A Wayne County student was among the top four finishers in the Illinois Farm Bureau Collegiate Discussion Meet held October 30th in Bloomington.
Alex Paul, a student at the University of Illinois representing Wayne County, earned fourth place in the statewide competition, which attracted a record 33 participants this year.
Sidney Stiers of Williamsfield, a sophomore at the University of Illinois and member of the Knox County Farm Bureau, captured first place. Stiers will represent Illinois at the national Collegiate Discussion Meet during the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Conference, March 12th through 15th in New Orleans.
Stiers received a $200 cash prize, a $1,500 scholarship from GROWMARK, Inc., and expense-paid trips to the national conference and the Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in December.
Haley Bode of Southern Illinois University, representing Monroe County, finished second, while Rylee Skillman of Joliet Junior College, representing Will County, placed third.
The Collegiate Discussion Meet challenges students to demonstrate their knowledge of agricultural issues while developing communication, critical-thinking, problem-solving, and leadership skills. Competitors are judged on their ability to analyze issues, exchange ideas, and work cooperatively toward solutions.
This year’s record participation prompted organizers to introduce a Sweet 16 round for the first time in the competition’s history, with the top 16 students advancing from preliminary rounds.
Paul’s fourth-place finish placed the Wayne County representative among the state’s top collegiate competitors in the annual event.