LHS FFA Student To Compete At State Competition

Submitted by Abby Needham, FFA Advisor at Loganville High School.

For 67 FFA members, long hours of practiced paid off as they competed in the Northeast Georgia Floral Design Career Development Event recently at Oconee County Civic Center in Watkinsville. For student, Casey Kimery, and her teacher, Abby Needman, second place in their division earned them the right to compete at the state level.

The top two winners of each division go on to represent their chapter at state competition in December 2011. In the senior division, Rebecca Fortner coached by agriculture teacher Amanda Martin, from White Co High School FFA, won the senior division competition and second place trophy went to Kimery and her teacher from Loganville High School.

Other winners include:

In the junior division, taking home the gold was Chole Thomason, Franklin Co High School and her teacher Gary Minyard. Second place went to Bailey Seabolt from Madison Co High School coached by her agriculture education teacher Trisha Lastly.

Georgia Florist Association is the educational sponsor for the competition. Serving as judges this year were industry representatives; Jeff Lott of Garden Gate Florist, Deborah Fuller of Flowerland Florist, Dr. Frank Flanders UGA, and Pam Butts and Shelly Prescott from the State Botanical Garden.

The FFA Floral Design competition consists of a written exam, identification of florist plant and equipment and hands on skills test in creation of a given floral design. The competition is based on the educational objectives of the Georgia Agriculture Education horticulture curriculum and standard practices in the horticulture industry. 

The purpose of the career development event is to connect students with what is taught in the classroom to practices utilized in the floriculture industry. Additionally the competition promotes academic achievement and competence for students who seek a future in horticulture industry. 

This event is one of the many educational activities in which the FFA members apply classroom knowledge to real-life situations. The Georgia FFA Association has the third largest FFA membership in the nation with over 32,500 members.  FFA strives to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education.