Gentry named state winner in agricultural mechanics design and fabrication proficiency award area

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COLUMBIA, Mo., April 20, 2023 – Hailey Gentry of Pleasant Hill, Missouri, won the Missouri FFA Agricultural Mechanics Design and Fabrication Proficiency Award at the 95th Missouri FFA Convention.

Gentry, a junior of Pleasant Hill High School, is the daughter of Nick and Missy Gentry. She is a member of the Pleasant Hill FFA Chapter. Her FFA advisors are Tyler Burgin and AJ Wingard.

Gentry’s supervised agricultural experience began when she worked for her grandfather in making rebar footing chairs. She inherited the responsibilities from her grandfather’s business where she now makes chairs, maintains equipment, fills orders, and orders materials. She sells the chairs by the pallet in quantities of 5000 chairs per 20 boxes or a half pallet consisting of 2500 chairs by 10 boxes.

During her FFA career, Gentry attended the National FFA Convention & Expo and Missouri FFA Convention. She exhibited at the Missouri State Fair and district fair. Gentry also  was a participant in the Area 7 Leadership Conference and Greenhand Motivational Conference.

Outside of FFA, Gentry is a member of the Pleasant Hill softball and basketball teams. She also volunteers at the Cass County Fair and teaches youth about the sports of softball and basketball through the Youth Softball Camp and Youth Basketball Camp.

Gentry’s future plans include owning an auto-mechanic business. She hopes her SAE will help her to expand her business management skills where she will be completing inventories, managing customer accounts, and completing maintenance and repairs to equipment.

Proficiency awards recognize FFA members who excel as agricultural entrepreneurs, employees or volunteers while gaining hands-on career experience. Agricultural mechanics design and fabrication is one of 48 proficiency award areas recognized at state level. Ahrens Steel and Welding Supply sponsors the award.

The Missouri FFA has 26,716 members representing 356 chapters. The national organization has more than 850,000 members representing 8,995 chapters in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

The FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

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