[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5017]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               CONGRATULATING HERMITAGE FFA FORESTRY TEAM

  (Mr. WESTERMAN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and 
congratulate the outstanding achievements of four young men in my 
district. The Hermitage, Arkansas, FFA Forestry team not only placed 
first in Arkansas but also won the 37th annual National 4-H Forestry 
Invitational and the National FFA Forestry Career Development Event.
  The Hermitage FFA Forestry team was comprised of: Ethan Boykin, 
Hunter Saunders, Cade Wilkerson, and Connor Wilkerson, all of 
Hermitage, Arkansas. During the Forestry Invitational, teams competed 
for overall team and individual awards in events such as tree 
identification, insect and disease identification, forest evaluation, 
and a written forestry exam. The National FFA Forestry CDE tests 
students' skills and knowledge in forest management.
  As a forester serving in the House of Representatives, I recognize 
the many hours that these young men dedicated to competing on a 
national level, and I admire them for their hard work.
  Additionally, special recognition is due to Mr. Taylor Gwin, who 
coached the Arkansas Forestry team, the parents of the team members, 
and the Bradley County Extension Services. They all played a crucial 
role in making this victory possible.
  Mr. Speaker, agriculture and forestry are the main economic engines 
in Arkansas, and there is little doubt, in my mind, that one day soon, 
talented and passionate young people, such as these, will be called 
upon to lead our State into the future.
  Once again, I offer them my most sincere congratulations and wish 
them the best as they continue to pursue their passion for forestry.

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