In October, 54,942 FFA (Future Farmers of America) students, sponsors and advisors gathered in Indianapolis to represent their schools and states in competitions designed to test their knowledge and skills during the 83rd annual National FFA Convention.

Record numbers at the 2010 National FFA Convention

In October, 54,942 FFA (Future Farmers of America) students, sponsors and advisors gathered in Indianapolis to represent their schools and states in competitions designed to test their knowledge and skills during the 83rd annual National FFA Convention.


For the eighth year, Stihl was a proud sponsor of the Nursery and Landscape Career Development Event (CDE).


“Each year I have had the pleasure of seeing what the future holds for the green industry through the passion and knowledge of these FFA students,” said Roger Phelps, promotional communications manager for Stihl Inc. “Through our sponsorship, we strive to encourage the future leaders of the industry to pursue careers that will impact our society through environmental responsibility and sustainability.”


According to the FFA, the National FFA Nursery Landscape CDE is a competitive activity in which FFA members test their knowledge and skills in nursery practices and landscaping. Contestants must complete a general knowledge exam testing horticultural principles including plant anatomy, production, marketing, turf, landscape design and maintenance. Each participant must also complete practicums involving a landscape drawing, landscape estimating, plant propagation or potting, identification of plants, disorders and equipment, and verbal sales skills. Each team competed on local and state levels to earn the privilege of representing their state at the national FFA convention.


As part of the sponsorship, STIHL Inc. will send the top two teams from North Carolina and Kansas to compete in the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) Student Career Days (SCD) March 17-20, 2011 in Joliet, Ill. This three-day event, sponsored by STIHL, brings together college students and business leaders from across the country for a career fair and competition across a wide range of industry disciplines.


“The STIHL commitment to supporting FFA students and their futures is evident in the strong competition results as well as the full sponsorship of the top two winning teams to compete at the PLANET Student Career Days,” said Will Fett, regional director of the National FFA Foundation.


 


Winners of the FFA Nursery and Landscaping Career Development Event are:


 


Top Placing Teams


 


Place/State      Students          High School


1st Place North Carolina         Blair Allen, David Sublett, Alexis Owens, and Cole Fuller   Southern Alamance FFA


Graham, NC


2nd Place Kansas        Trevor Baker, Kelsey Hatesohl, Samantha L’Ecuyer, and Shelby Hynek      Washington County FFA


Washington, KS


3rd Place Kentucky    Heidi Gorbandt, Daniel Dunaway, Corey Hatfield, and Jessica Caswell      Oldham County FFA


Buckner, KY


4th Place Washington Jaella Levien, Olivia Wall, Rachel Neuharth, and Farrah French       Yelm FFA


Yelm, WA


5th Place Georgia        Tori Gilliard, Kailee Bennett, Marguerite Whitaker, and Elisa Purvis           Coffee High FFA


Douglas, GA


6th Place Missouri       Andrew Pestle, Matt Terry, Kris Rankin, and Logan Forsythe          Columbia FFA


Columbia, MO


7th Place Minnesota    Karina Fast, Sada Kliewer, Brianna Welp, and Clarice Wallert         Mountain Lake FFA


Mountain Lake, MN


8th Place Virginia       Allyson Armbrester, Jonathan Witt, Sarah Stone, and Buron Hall    Patrick County FFA


Stuart, VA


9th Place Wisconsin    Kira Ruechel, Jared Mehre, Jenna Mehre, and Eugene Schoenborn  Elkhart Lake FFA


Elkhart Lake, WI


10th Place Colorado   Hanna Carlson, Isabeau Tallon, and Samantha Damgaard     Greeley West FFA


Greeley, CO


 


Top Placing Individuals


 


Place    Student           High School/State


1st Place          Cole Fuller      Southern Alamance FFA, Graham, NC


2nd Place        Trevor Baker   Washington County FFA, Washington, KS


3rd Place         Allyson Armbrester     Patrick County FFA, Stuart, VA


4th Place         Corey Hatfield            Oldham County FFA, Buckner, KY


5th Place         Jaella Levien   Yelm FFA, Yelm, WA


6th Place         David Sublett  Southern Alamance FFA, Graham, NC


7th Place         Karina Fast      Mountain Lake FFA, Mountain Lake, MN


8th Place         Ryan Daddio  Woodbury FFA, Woodbury, CT


9th Place         Logan Forsythe           Columbia FFA, Columbia, MO


10th Place       Marguerite Whitaker   Coffee High FFA, Douglas, GA