Members of the Grassland FFA excelled in state competition held in conjunction with State FFA Activities week at Penn State in June. A total of 35 Garden Spot students qualified for state level competition with 24 of them earning individual recognition. The total medal count for Grassland FFA included 13 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze medals. Individual champions included Kristin Horton, floriculture and Crystal Diem, small animal veterinary skills. In team competition Grassland entered 6 teams they came home with 3 state championships, 2 runners up and a 4th place finish.
1st place teams included Floriculture made up of Kristin Horton, Percella Hankins, Jalisa Zimmerman and Katie Mueller all of whom earned gold medals by placing in the top 5 in the state individually.
Note: Photos are below the descriptions of each team.
The small animal/vet skills team consisting of Crystal Diem, Calianna Riggins, Jessica Horst, and Cyndi Phae also placed 1st in the state.
The third state championship team included Taylor Martin, Joshua Weaver, Connor Bender and Andy Horst who won the Milk Quality and Products competition.
The Poultry Evaluation team placed 2nd in the state with Bethany Sauder, Nathan Moyer, Wesley Weaver, and Kelly Seifrit all placing in the top 10 in the state.
The Ag Sales team consisting of Ben Snyder, Abbey Martin, Rachel Weaver and Clay Lehman finished second in the state and all placed in the top 10 individually.
The Forestry team finished in fourth place led by Seth Yoder and Bryan Peter in 3rd and 5th respectively with Paul McFarland and Regina Sauder rounding out the team.
Additional noteworthy efforts were: 9th grader Derick Weaver placing 3rd in the state in Conservation Speaking, and Percella Hankins and her committee earning gold for the chapter scrapbook. In the National Chapter Rating Application Grassland was one of only 14 chapters out of 148 statewide to earn a gold medal. Paul McFarland, Jon Martin, Michael Seifrit and Seth Yoder spearheaded that effort.
The Floriculture and Milk Quality and Products teams will represent Pennsylvania in National competition in Indianapolis in October. The Poultry and Small Animal/Vet Skills teams will compete at Eastern Nationals in Massachusetts in September.
With this many students going on to further competition there will need to be some fundraising. Staff students and community members who would like to support and encourage these students will have opportunity to do so through a school and community chicken BBQ planned for the weekend of September 7-10 and a second faculty/student luncheon in October. More details will be available soon so be on the lookout.
Congratulations to all of the participants for representing themselves and their school so well and best wishes as you compete beyond the state level this fall.