(From left to right) An FFA judge, FFA members Max Burnham and Juliana Hardman, sophomores, and then-Clarke Central High School Career, Technical and Agricultural Education department teacher Emily Courson participate in the award ceremony at the National FFA Agriscience Fair on April 29. CTAE department teacher and FFA adviser Levi Carr was excited to see the students recognized for their awards. “By far, this is the most state wins that this FFA chapter (has) ever seen in this competition,” Carr said. “It’s a competition that we have not really reached out (to) since my time here at Clarke Central (High School) in four years, but I will say that it is something that is growing at a rapid rate.” Photo courtesy of Juliana Hardman
The CCHS FFA took home a win at the National Agriscience Fair on April 29 and is looking forward to the National FFA Convention and Expo in November.
FFA members Juliana Hardman and Max Burnham, sophomores, were announced Top 10 finalists in the nation at the National FFA Agriscience Fair on April 29 at the Macon Coliseum in Macon, Georgia. Their project focused on determining which light was the most conductive for animals’ food consumption and weight gain.
The pair spent approximately two months collecting data and compiling it into a written plan, which was then submitted into the National FFA Agriscience Fair competition. When the award was announced on April 29, Hardman was very emotional.
“It meant a lot to me. I was there– it was a mix of emotions. I was happy. I was crying tears of joy,” Hardman said. “(Career, Technical and Agricultural Education department teacher and FFA adviser Levi) Carr was there when we found that we won first place. Me and then Max ran up to him, give him a big hug (and) thanked him.”
“(Winning) gives other students in our program the confidence that they can achieve things. Because we are a non-typical agriculture school and community, it gives them a fighting chance that they can make a difference and they can impact the future.”
— Levi Carr,
FFA adviser
During the competition, the CCHS team was pitted against all the other Georgia high schools with Agriscience programs. According to Carr, the Clarke County School District accounted for over 25% of the competition wins.
“It was a very prideful thing to know that Cedar Shoals (High School), Coile Middle (School) and Clarke Central all had that number of students being recognized not only on stage but for all of their hard work and things that they have put into,” Carr said. “Because again, we try to strive for greatness. We try to expose these students to something that is new and exciting and that is very applicable to inner city students such as students prepare in Athens.”
As a district with schools in an urban area, Carr feels the students’ success is all the more special.
“(Winning) gives other students in our program the confidence that they can achieve things,” Carr said. “Because we are a non-typical agriculture school and community, it gives them a fighting chance that they can make a difference and they can impact the future.”
Even though the FFA finalists have placed in the Top 10 at the National FFA Agriscience Fair, they look forward to the possibility of winning the National Title in their divisions at their upcoming 96th National FFA Convention and Expo on Nov. 1-4 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
“It’s just based on their interview from here on out. They will have to fly to Indianapolis, Indiana for the National FFA Convention,” Carr said. “They will be asked to set up their presentations of their posters for a visual effect to other eager FFA members that want to get into agriscience. They must be by their posters and communicate with students from all across the United States.”
