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