The Flora FFA had a busy schedule for April. They competed in four different competition categories: horticulture, ag mechanics, livestock judging, and poultry evaluation.

Each student put in the work and effort during lunch and after-school practices to prepare for these competitions. 

“We also have a Google Classroom material tab for each competition so the students can study as they’d like,” Troyer shares. 

The horticulture team competed at Richland County High School to demonstrate their knowledge of plant science. 

“They participated in activities like plant identification, greenhouse operations, and landscape design, preparing them for careers in the green industry,” Mekenzie Troyer, an ag teacher and FFA advisor at FHS, said. 

The agricultural mechanics students tested their abilities in various fields at Wabash Valley College. These fields included welding, electricity, plumbing, and machinery repair.

“This equipped them with hands-on skills vital to maintaining and building agricultural systems,” Troyer adds. 

One of the four students who attended this event advanced to the state level in the Ag Power CDE. Coy Beard, a junior at FHS, traveled to the state contest held in Peoria to compete against various FFA sections

Using their judging skills, the livestock judging students traveled to Newton Fairgrounds to learn skills used in animal selection and production.

“The students assessed beef cattle, sheep, swine, and goats based on structure, muscle, and performance data,” Troyer says. 

Getting a taste of the poultry industry, students journeyed to North Clay High School to test their abilities in the poultry field. 

“Participants evaluated live birds, carcasses, and products like eggs for quality and marketability, applying science-based standards used in the poultry industry,” Troyer adds.

Although they didn’t get the highest score in the competitions, they have a young team and are still learning. 

“Most attendees were freshmen, so we try not to focus on scoring as much as we’re focusing on the learning/growth right now,” Troyer commented.

Even though they’re done with competitions, the Flora FFA has one more event, the Section 23 FFA Banquet, before they can officially pronounce the end of their school year.