Fishers High School student Shelbi Tidd recently placed first runner-up in the inaugural Mr. and Ms. Purdue FFA Scholarship Pageant.
Tidd is a member of the Hamilton Southeastern FFA Chapter. High School FFA members from around the state competed in the pageant sponsored by Farm Credit Mid-America. They were judged on the following categories: a formal interview counting for 50 percent of their total score; professional wear counting for 15 percent; formal wear and on stage question counting for 30 percent; and charitable donation counting for five percent.
Whitney Bullion from Carroll’s Fort Wayne FFA Chapter was crowned Ms. Purdue FFA. Bullion was sponsored by Orthodontic Specialty Services. Tidd was sponsored by Reflections Photobooths and B & T Building Solutions. Second runner-up Hallie Wright from Eastern Hancock’s FFA Chapter was sponsored by Farmer’s Ag Products. Samantha Seward from Lewis Cass’s FFA Chapter and sponsored by A&J Farm Supply, Inc., was named Miss Philanthropy for raising the most money to be donated to a local family to help the mother battling cancer.
Judges for the evening were Purdue University senior and past Indiana state FFA officer Joe Rust, Farm Credit Mid-America Financial Services Officer Ashley Macy, and Ivy Tech of Fort Wayne’s Agriculture Program Chair and instructor Kelli Kreider.
A total of $9,460 and 426 food items were raised for various charities including Lafayette Food Finders, the DeMotte Food Bank, and the Minnick Family to help fight cancer. Scholarships of $400 were awarded to Miss Purdue FFA, $200 to the first runner-up, and $100 to the second runner-up as well as prizes made possible through a generous donation from Farm Credit Mid-America. Purdue Collegiate FFA was charted in 2012 through the National FFA Organization and enhances the collegiate experience through service and engagement to create premier leaders, enable personal growth and ensure career success in agriculture.