GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida FFA is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2026 Agricultural Proficiency Awards program. FFA members from throughout Florida submitted applications for recognition within this program. The Agricultural Proficiency Award program rewards FFA members at the local, state, and national levels for exceptional accomplishments and excellence in a Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) program. These awards recognize individual skills and career-based competencies developed through multiple years of participation in Immersion type SAE projects. These students will be recognized during the 98th Florida FFA State Convention & Expo to be held at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando this summer.
The Proficiency Award finalists, in alphabetical order by chapter are:
| Agricultural Communications | Paige Cruse | Fort Pierce Westwood |
| Agricultural Communications | Sophie Tyre | Fort White |
| Agricultural Communications | Madilynn Adler | Oakleaf |
| Agricultural Communications | Sarah Holden | Zephyrhills |
| Agricultural Education | Jordyn LeFebvre | Bell |
| Agricultural Education | Tyler Brock | Clay |
| Agricultural Education | Hailee Jaramillo | Deane Bozeman |
| Agricultural Education | Isabelle Jenkins | Florida Virtual |
| Agricultural Mechanics Design and Fabrication | Carly Varnum | Durant |
| Agricultural Mechanics Design and Fabrication | Levi Sampson | Durant |
| Agricultural Mechanics Design and Fabrication | Madilynn Adler | Oakleaf |
| Agricultural Mechanics Design and Fabrication | Olivia Weaver | Trenton |
| Agricultural Mechanics Repair and Maintenance | Zachary Harris | Durant |
| Agricultural Mechanics Repair and Maintenance | Madilynn Adler | Oakleaf |
| Agricultural Mechanics Repair and Maintenance | Brody Bryant | Plant City |
| Agricultural Mechanics Repair and Maintenance | Hayden Henderson | Trenton |
| Agricultural Processing | Presley Kent | Deane Bozeman |
| Agricultural Processing | Mya Salter | Durant |
| Agricultural Processing | Kelly Burton | Fort White |
| Agricultural Processing | Jackson McMillan | South Lake |
| Agricultural Sales | Arrington Grant | Chiefland |
| Agricultural Sales | Wade Mitchell | Deane Bozeman |
| Agricultural Sales | Zachariah Mosley | DeLand |
| Agricultural Sales | Ethan John | Zephyrhills |
| Agricultural Services | Riley Stockman | Chiefland |
| Agricultural Services | Emma Leiss | Durant |
| Agricultural Services | Katie Byrd | J.M. Tate |
| Agricultural Services | Lily Harwell | Lake Gibson |
| Agriscience Research | Carson Meeks | Bronson |
| Agriscience Research | Trenton Felton | Clewiston |
| Agriscience Research | Nicholas Campbell | Florida Virtual |
| Agriscience Research | Brady Williamson | Okeechobee Brahman |
| Beef Production – Entrepreneurship | Ryleigh Locke | Chiefland |
| Beef Production – Entrepreneurship | Zachariah Mosley | DeLand |
| Beef Production – Entrepreneurship | Mia Portillo | DeLand |
| Beef Production – Entrepreneurship | Carly Varnum | Durant |
| Beef Production – Placement | Jordan Spears | Bell |
| Beef Production – Placement | Dallace Ryan | Braden River |
| Beef Production – Placement | Carly Varnum | Durant |
| Beef Production – Placement | Marlena Lott | Durant |
| Dairy Production | Madalynn Smith | Bell |
| Dairy Production | Elizabeth Bagby | Bell |
| Dairy Production | Kenslee Heinke | Suwannee |
| Dairy Production | Hayden Henderson | Trenton |
| Diversified Agricultural Production | Alaina Thomas | Bell |
| Diversified Agricultural Production | Emmalee Sache | Chiefland |
| Diversified Agricultural Production | Caraline Jerrels | Chiefland Middle |
| Diversified Agricultural Production | Mya Salter | Durant |
| Diversified Crop Production | Dyaln Beal | Bell |
| Diversified Crop Production | Peyton McCook | Branford |
| Diversified Crop Production | Maggie Mosley | Clay |
| Diversified Crop Production | Kelsey Wilkerson | Trenton |
| Diversified Livestock Production | Adysen Burns | Bell |
| Diversified Livestock Production | Kaylee Kloepfer | Branford |
| Diversified Livestock Production | Hannah Rice | Durant |
| Diversified Livestock Production | Jordan Chauncey | Suwannee |
| Environmental Science and Natural Resources Management | Hunter Russell | Middleburg |
| Environmental Science and Natural Resources Management | Oliver Flanagan | Santa Fe |
| Equine Science – Entrepreneurship | Cayden Davis | Dixie |
| Equine Science – Entrepreneurship | Kinley Hardee | Lake Gibson |
| Equine Science – Entrepreneurship | Tucker Johnson | Plant City |
| Equine Science – Entrepreneurship | Annastyn Chorvat | Williston |
| Equine Science – Placement | Lorelei Carney | Clay |
| Equine Science – Placement | Ava Atiyeh | J.M. Tate |
| Equine Science – Placement | Sailor Murray | South Fork |
