Louisville, Kentucky –Winners of the National FFA Creed Speaking Career Development Event (CDE) were announced Friday during the seventh session of the 88 National FFA Convention and Expo in Louisville, Kentucky.  Freshman and local chapter President Carlye Winfrey won the national title.

Winfrey won the state championship in  FFA Creed Speaking in Dec. 2014 in Huntsville, Texas, to qualify for the national competition. The national event was conducted in three rounds: preliminary, semifinals and finals. The top two speakers from each preliminary section advanced to the semifinals. The top two speakers from the semifinal sections then advanced to the final round. The final round contestant placings were first place-Texas, second place-California, third place-Missouri and fourth place-Kentucky. Participants from 48 states competed in the National FFA Creed contest this year.

“I am just in complete shock,” Winfrey said. “I am incredibly grateful to God, my advisors and family who have been with me this entire time.”

Winfrey received a plaque, medal and a 1000-dollar cash prize for winning the national championship. She was recognized on the National FFA stage in front of 20,000 FFA members during session seven of the convention. Winfrey said that she was not able to accomplish this feat on her own.

“My mom has been with me through everything, all the struggles that we have faced, all the late nights and early mornings,” Winfrey said. “She has always been there to prepare me for it all and to continue to push me to try my best and know to always hold true to my passion.”

The cash awards and the creed speaking event is sponsored by Red Brand as a special project of the National FFA Foundation and the National FFA Organization.

The National FFA Creed Speaking CDE is for first year FFA members. They must present the FFA Creed from memory and answer three impromptu critical thinking questions about its meaning and purpose. The purpose of the creed speaking career development event is to develop the public speaking abilities of FFA members as well as develop their self-confidence and contribute to their advancement in the FFA degree program. The creed is recited by FFA members as part of the requirements to earn the Greenhand FFA Degree. The FFA Creed outlines the organization’s beliefs regarding the industry of agriculture, FFA membership and the value of citizenship and patriotism.

Winfrey was the first member of Texas FFA to bring home the National Championship in the FFA Creed Speaking contest.