FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Link to Convention Award Photos
TAMPA, Fla. (July 2, 2026) — Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) students brought home an impressive collection of state championships, top five finishes, and chapter recognitions from the 2026 Florida FFA State Convention, showcasing the district's strength in agricultural education, leadership development, and career readiness.
The annual convention, held June 15-19 in Orlando, brings together nearly 6,000 FFA members, advisors, alumni, and industry leaders from across Florida to compete, develop leadership skills, and celebrate excellence in agricultural education. The event features Career Development Events (CDEs), leadership workshops, award ceremonies, and recognition of the state's top FFA chapters and student organizations.
Students from HCPS middle and high schools earned state recognition across a wide range of competitive events, from floriculture and forestry to agricultural communications, environmental science, and agricultural technology.
"These outstanding achievements reflect the dedication of our students, teachers, and advisors, as well as the strength of our agricultural education programs," said Superintendent Van Ayres. "FFA equips students with real-world skills in leadership, teamwork, communication, science, and problem-solving while preparing them for future careers. We are incredibly proud of the way our students represented Hillsborough County on the state stage."
Several HCPS teams captured first-place state titles, including:
Middle School State Champions
Tomlin Middle School – 1st Place, Floriculture
Randall Middle School – 1st Place, Nursery & Landscape
High School State Champions
Durant High School – 1st Place, Citrus
Durant High School – 1st Place, Environmental & Natural Resources
Durant High School – 1st Place, Floriculture
Durant High School – 1st Place, Vegetable Evaluation
Durant High School – 1st Place, Ornamental Horticulture Demonstration – Landscaping (Ashlyn Demanovich and Jackson Sturgis)
HCPS students earned numerous additional top five finishes.
Middle School Awards
Tomlin Middle School
5th Place, Dairy Cattle Evaluation & Management
5th Place, Food Science & Technology
3rd Place, Forestry
3rd Place, Livestock Evaluation
3rd Place, Meats Evaluation
Mulrennan Middle School
5th Place, Livestock Evaluation
2nd Place, Meats Evaluation
Randall Middle School
4th Place, Meats Evaluation
Marshall Middle School
3rd Place, Milk Quality & Products
High School Awards
Strawberry Crest High School
2nd Place, Agricultural Communications
2nd Place, Floriculture
4th Place, Nursery & Landscape
3rd Place, Vegetable Evaluation
Plant City High School
4th Place, Agricultural Communications
5th Place, Agricultural Technology & Mechanical Systems
2nd Place, Safe Tractor Operation & Maintenance (Hunter Freeman)
Durant High School
3rd Place, Agricultural Technology & Mechanical Systems
5th Place, Dairy Cattle Evaluation & Management
3rd Place, Food Science & Technology
2nd Place, Forestry
5th Place, Livestock Evaluation
4th Place, Meats Evaluation
2nd Place, Nursery & Landscape
Plant City High School Junior Chapter - J.G. Smith
5th Place, Ornamental Horticulture Demonstration – Artistic Arrangement (Gracie Lopez and Aubrey Pentecost)
Several HCPS FFA chapters earned statewide recognition through the Florida FFA Chapter Awards program.
Florida's Finest – National Chapter Awards
Durant High School
Mulrennan Middle School
Newsome High School
Plant City High School
Randall Middle School
Sickles High School
Turkey Creek Middle School
Chapter SAE Awards
Armwood High School
Durant High School
Sickles High School
Premier Chapter Awards
Armwood High School
Armwood Junior Chapter – E.A. Watkins
Brandon High School
Durant High School
Durant Junior Chapter – J.F. St. Martin
Newsome High School
Plant City High School
Plant City Junior Chapter – J.G. Smith
Randall Middle School
Sickles High School
Tomlin Middle School
Turkey Creek Middle School
FFA is the nation's premier organization for students interested in agriculture, food systems, environmental science, agribusiness, and natural resources. Through classroom instruction, hands-on experiences, and competitive events, students gain technical knowledge and leadership skills while exploring career pathways in one of Florida's most important industries.
To learn more about HCPS’s FFA programs, visit hillsboroughschools.org