HR0888 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0888 LRB099 15605 MST 39897 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Adrian Austin, a senior at Mt. Vernon Township High School, on earning top marks at the National Future Farmers of America (FFA) Convention; and

WHEREAS, Few people have won second, third, and forth place in a national competition, and even fewer people can say they are a national champion; Adrian Austin is one of these few; and

WHEREAS, Adrian Austin won first place in the nation in reasons evaluation on all species of livestock during the 88th National FFA Convention held October 28 to 31, 2015; and

WHEREAS, Adrian Austin also took second place in beef evaluation, third in swine evaluation, and fourth overall individual in competition; and

WHEREAS, Each state could send 4 contestants; Adrian Austin was one of 200 people nationwide vying for these honors; and

WHEREAS, Adrian Austin was also a member of the MVTHS FFA livestock evaluation team, which represented Illinois at the national convention and placed 11th and gold in the nation; and

WHEREAS, According to FFA Advisor John Kabat, Adrian Austin is the first MVTHS student to capture an individual national first place in a division in the FFA National Career Development Activities; last spring, for the second straight year, she won the State championship in the reasons divisions, while also picking up State championship honors in state extemporaneous public speaking; and

WHEREAS, Reasons evaluations is much more complicated than just ranking a cow, hog, goat, or sheep; Adrian Austin had to explain why she gave each animal its ranking; she has put in hours of practice over the years; and

WHEREAS, Livestock judging is all in the family for the Austins; Adrian Austin's brother, Kane, took first place twice and second place twice in the State in the event during his 4 years of high school; Adrian can never really escape agriculture - even at home; the daughter of Steve and Holly Austin raises show pigs and works with her parents and on chores at home when she is not busy with MVTHS and the FFA; and

WHEREAS, Adrian Austin is the MVTHS FFA chapter president; she has not yet decided where she will attend college next year, but she would eventually like to earn a bachelor's degree in agricultural communications and work for a livestock magazine, preferably swine; and

WHEREAS, Judging develops different skill sets that will be helpful later in life; one has to make a quick decision and give oral reasons for that decision, as well as learn to interact with different types of people; the FFA helps develop these skill sets; and

WHEREAS, Adrian Austin is smart and focused; she loves animals and speaking about them; she is a naturally driven person in that if she is going to do something she wants to do it well; and

WHEREAS, Adrian Austin serves as an example of a hard work, passion, and dedication; her achievements have made not only the agriculture community but the entire State of Illinois proud; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Adrian Austin on her success with the FFA and we wish her the best in all her future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Adrian Austin as an expression of our congratulations and appreciation for a job well done.