Cherokee FFA member win state proficiency
Drake Williams of the Cherokee FFA Chapter earned first-place honors in the 2021 Oklahoma FFA Agricultural Sales Entrepreneurship Proficiency Award area during the 95th annual Oklahoma FFA Convention on April 28.
Reece Villines of the Weatherford FFA chapter and Kelby Ott of the Lomega FFA chapter earned second- and third-place honors respectively.
Williams has bought and sold various breeds of sheep and goats as well as exotics from sales across the state and sold them to families in multiple states.
“I try to keep a very broad client base,” Williams said. “I’ve sold to families in Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri.”
Williams said he is a one-man crew and has learned to carry out all responsibilities even though it can be overwhelming at times. Some of these responsibilities are purchasing, marketing, selling, feeding, doctoring, maintenance and customer relations.
The agricultural sales entrepreneurship proficiency award is designed to recognize students who are involved in a supervised agricultural experience related to the sale of feed, seed, fertilizer or agricultural chemicals. Students also may own businesses involving the sales of agricultural equipment, machinery or structures. Activities may include the merchandising of crops, livestock, processed agricultural commodities, horticultural or forestry items at either the retail or wholesale level.
The senior Cherokee FFA member is the son of Aaron and Dana Hughes. His agricultural education instructor and FFA adviser is Christy Snider.
This award is sponsored on the state level by Redgate Cattle Co., which is owned by Max and Debra Redgate, John and Chancey Hanson, Farm Credit Associations of Oklahoma, and Livingston Machinery. The national sponsor is Crop Production Services and Valent USA Corporation. The $1,000 state winner scholarship is sponsored by Livingston Machinery.
FFA is an integral part of the Agricultural Education division in the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education system. With more than 25,000 members and 365 chapters, the Oklahoma FFA Association is the fifth-largest state FFA association. 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. To learn more about the Oklahoma FFA, visit okffa.org