America’s Largest Youth Convention
NATIONAL FFA CONVENTION TO BE TELEVISED LIVE
COLUMBIA, SC…..Thousands of South Carolinians are expected to watch the 82 nd annual National FFA Convention to be televised live from Indianapolis, Indiana, by the National RFD-TV Satellite Network beginning Wednesday evening, October 21, and continuing through Saturday, October 24. The telecasts will be hosted by internationally known farm broadcasters Orion Samuelson and Max Armstrong. Former National FFA President Beau Williamson, a student at Purdue University in Indiana, will serve as co-anchor.
RFD-TV will capture all the action as more than 55,000 FFA members, advisors and guests, representing every state, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, pack Conseco Field House, the Lucas Oil Stadium, the Indiana Convention Center, Indiana State Fairgrounds and other sites in downtown Indianapolis to attend inspiring general sessions, compete in national finals in more than 40 agricultural career development events, experience educational leadership seminars and visit the 1300-exhibit Agricultural Career Show.
Currently, the network is available to more than 40 million homes as a basic channel on Dish Network (9409), Direct TV (379), Mediacom, NCTC and other cable systems.
The schedule for the National FFA Convention TV coverage is: Wednesday, October 21, 6:30 PM-9:00 PM; Thursday, October 22, 1:30PM-10:00 PM; Friday, October 23, 7:30 AM-1:30 PM; 2:30 PM-4:30 PM and 5:30 PM-9:00 PM; and Saturday, October 24, 7:30 AM-5:00 PM. A number of FFA chapters and individuals from South Carolina will be recognized and shown on the national TV network.
“Gavel-to-gavel live TV coverage of the National FFA Convention, America’s largest youth convention, is indicative of the increased interest in and support of the FFA and Agricultural Education at the local, state and national level,” says John W. Parris, state director of public affairs with the SC FFA organization. “More than 300 exciting and rewarding career opportunities in the science, business and technology of twenty-first century American Agriculture are available to those young people who are educationally prepared,” he added.
The mission of the FFA 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.