During the 94th annual West Virginia State FFA Convention held July 6 – 9 at Cedar Lakes in Ripley, Trey Keyser, local Farm Credit loan officer, and Cody Dent, Moorefield FFA advisor, were recognized for their dedication to agriculture and assisting the educational learning experiences of youth in the tri-county area.
Honorary degrees are awarded to farmers, school superintendents, principals, members of boards of education, chapter advisors, teachers, staff members in agricultural education, business people and others who are helping to advance agricultural education and the FFA, and who have rendered outstanding service. Individuals may be elected to honorary membership by a majority vote of the members present at any regular meeting.
Keyser has been an asset across the region. He provides major assistance to programs on multiple fronts. As a Farm Credit loan officer and dedicated volunteer, he is always willing to get his hands dirty and help out in any way he can. He helps coach many local 4-H and FFA teams, along with serving as a judge for FFA Career Development Events. He also serves as the chairman of the youth livestock sale committee for the Tri-County Fair and spends countless hours making sure the students’ needs are met.
He resides in Kline with his wife, Kami, and two daughters Katie and Kallie, on their family farm where they raise sheep and beef cattle. Keyser’s passion for the FFA started young, when his father served as an ag. education instructor and FFA advisor in Broadway, Virginia. He went on to receive his State and American FFA Degrees and serve as the Virginia State FFA secretary in 1997-1998. The opportunities FFA provided him over the years helped shape who he is today, and he strives to make sure today’s youth are provided the opportunities to learn and grow through the FFA, just as he did.
Dent is originally from Burlington and currently resides in Mozer with his fianceé, Brooke, on her family cattle farm. He has served as the FFA advisor at Moorefield High School since 2016 and previously served as the advisor at Union Educational Complex. He completed his master’s degree in secondary education and under graduate in agriculture education through West Virginia University.
During his tenure, he has had 14 students earn their American FFA Degrees and has served as a cooperating teacher for two student teachers. He was awarded Teacher of the Year for MHS in 2018 and has served as a former National Chapter Award Judge for National FFA. He credits his love for the FFA to his high school advisors, Bob Knotts and Carol Webb from Mineral County. He was elected as the West Virginia FFA State secretary in 2006 and earned his American FFA degree in 2007.
