Savannah FFA members Sam Jordan (left), Kaylea Farrell (left center), Maesyn Jones (right center) and Kathryn Yingling (right) pose with the check their chapter received at the 2024 Missouri State FFA Convention. Photo courtesy of Mikaila Livingston.
Members of the Savannah FFA Chapter in Missouri are imagining a bus filled with engaging activities for all ages to learn about the soybean industry: mini-laboratories, cooking demonstrations and virtual reality (VR) simulations.
Members Kaylea Farrell, Maesyn Jones, Sam Jordan and Kathryn Yingling, who are led by Savannah FFA advisor Mikaila Livingston, submitted their idea to the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council (MSMC) as part of the 2024 Soy Innovation Challenge. The theme was “Rolling Into the Future,” and entrants planned a soy-focused agricultural education mobile classroom.
During the 2024 Missouri State FFA Convention, the team learned they had won first place for the second year in a row. In the months that followed, their proposal came to life in an actual bus purchased by MCMC. Their chapter also received a check for $10,000.
“Savannah FFA members are not only two-time reigning champs, they’re also the only winners of the Challenge, as the program was launched two years ago,” says Baylee Asbury, director of outreach and education for MSMC, which is made possible by Missouri soybean farmers and their checkoff program. “MSMC is excited to fulfill the project and showcase the bus to elementary students across Missouri.”
A Shared Vision
After an initial interview process, Savannah FFA became one of five finalists in the Challenge. As finalists, they submitted an essay outlining their plan and presented it to a panel of judges.
“The purpose of the bus was to advocate for the soy industry and what it does for our economy and the agriculture industry,” Jordan says.
The team designed VR simulations on soybean planting and growth, labs on seed germination and making soybean crayons and demonstrations about cooking with soy products. In their final presentation, the team offered detailed budgets and vendor names — everything needed to retrofit the bus to match their vision.
“We worked for a very, very long time — multiple months straight through,” says Farrell, who adds that she learned lifelong skills through working with her teammates.
For the Farm
The Savannah FFA Chapter plans to use the Challenge’s prize winnings to improve its 10-acre farm so students with little space at home can use it more functionally for their Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) projects.
“These students gained so much knowledge as far as how to conduct yourself in a professional setting,” Livingston says. “I’m proud of our soy board for prioritizing agricultural education at all levels. I encourage other commodity groups to reach out and do the same.”
