Nine young women and men are this year’s recipients of the Gordon Richards, Sr. Achievement Award sponsored by the Clinic Pharmacy. Tim and Jamie Barrick are owners of the pharmacy.
This is the 77th year for the award that was originated in 1946 by the late Gordon Richards, Sr., and the late Otto Krause.
Gordon Richards, Jr., son of one of the founders of the award, briefly detailed how the award started.
This year, for the first time, the awards were handed out on the final evening of the Pottawatomie County Junior Livestock Show. The nine were honored before several hundred persons who also gathered for the presentation of the Livestock Show awards and the Premium Auction.
This year’s honorees include:
Cooper Kline, North Rock Creek FFA
Cooper is this year’s recipient of the Gordon Richards, Sr. Achievement Award from North Rock Creek.
He is the 16-year-old son of Seth and Tammy Kline. He has been a member of the North Rock Creek FFA Chapter for three years. His Supervised Agricultural Experience includes raising and exhibiting pigs. Cooper is also very involved in a variety of Career and Leadership Development Events and also, serves as the current NRC FFA Chapter Vice-President.
Some of his accomplishments over the last three years includes Reserve Champion Duroc Barrow Tulsa State Fair 2019, Bronze Market Hog PCJLS 2021, Reserve Champion Chester Gilt OYE 2021, AFR/ OFU State Public Speaking Winner 2019, 4th Overall State FFA Creed Speaker 2021, 2nd High Individual State FFA Commercial Cattle Grading Tulsa State Fair 2021. These are a few examples of the success Cooper has experienced.
Cora Bender, Dale FFA
This year’s honoree from Dale of the Gordon Richards, Sr. Achievement Award is Cora Bender.
Cora is a senior at Dale High School. She is the President of the Dale FFA Chapter. Cora is involved in showing sheep, public speaking, livestock judging and has attended many leadership conferences. She is going to be a State FFA Degree recipient in May at the 2022 State FFA Convention.
She is a member of the Dale Student Council and the BancFirst Student Board. She is also a member of National Honor Society, Oklahoma Honor Society, and is a Valedictorian of her class. In her free time Cora enjoys hanging out with her friends and family. She plans to obtain a Bachelors Degree of Nursing from the University of Oklahoma and work towards becoming a nurse practitioner.
Paige Smith, McLoud FFA
Paige Smith is McLoud’s recipient of the Gordon Richards, Sr. Achievement Award this year. She currently serves as the McLoud FFA Chapter President. She normally shows pigs. She also chose to take on the task of trying to show sheep her final year.
Paige is the 18-year-old daughter of Debbie and Marvin Smith. This is her fourth year to show animals in livestock shows.
Paige is a four-year member of FFA. She has won an equine science award and Greenhand award. Along with showing, she has competed in the Central Area FFA animal science speech contest. She is most proud of making the county sale for three years along with initiating and volunteering with the inaugural Special Olympics class at the McLoud local show.