By Abby Botdorf

Special to the News-Herald

Five members of the Lakeland High School FFA chapter recently traveled to Virginia Tech to participate in the 87th annual state FFA convention.

The four-day convention combined competitions, business sessions, member recognition and motivational speakers for the more than 1,300 members in attendance.

The Cavaliers’ Sarah Bowyer competed in the job interview career development event. She was required to present a resume and cover letter, complete an application, do an actual interview and then write a follow-up thank you letter.

Chad Goodman, Will March, Barrett Moore, and Joseph Owens participated in the livestock evaluation event. This team judged and graded beef cattle, swine, and sheep. In this competition, members received scores based on a comparison of their opinions to those of the animal science professors at Virginia Tech.

While at the convention, members heard from Martin Kent, chief of staff for Gov. Bob McDonnell, and a former Virginia FFA member; from National FFA Vice-President Wiley Bailey of Alabama; and from Alan Grant, Virginia Tech’s dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Science.

Members participating in the convention stayed in the same dormitories used by students and ate in the university’s award-winning dining halls. They came home with a small taste of what being a college student is like.