BAYLES LAKE — Illinois State FFA President Mike Shively will be the speaker for the Paxton Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, March 12, at Lakeview Country Club at Bayles Lake.

The public is invited to attend.  The cost is $20 per person with a choice of dinner entree of chicken or beef. 
Reservations, choice of dinner entree, and payment need to be received by March 5 at the Paxton Area Chamber of Commerce office at P.O. Box 75, Paxton, Illinois 60957.

Shively, 18, of Buckley, is the son of Todd and Stephanie Shivey.  He is a 2011 graduate of Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School and was an active member of the PBL FFA chapter. Over the years he has been involved in several organizations ranging from the National Honor Society during high school, to his youth group at the Loda Methodist Church, and is also a 10-year member of the Prairie Champions 4-H Club in Iriquois County. 

His passion for agriculture started at a  young age when he actively participated in events with the local 4-H club, spent his summers at the Iriquois County Fair, and rode along in the combine during harvest. As he bacame older he joined the FFA in high school, becoming more and more involved as he progressed through his high school years to eventually becoming an officer of the PBL FFA chapter. 

He served as the secretary, vice president, and Third Outstanding Student in Agriculture at PBL High School. Some of his favorite activities included competing in Career Development Events, helping plan and put on the PBL FFA’s annual Toy Show in February, and coming in early each morninig to talk to and help his two ag advisors, Mike White and Doug Anderson.

In June 2011, Shively was elected the 2011-12 Illinois FFA State president. Being a state officer of the Illinois FFA takes great didication and knowledge of the agricultural industry. State officers defer a year of college to work in the Illinois FFA Center, which is located in Springfield and travel around the state visiting chapters and businesses to help inspire younger members to be better leaders. The officers also work to support the agricultural education line item through the Illinois State Board of Education. 

He has had the opportunity to travel around the state for five weeks visiting chapters and even had the opportunity to travel internationally.  In January, he traveled to China for a two week tour of agricultural sites including a tea farm, goose farm, and a silk factory.  For his future plans, Shively will be majoring in crop sciences at the University of Illinois next fall with aspirations to be an agronomist for a mojor seed company or crop production services agency.