Lanie Bailey, Maycee Thouvenel, Ryatt Haggerman and Drake Schmidt hold their first-place agricultural communications plaque.
This year, Versailles FFA is making chapter history.
For the first time, it is sending a career development event (CDE) team to compete at the 97th National FFA Convention & Expo this fall — a milestone that reflects not only the team’s hard work, but the dedication and growth of the entire chapter.
The agricultural communications CDE team is made up of Lanie Bailey, Ryatt Haggerman, Drake Schmidt and Maycee Thouvenel. Last year, this group competed in the agricultural sales CDE, with hopes of qualifying for nationals. It came close, placing third in the state of Missouri — just shy of this goal. Instead of giving up, the team came back stronger.
This year, the team shifted its focus and poured countless hours into preparing for the Missouri State FFA Convention. Despite not knowing exactly what to expect, they tackled every challenge head-on. The competition required the team to develop and present a full-scale media plan, write a professional press release, design a magazine layout, create a strategic social media campaign and produce a short-form informative video.
Throughout this process, team members didn’t just learn the tools and techniques used in agricultural communications; they learned how to collaborate under pressure, stay organized and proudly represent the Versailles FFA Chapter.
When the team was announced as the first-place winners, the room erupted with cheers — and maybe a few tears. All the hours of practice had finally paid off.
To be the first Versailles FFA team in history to advance to nationals isn’t just about a title or a plaque — it’s about leaving a legacy. These four have shown that with passion, perseverance and teamwork, no dream is too big. They hope to inspire younger members of the chapter to take on new challenges, push their limits and chase their goals, no matter how far out of reach they might seem.
This victory isn’t just a win for the team — it’s a win for the entire chapter. It’s a moment of pride for the agriculture teachers, community and every member who has contributed to the growth of Versailles FFA throughout the years.
This fall, Bailey, Haggerman, Schmidt and Thouvenel will proudly represent Missouri on the national stage — and they’ll be bringing the heart and spirit of Versailles FFA with them every step of the way.
