Four ECHS FFA Students Earn All-Expense Paid Trip to Washington D.C. Conference

L-R: Robert Keith, Keylee Jurisich, Peytin Manor, and Jackson Haberman.

Peytin Manor, story and photo:
On January 27, 2026, four Edmonson County FFA members were selected to attend the inaugural Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) Bus Trip with Kentucky FFA, scheduled for June 22–27, 2026. The ECHS students chosen for the expense-free opportunity included juniors Peytin Manor and Keylee Jurisich, along with sophomores Robert Keith and Jackson Haberman.

According to junior ECHS FFA Treasurer Keylee Jurisich, “This is important to me because it will help me learn more about leadership and push me out of my shell to become more social. I struggle talking to new people. I’m hoping this conference will help me prepare for the future and figure out what I want to do with my life and where I want to go after high school.”

These FFA members will have the opportunity to attend the Washington Leadership Conference located in Washington D.C. at no cost at all, where they will develop leadership skills, connect with FFA members from across the nation, and gain tools to create a meaningful impact in their community. This opportunity was granted by the Bill Gatton Foundation. This foundation is dedicated to honoring Bill Gatton’s legacy by supporting organizations that strengthen education, healthcare, and regional prosperity across Kentucky as well as regions of Tennessee and Virginia.

Mr. Gage Tucker, Agricultural Education Teacher and FFA Advisor at ECHS, states, “Being able to attend WLC at no out of pocket expense is an amazing, once in a lifetime opportunity for our students! These FFA members will be able to develop advocacy and leadership skills that will have a direct and lasting impact on our community. I am very excited for them and could not be more proud of their hard work and dedication to FFA and Edmonson County.”