The
Atwater FFA Nursery and Landscape Team earned a
silver award at the 2009 National FFA Nursery and
Landscape Career Development Event in Indianapolis,
Indiana. The event was held in conjunction with the
82nd National FFA Convention. 42 other
state winning championship teams throughout the
nation competed in the horticulture event. The team
from California was represented by Atwater High
School FFA members Terilyn Bettencourt, Lilly Reyes,
Christina Willman, and Stefani Dias.
The
national contest for Nursery and Landscape consisted
of students plant identification, propagation,
knowledge exam, assessment and solution of landscape
tools, written and verbal customer service skills,
and a team landscape management presentation. The 42
states that competed in the event were broken into
Bronze, Silver, and Gold categories based on their
efforts and results. “The national contest is much
different from our state contest.” said FFA advisor
Beth Knapp. “Placing in the middle of the pack out
of 42 teams was an accomplishment due to various
aspects of the national contest the students never
experienced at the state level.”
In
addition to the national finals, the team also
traveled to Washington DC for a two day leadership
experience. The students received a VIP tour of the
nation’s Capitol compliments of Congressman Cardoza.
They also visited and toured the various monuments
and memorials, Arlington National Cemetery, and the
Holocaust Museum
“This
will be an experience we will never forget,” said
Atwater Nursery and Landscape team member Terilyn
Bettencourt, “The entire trip was emotional,
powerful, and made a positive impact on all of us.”
Supporters who funded the trip and created the
opportunity for this year’s 2009 State FFA
Championship Nursery and Landscape Team included the
California Association of Nurseries and Garden
Centers (CANGC), California Women for Agriculture,
Yosemite Farm Credit, Kristin Avinelis, and Merced
Schools Credit Union. Resource and preparation
assistance was provided by Dale Pollard of Modesto
Junior College’s Horticulture Unit.
“If it
wasn’t for the staff at Atwater High School and
MUHSD, members of the community, and local
businesses, the opportunity for our students to
participate in this positive experience of a
lifetime would not have been possible,” said Knapp,
“We are forever grateful for their continued
support, and we will continue our efforts in making
a positive difference in young people’s lives
through agricultural education.”
Written By: Mekayla Coughran, Atwater FFA
October 2009
