VC sophomore will be competing in National Beef Contest

Bret Lee, a sophomore at Vermilion Catholic High and two other students from Acadiana, are in Denver Friday and Saturday to compete in the National Beef Ambassador Contest.
There are two divisions, seniors (ages 17 to 21) and junior competition (ages 12-16).
These beef ambassadors will be judged in the areas of consumer promotion, education and outreach strategy, media interview technique and issues response.
Kerrigan Fitch, a student at South Louisiana Community College, and Gracie LaBorde are competing.
Fitch will be competing in the senior division, while Lee and LaBorde are in the junior division.
Lee is returning to the national competition after competing in it last year as a freshman. He was able to win a portion of the contest by winning the media interview.
Over the last year, he has improved on certain areas, which he hopes will get him the junior beef ambassador title.
“I think the biggest thing I have improved on is being interactive with the people I talk to,” Lee said. “Improved on being not so stiff. Rather than just giving information, I am interacting with them.”
The three students have been busy learning as much about beef industry as they can.
Lee said the category he is worried about the most is issue response. Each person will have to write a 250-word response to a negative issue about the beef industry. He said he likes to think things out before he begins writing. He will have a short time to think and then write.
“I have to be able to think well under time,” he said.
Contestants from throughout the country will be joining Lee, Fitch and LaBorde for a place on the elite team of agriculture advocates and $5,000 in cash prizes sponsored exclusively by Farm Credit. Additionally five educational scholarships totaling $5,000 will be given by the American National CattleWomen Foundation, Inc.
The three from Louisiana are representing the Louisiana CattleWomen Foundation and the Louisiana Beef Industry.