WHEREAS, Jenell D. Eck just completed a year as the first female Maryland State FFA President from Queen Anne’s County; and
WHEREAS, The Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization was officially established in 1928 when the idea of an organization that offered “farm boys” a greater opportunity for self-expression and leadership development reached the national stage during the American Royal Livestock Show in Kansas City, Mo; and
WHEREAS, it was not until 1969 that females gained full FFA membership privileges by vote of the national convention delegates; and
WHEREAS, today, females represent more than 45 percent of FFA members and roughly half of all state leadership positions; and
WHEREAS, since 1928, millions of agriculture students have donned the official “blue and gold” FFA jacket and championed the FFA Creed; and
WHEREAS, all 50 states and two U.S. territories are currently chartered members of the national organization, representing 610,240 individual FFA members and 7,665 local chapters; and
WHEREAS, 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; and
WHEREAS, Jenell D. Eck is the epitome of the FFA motto which is “Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve”; and
WHEREAS, Jenell D. Eck has served as Queen Anne’s County FFA’s Vice-President, Treasurer and Sentinel before serving as the Maryland State FFA President in 2014-2015; and
WHEREAS, Jenell D. Eck has earned the Star Greenhand Degree; Most Outstanding New FFA Member; State Regional Star Farmer; and the State FFA Degree; and
WHEREAS, Jenell D. Eck, throughout the years, has received numerous awards for public speaking, dairy judging, horticulture, agronomy; and
WHEREAS, Jenell D. Eck has been President of Cloverleaf 4H Club, QAC Young Farmers Secretary, interned at the Farm Service Agency and QAC Department of Planning and Zoning and most recently the Maryland Department of Agriculture; and
WHEREAS, In her spare time, Jenell D. Eck farms on the 1,500 acre “Mae-Vue” family-farm that produces grain and supports seven poultry houses producing 810,000 large broilers annually and assists her brother with his straw and livestock; and
WHEREAS, Jenell D. Eck is a 2014 graduate of Queen Anne’s County High School and is currently enrolled at Chesapeake Community College majoring in Elementary and Special Education; and
WHEREAS, Jenell D. Eck was just recently selected as Queen Anne’s County’s Ms. Farm Bureau;
NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF QUEEN ANNE’S COUNTY, recognize Jenell D. Eck for her dedication and motivation in the farming community and for becoming the first Maryland State FFA President and completing her first year and wish her the best of luck.