South Georgia Technical College Caterpillar Heavy Equipment Dealer Service Technology student, Lane Douglas, has earned the right to participate in in the FFA virtual National FFA Convention, October 27th – 29th. He will be recognized as an FFA National Proficiency Finalist. He is an apprentice with Yancey Caterpillar.
Douglas was selected as a finalist in the FFA National Proficiency Award program in the area of Agricultural Mechanics Repair and Maintenance Placement. Prior to being named as a national finalist, Douglas was named the state winner in his area of the State FFA Convention held in May 2020 through a virtual format. From there, his proficiency application was sent on to Indianapolis for national judging.
Participants in the National Agricultural Proficiency Awards program receive a rating of “National Finalist,” “Gold,” “Silver,” “Bronze,” “Participant,” or “Disqualified.” Four National Finalists were selected for each of the 47 award awards to to on to compete through a virtual interview process for a national proficiency awards. These students are deemed as the top four in the nation in their area.
The National Agricultural Proficiency Awards winners are scheduled to be announced on Tuesday, October 27th during the 2 p.m. virtual session on the National FFA Convention. Each national finalist receives a $500 cash award and a plaque. National winners receive an additional $500 award and a plaque.
Douglas completed his Supervised Agriculture Experience program work at Wammock Milling Company, SmithCo Heavy Diesel and Yancey Caterpillar where he has worked maintaining and repairing agricultural equipment. Douglas is currently a student at South Georgia Technical College’s Think Big Heavy Equipment Dealers Service Technology Program and an apprentice with Yancey Caterpillar.
He alternates between working at the Yancey facility in Statesboro and taking classes at South Georgia Technical College in Americus where he is studying to be a heavy diesel mechanic.
Coverage of Douglas’s recognition can be viewed on RFDTV at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27th. He will be returning to his home high school in Screven County to watch the FFA virtual National Convention. During the National FFA Convention, Douglas also will be recognized as he receives his American FFA Degree on Tuesday evening at 8:45 p.m. as a culmination of his FFA career.
Only one percent of FFA members ever attain the American FFA Degree. To be eligible, a student must have received the State FFA Degree; completed three years of Agriculture Education classes; earning and invested $10,000 in their Supervised Agriculture Experience program; completed 50 hours of community services and participated in FFA events on the local and state level.
Douglas was a state winner last year, but was not selected to advance to the national convention. RFDTV will cover the American Degree Ceremony starting at 8:45 p.m. on Tuesday of the convention.
The National FFA Organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of American, is a national youth organization of 760,113 student members – all preparing for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of agriculture – as part of 8,739 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.