes that a true leader is not defined by age, rather by compassion. To the applicants before me, let this be a reminder that you can be a leader right where you are today,” she told the conference crowd of more than 550 attendees. “Whether you’re wearing it for the very first time, or a seasoned advocate, FFA has a place for you.”
For more information about the Delaware Farm Bureau or to find out how to get involved, visit www.defb.org.
Students honored with their own FFA blue jackets include:
Caesar Rodney High School
Dylan Harris
Olivia Rudis
Colleen Duong
Lily Cottle
Abigail Morgan
Addison Reel
Carter Benini
Lily Moffet
Dover High School
Marialuisa Quinonez
Chloe Long
Haley Hartnett
Samantha McCoy
Danielle Jones
Grace Davis
Justin Didden
Smyrna High School
Samuel Dulin IV
Riley Hufford
Rachael Carney
Oliver Ahrem
Mason Jewell
Kayla Walker
Jason Briney
Cheyenne Abel
Caleigh Sweetman
Abigail Campagnini
Ezra Brumbaugh
Seaford High School
Evan Metzner
Colin Hignutt
Kohen Massey
Paige Zoll
Brianna Brady
Tyler Tribbitt
Christiana High School
Nadine Igbokidi
Milford High School
Savannah Littleton
Malleri Preuss
Abi Richards
Bryce Patricella
Lily Fry
Olivia Tribbett
Laura Fulton
Maggie Moore
Donald Calhoun
Nevaeh Passwaters
Sussex Central High School
Joseph Moore V
Joshua McCabe
Adelita Hernandez-Barrios
Maria Gutierrez-Carcamo
Madigan Stegura
Julian Burns
Gabriel Bullard
Chloe Burroughs-Gravatt
Ava Johnson
Thomas McKean High School
Grace Starrett
Olivia Barnes
Alex Duncan
Chase Armiger
Middletown High School
Abigail Marshall
Madison Reeder
Melissa Yeboah
Alyssa Winner
Rieley Un
Keva Dhapare
Alex Appiah
Lake Forest High School
Mackenzie Johnson
Alexis Rowland
Kaylyn Jones
Alexiana Hay
Odyssey Charter School
Autumn Piazza
Appoquinimink High School
Alyson Hackett
Annabelle Strong
Irelynn Becker
Hannah Rohe
Jayla Burton
Gabriel Doering
Kylie Knapp
Anna Kuzminski
Sophia Velon
Carleigh Neville
Benjamin Carter
Riley Cheeseman
Isabella Linsmeier
Carina Frago
Woodbridge High School
Cooper Kerrick
Brooke Taylor
Dailyn Ramos Cortes
Hannah Jefferson
Garrett Kellam
Odessa High School
Rory Whitehouse
Macy Troutman
Alexandra Stanbery-Turner
Dean Troutman
Savannah Timney
Brenna Mahoney
William Penn High School
Diamond Barnard
Edwardo Carmine
Jesus Lopez-Baeza
Kimani Wright
Rowan Fernsler
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