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FFA Members Excel in Spring Career Development Events The North Union FFA has continued it’s tradition of excellence in building individuals toward lifelong skills through the FFA’s career development events. Agricultural Education Career Development Events (CDEs) are educational activities that are organized and conducted by the Ohio Department of Education, Office of Career-Technical Adult Education, and Agricultural Education Service. They are designed to assess student competence in business and industry verified occupational skills, as detailed in the Agricultural and Environmental Content Standards. CDEs are a motivating force that stimulates occupational interests in and personal development of high school students enrolled in school-based agricultural education programs. Many of the events are transferred from what they learn in the classroom and the events to apply them to the real world. The past members who have participated in the 49 different sanctioned CDE events have all benefited either educationally or personally with the skills to help them be successful in their chosen career. Often many of the former FFA members go on to us these skills in their career and even major in that field. This year has been no exception to the student’s high level of achievement.
The agronomy contest began with a new group of individuals. The team consisted of Tyler Smith, Adam Conrad, Isaac Oman, Kyle Gravatt, Ben Nauman Grant Smith, and Robert Bevis. The agronomy contest is designed to assess the student’s knowledge of agronomic practices for the production of field and forage crops. A practical examination requires the student to identify specimens of crop and weed plants and seeds, diseases, and insects or their damage. Two written tests cover the use of soil tests and county soil surveys, current agronomic practices, and fertilizer, pesticide or sprayer calibration problems and their solution. The team excelled and grew as they competed in the invitational judging contests. The team then placed first in the state out of 36 teams. The high individuals were Adam Conrad first place, Tyler Smith 3rd, Kyle Gravatt 4th, Grant Smith 9th, and Ben Nauman 14th.
Five other North Union FFA spring Career Development Event Teams competed this spring. They were Poultry, Wildlife Management, Horse, General Livestock, and Dairy Products. The poultry team consisted of Heather Knisley, Andrea Frey, and Laura Bradford. The team placed 8th out 57 teams. The Wildlife Management team placed 24th out of 64 teams. The team consisted of Zach Beeney, Matt Ross, Bruce Lookabaugh, Wesley Mannasmith, and Harley Jerew. Luke Brill, Jacci Erwin, Grant McNamee, Seth Spurlock, Sara Brill, James Anderson, Cody Johnston, and Rebecca Smith made up the General Livestock team that placed 12th out of 146 teams. The members of the Equine Management team were Kelli Myers, Michelle Shepherd, Alicia Dysert, Stormy Foos, and Miriah Mathys in which they placed 28th out of 116 teams. The Dairy Products team consisted of Elizabeth DePriest, Brandon Lowe, Logan Lowe, Laken Meddles, and Tyne Powers. They places 19th out of 27 teams.
The North Union FFA would like to thank all who helped coach and teach the Career Development teams through out the year. The team from the beginning of the year had very successful year with 2 teams placing in the top ten. |