| Equine Science – Placement | Collyns McGowan | Williston Junior |
| Fiber and/or Oil Crop Production | Kelsey Wilkerson | Trenton |
| Forage Production | Dylan Beal | Bell |
| Forage Production | Peyton McCook | Branford |
| Forage Production | Caige Tidwell | Branford |
| Forage Production | Scott Reagan | South Lake |
| Forest Management and Products | Cooper Hickey | Middleburg Junior |
| Fruit & Nut Production | Alaina Thomas | Bell |
| Fruit & Nut Production | Paige Harrington | Keystone Heights |
| Fruit & Nut Production | Dallas Deadwyler | Lafayette |
| Fruit & Nut Production | Kelsey Wilkerson | Trenton |
| Goat Production | Hunter Roof | Burns Sci-Tech |
| Goat Production | Parker Walsingham | Deane Bozeman |
| Goat Production | Mia Portillo | DeLand |
| Goat Production | Izabella Moss | Deland |
| Outdoor Recreation | Aubrey Ezratty | Bell |
| Outdoor Recreation | Maggie Mosley | Clay |
| Outdoor Recreation | Gracie Swindell | Lafayette |
| Outdoor Recreation | Hunter Heimes | Zephyrhills |
| Poultry Production | Rosiyion Overton | Armwood |
| Poultry Production | Aiden Cannon | Branford |
| Poultry Production | Jacob Cannon | Chiefland Middle |
| Poultry Production | Heather Johnson | Wekiva |
| Service-Learning | Ashley Simmons | Orlando Colonial |
| Service-Learning | Jace Peak | Zephyrhills |
| Service-Learning | Sarah Holden | Zephyrhills |
| Sheep Production | Morgan Patterson | Branford |
| Sheep Production | Hayley Luznar | DeLand |
| Sheep Production | Cooper Davis | Durant |
| Sheep Production | Cason Mccoy | Fort White |
| Small Animal Production and Care | Adysen Burns | Bell |
| Small Animal Production and Care | Hailey Haya | Brandon |
| Small Animal Production and Care | Klaire Mullis | Chiefland |
| Small Animal Production and Care | Adalyn Boyd | Deane Bozeman |
| Specialty Animal Production | Kaylee Kloepfer | Branford |
| Specialty Animal Production | Jacob Cashwell | Ocoee |
| Specialty Animal Production | Mackenzie Fisher | Trenton |
| Swine Production | Jasmine Lambert | Dixie |
| Swine Production | Haylie Stephens | Lake Gibson |
| Swine Production | Wyatt Watson | Suwannee Junior |
| Swine Production | Lukys Benson | Trenton |
| Turf and Landscape Maintenance | Brayden Smith | Bell |
| Turf and Landscape Maintenance | Cooper Ford | Malone |
| Turf and Landscape Maintenance | Nolan Cooper | South Lake |
| Turf and Landscape Maintenance | Julian Garcia | Zephyrhills |
| Vegetable Production | Maggie Mosley | Clay |
| Vegetable Production | Levi Starling | Suwannee Junior |
| Vegetable Production | Wyatt Watson | Suwannee Senior |
| Vegetable Production | Kelsey Wilkerson | Trenton |
| Veterinary Science | Sarah Menedez | Brandon |
| Veterinary Science | Emily Cloudman | DeLand |
| Veterinary Science | Rieslin Colvin | J.M. Tate |
| Veterinary Science | Mallory Sanders | Keystone Heights |
| Wildlife Production and Management | Ryan Abend | Sickles |
| Wildlife Production and Management | Scott Reagan | South Lake |
| Wildlife Production and Management | Rilee Floyd | Suwannee Junior |
| Wildlife Production and Management | Landen Hamm | Trenton |
ABOUT THE FLORIDA FFA STATE CONVENTION & EXPO
The Florida FFA State Convention & Expo brings together nearly 6,000 FFA members, advisors, alumni, parents, and industry leaders for an unforgettable celebration of leadership, achievement, and opportunity. It’s where hard work pays off, jackets hit the big stage, and future leaders rise in front of thousands.
From electric keynotes and emotional award moments to intense Career and Leadership Development Events and a high-energy Expo floor packed with career connections, state convention is nonstop momentum. Every hallway conversation, every handshake, every name called across the stage is part of something bigger.
ABOUT THE FLORIDA FFA ASSOCIATION
The Florida FFA Association is a premier youth, leadership organization with nearly 60,000 middle and high school student members – as part of over 300 local FFA chapters across the state. FFA members participate in nearly 50 leadership and career development events each year. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.
The Florida FFA Association is a resource and support organization that does not select, control, supervise or approve local chapter or individual member activities except as expressly provided for in the Florida FFA Association Constitution and Bylaws.
THE AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION MISSION
Agricultural education prepares students for successful careers and a lifetime of informed choices in the global agriculture, food, fiber and natural resource systems.
THE FFA MISSION
FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
For more information about Florida FFA and agricultural education, visit flaffa.org.
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