Twenty-six Douglas High School students represented the Carson Valley FFA chapter in eight different career development events at the 78th annual Nevada FFA State Convention in Reno.
Career development events are individually and team-based competitions designed to test the students' competence in that event. The purpose of the events is to help the students excel at possible future career goals, from welding and agriculture mechanics to livestock judging and public speaking. The first-place teams and/or individuals from each event represent their chapter at the National FFA Convention in October in Indianapolis, Ind.
The Carson Valley FFA's number of chapter members and its proportional competitiveness are growing with each passing year. For the second year in a row, our chapter's agriculture issues team took first place. They presented the issue of the use of antibiotics in livestock feed, using an entertaining "CSI" theme.
The chapter did phenomenally well in their first year competing for agriculture sales - not only did the team take first place, but team members Max Helling took first-place individual, Caitlin Gallagher took second-place individual and Jackie Koster took third-place individual.
Carson Valley dairy judging team member Michelle Gibbons took first-place individual, while the team took home a second-place plaque.
The dairy foods students also did exceptionally well. The team won first, while team members Trevor Wentz won first-high individual, Kevin Kuckenmeister won second-high individual and Amber Friesen won third-high individual.
The Carson Valley chapter also had a very competitive extemporaneous speaking individual - Max Helling won first place in a very difficult event, and was able to give his unprepared speech to almost 400 FFA members and guests attending the convention.
Floriculture is arguably one of the most difficult career development events, but Rebecca England won third-high individual after joining the team just the week before convention.
The horse evaluation team competed against numerous other teams across the state and still managed to place first. Also, team members Kayla Watschke won second-high individual and Kendra Robison won third-high individual, with the other two members very close behind them.
Jared Hyatt, one of Carson Valley's two FFA advisors, was also awarded the honorary State FFA Degree. Congratulations to everybody who competed. You all did outstandingly well, and it is such a big deal that this is no time to be humble. Good luck and have fun at nationals.
With twenty students traveling to national competition the Carson Valley FFA would welcome donations to help with deferring student cost. To donate to Carson Valley FFA, contact Jared Hyatt or Allyson Lammiman at Douglas High School, 782-5136.
