SHERMAN - Sherman Central School Future Farmer's of America students are reaping a double harvest of town pride with two teams preparing to compete at the national competition in Indianapolis from Oct. 24-27.
Members of the FFA teams which took first place in the state competition shared their experiences with the Sherman Central School board recently.
"We all had to be strong presenters," said Danielle Reed, FFA member. "Each person on the team had to pull their weight when presenting to the judges."
Article Photos
Sherman Central School students who will take part in the FFA National competition in Indianapolis recently spoke with members of the school board. From left to right are: Hewitt Meeder, Nathan Ottaway, Gabriel Rater, Julia Rater, Breanna Stoddard and Danielle Reed. Not pictured is FFA sentinel David Lyon.
Photo by David Prenatt
Reed's team won first place in the state competition for Food Science and Technology. Those competing in this area had to demonstrate the development of a product from the conception of an idea to the marketing of the actual product. The presentation included "producing, packaging, advertising and everything that goes into getting a product to the consumer," Reed said.
"It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said FFA member Julia Rater, who was responsible for presenting the graphic design segment.
Fellow team member Breanna Stoddard agreed.
"Going to nationals is awesome," she said. "The support from the community is seriously unbelievable."
Sherman students Nathan Ottaway, Gabriel Rater, Hewitt Meeder and David Lyon made up the FFA Agricultural Mechanics team, which also took first place in the state competition. That competition consisted of five tests: welding; circuit boards; measurement; GPS; and a 50-multiple choice written exam.
"The experience gave me many skills," Lyons said. "The best thing was to know we weren't just getting on a bus to nationals, but we earn the spot to go to Indianapolis."
Superintendent Kaine Kelly, responding for the board, expressed admiration for the students' accomplishments.
"The FFA program in this school and this group in particular, has made us very, very proud," he said. "To know that not one but two groups won the state competition is very gratifying."
Students can compete at the FFA Nationals in 47 areas from Agricultural Mechanics to Wildlife Management. Each award consists of placement and entrepreneurship.