John Vining, Polk County Cooperative Extension Service Director, was awarded a honorary Future Farmers of America (FFA) degree by the North Carolina FFA Association for his dedication and support of the Polk County High School (PCHS) FFA program.
Vining received the award at the 83rd North Carolina FFA State Convention, which was held in Raleigh June 21-23.
The North Carolina FFA Association Honorary FFA Degree awards are designed to recognize outstanding community members who have devoted time and support to local FFA chapters. Kevin Bailey and Chauncey Barber, agricultural instructors at PCHS, nominated Vining for the award.
“You can be at a meeting on the other side of the state and people have heard of John and what he is doing or has done for this community,” Bailey said.
Vining has been instrumental in coordinating many projects for the PCHS FFA, such as the ongoing landscaping of PCHS and helping develop the muscadine vineyard at the school farm.
“The guy never gets enough credit for what he does,” Barber said. “Many of us can say John has been a mentor and friend. He is something special.”
For more information about the North Carolina FFA Association, visit www.ncffa.org.
– article submitted by Jason Davis, state FFA coordinator