Two area FFA members will be setting their sights on going on a big trip to the Lake of the Ozarks this summer.

Avery Ridgley of Montgomery County and Maddi Poage of Wellsville-Middletown have been selected to participate in the HYMAX Academy on June 17-19 at Camp Rising Sun, which will be held by the Missouri FFA Association. They will be among 100 FFA members – all of them are freshmen – who will be going to this seminar, which will be in its 10th year.

Participants in the HYMAX Academy will receive hands-on experiences to prepare them to communicate, lead and advocate for the agricultural industry. They will also gain strategies to continue strengthening their knowledge base in agricultural issues, improve on written and verbal communication skills and spark potential career interests.

“It’s a really great opportunity for leadership and things like that,” Ridgley said. “I think there are 100 Greenhands who are selected to do this, so we’ll all get together and do things with leadership.”

To be selected to the HYMAX Academy, FFA members had to go through a competitive written application process. They had to submit a written application with five narrative responses, a transcript and two letters of recommendation. The deadline was on Feb. 15.

Ridgley became just the third Montgomery County FFA member to be selected to the HYMAX Academy.

“It will be really fun,” Ridgley said. “I know some people from other FFA chapters who have been selected to do it, too. I think it will be really fun to learn about leadership and everything like that.”

Ridgley is one of numerous freshmen in the MCHS FFA chapter. She placed first in horse judging in district competition on March 30.

“I really like all of the activities,” Ridgley said. “The monthly meetings are always fun as well as the extra stuff we get to participate in.”

Ridgley also enjoys riding horses. Several months ago, she was one of 40 young students to be selected to the American Quarter Horse Association’s Ranching Heritage Young Horse Development Program.

Poage said she was thrilled that she will be representing W-M at the HYMAX Academy.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Poage said. “I’m excited to make new friends and learn a bunch of new things.”

Poage is enjoying success in her first year with the W-M FFA chapter. Recently, she qualified for district competition in the creed category.

“I like getting to be involved in so many different things,” said Poage, whose older sister, Kaitlyn, is the chapter’s reporter.